The North York Mirror

All right, I admit, the 'dawn of civilization' part was added in for effect, but that does not make the succeeding question any less of a social quagmire.

Halloween has always been thought to be a child's endeavor, when, on a particular night in October, those who are young put on a costume, hit the streets with friends, also in costume, in search of candy.

Times have changed, as is evident by the participation of teenagers and even some adults in this timeless activity.

But this does not eliminate many of the stigmas associated with an older person going door to door stating "Trick or treat."

Some households find it especially difficult to hand out treats to those, say, over the age of 20.

"My, what a deep voice you have," is a good way of summing it up. Usually spotted guiding a group of younger costumed wonders or lurking with group members of similar birth years, they are the demographic under scrutiny by onlookers who disapprove of their age.

But then again, it's not the end of the world; just because there are people out there who are willing to go the extra mile to ensure there is candy on the table does not mean they have to be condemned indefinitely.

In its entirety, Halloween should be an ageless activity and if there are members of an older generation who are brave enough to emerge from their homes sporting a colourful wig or clad with spandex and spider webs attempting to look like a comic book superhero, don't you think they deserve a treat for their effort?

Of course, there is a dark side to shelling out. Safety concerns can arise when an older participant uses the advantage of body size to shove their way to the front of the line or take more than their share by robbing candy from their younger counterparts. Pranks and other lashes of ill-will intended as a joke or for "fun" usually won't be viewed in the same manner by the victims.

The best way to avoid stereotyping teenagers as innate troublemakers hidden under the cloak of night is to not do the things that create such views in the first place. This is one way of ensuring the night remains fair and pleasant.

In the end, to go or not to go boils down to one's willingness to partake, either out of an effort to retain a certain sense of childlikeness or lured by the prospect of free candy.

There really is no set age limit when one should stop trick-or-treating, but whatever you choose to do this Halloween, just make sure that it's not you who's staring at the bags of sugary delights the next morning with nostalgic, longing eyes.

Millie Ho is a high school student in North York.