Trick or treat! Going door to door collecting candy from around the neighborhood in silly costumes is a childhood staple. But why stop as you grow up? The age limit of 17 on trick-or-treating seems awfully restrictive, and there is so much more that can be gained from this timeless tradition for people above this age limit.

For one, Halloween serves as a night where you can wear (almost) anything you want, and that freedom only gets sweeter as you get older. Group costumes are an amazing demonstration of this. Walking around with your friend group all dressed up is a guaranteed fun time. From picking the theme to assigning who gets what character, to purchasing the costume and going out in it, every step of the process requires everyone’s input and ultimately results in a spectacular night. Such group costumes are most commonly seen among older individuals due to their lack of need for supervision while going out. Dressing up as characters from various media, or cosplaying, is another form of Halloween costume that older individuals gravitate towards. This can be a great opportunity to share your interest through clothing. Cosplays are also commonly hand-made by the individual, letting people get a bit more creative with their costumes. Even just a simple costume goes a long way. No matter what you choose to wear, going trick-or-treating in costume elevates the experience, and that is true for any age.

Going trick-or-treating with a group of friends or your family is also a great way to escape from your workload, if only for a couple of hours. As you grow older, your workload typically increases, and with it, your stress. With October in particular, work tends to ramp up for high schoolers from the more relaxed start of the year workload. Most sports seasons are also ongoing, leading to added stress in student-athletes. Those who are enrolled in college or are in the workforce have stricter schedules and a heavier workload. With that, doesn’t walking around at night collecting candy sound like the perfect break? Trick-or-treating allows you to forget about your ordinary life for a bit and lets you enjoy the bliss of feeling like a child again.

Finally, the best part of trick-or- treating, getting free candy, can also be enjoyed at every age. This might just be the main draw of trick-or-treating, and it attracts crowds of all ages. Candy is just as sweet, no matter how old you are, and it is even sweeter when it is not your money paying for it.

So, why stop at the age of 17? A holiday where you get to walk around the neighborhood collecting candy with those you love should be enjoyed by everyone. Just because someone is no longer a child does not mean that their childhood whimsy goes away. Allowing anyone of any age to trick or treat harms no one, and on the contrary, allows people to experience Halloween through a different lens every year as they grow up, each year being unlike the last.