Halloween brings excitement for almost everyone. Little kids race through neighborhoods for candy, college students throw parties, and parents finally relax once the doorbell stops ringing.Yet somewhere in between childhood and adulthood, teenagers find themselves in an awkward middle ground. Some say too old for trick-or-treating, while others say too young to party, so what’s left for them? 

Every Oct. 31, children dress up and go door to door hoping to collect as much candy as possible, but when it comes to who should be trick-or-treating, nobody can agree. Some people argue that anyone of any age should be able to participate, after all it’s just free candy and harmless fun. Others insist they won’t hand out candy to anyone who “looks over 13.”

While it may seem a little unusual to see a teenager dressed as a Disney character on your porch, discouraging teens from trick-or-treating pushes them toward party culture instead. Some teenagers are going to attend parties, it’s everywhere in the media and pop culture and many parties are harmless fun, but when teens participate in underage drinking or unsafe behavior without understanding the consequences, they put themselves at real risk.

There does come to a point when people naturally age out of trick-or-treating. However, that doesn’t mean teenagers should be excluded from the holiday altogether. People who care too much about the age of the person at their door are simply being insensitive. Halloween is meant to be inclusive, and if someone is bothered by teenagers showing up, maybe they shouldn’t be passing out candy in the first place.  

Fortunately, teenagers have more than two options on Halloween night. This year in Howell, the Howell High School football team played their first round playoff game against Kalamazoo Central on Halloween night. This gave students another fun and safe way to spend the night while still enjoying the festive energy of the holiday.  

Events like the Howell football game show that Halloween is a night for all ages. It gave teens a place to be, not quite kids, not quite adults, but still part of the community celebration. Whether it’s attending a football game, hanging out with friends or trick-or-treating, Halloween should be a night where everyone feels welcome to have fun.