This year I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that I am too tall to trick-or-treat. If I don my Ron Weasly costume and parade door to door with my gaggle of friends, I will be met with strange looks and possibly outward hostility from the parents who begrudgingly hand over their candy. Once you pass a certain age, it seems that dressing up and begging for candy on Halloween is childish. 

Last year, when I went door-to-door with a few friends, we found that we were one of the only groups of teenagers on the street. There were older siblings of course, but they were always accompanying a smaller family member as they went trick-or-treating. The general reception of these pairs of trick-or-treaters was very different—to say the least—from the reception of five teenagers, averaging 5 feet 6 inches.

The adorable child and their sibling received a generous handful of candy, accompanied by remarks on how cute they were in their little cowboy costumes, whereas, when my group approached the same door, we got a terse “happy Halloween,” and were promptly sent away with our bags just a few mini Snickers bars heavier. 

I was offended, of course. I was dressed in my giant inflatable costume—the one that looks like an alien is abducting you—and I felt that my get-up was much more creative than a little kid putting on a sheriff badge with an adorable hat and a vest. Of course, he also had on those cute little boots with spurs, and a small pleather sheriff’s cap and… yeah, my costume was totally better. 

One could argue that I should accept my fate, admitting that I am too old to trick-or-treat, but, to be honest, I haven’t found a better alternative. Halloween parties, for example, do not compare at all to the joys of going door-to-door.

At Halloween parties, you usually have a small group of people watching a horror movie and eating snacks. If they’re lucky, they might bob for apples or dance to “Spooky Scary Skeletons.” These parties just don’t hold a candle to trick-or-treating. And I don’t want to hear the old argument that I can purchase candy for myself. It’s all about the thrill of the hunt.

 I’ve spent so many years of my childhood going out in costumes of varying disney princesses, having fun with my friends. Every year I was strapped up with what felt like hundreds of glow sticks, and set out on the neighborhood, getting progressively more jittery as the sugar started to kick in. I still remember the Halloween evening when I looked down at my hands, after sorting my hoard of candy, and noticed my hand was literally vibrating. It was awesome!

I don’t understand why most high-schoolers are seen as “too old.” We are in the last few years of being kids, why not have some fun with it? This year I think I will dress up and trick-or-treat. There is literally no legal or objective reason not to!