Halloween as a whole seems to be losing popularity. In a recent survey done at PCM, it was found that most of the students stopped Trick or Treating between the ages of 10 and 13. In my house, Halloween is a holiday that is openly disrespected by most of the members of my family. As a result, every kid in my family has to stop Trick or Treating after the age of 12. This is because when it comes down to it, Halloween is just an excuse to get candy, and there is plenty of candy in my house. However, I have met some adults and even high school students that love Trick or Treating, and everyone has their reasons. In a recent survey done on when PCM students stopped Trick or Treating, the results on what age students stopped Trick or Treating were very diverse. 31 percent answered at 12 years old, 16.7 percent answered 13 years , 14.3 percent answered 14, 4.8 percent said 15, 16.7 percent said they haven’t stopped and everyone else said 11 or younger. This means that the majority of PCM has a similar Halloween philosophy to my family. Many of them have similar reasons. 

“[I stopped at 13] because my mom said I was too old to get candy [via Trick or Treating]. I was sad about it,” junior Jack Eighney said. 

That is what it seems to come down to: parents deciding at a designated time when their kids have to stop. That was the case for junior Caden Boukamp, who stopped at the earlier age of 10. 

“At that age my parents thought that I was too grown up [for Trick or Treating],” Boukamp explained. 

Many other survey responders stopped for a different reason or a combination of reasons. One of them was senior Kyle Sanders, who stopped at the age of 12. 

“I stopped because there were no other people [Trick or Treating] that I knew of,” said Sanders. 

Many PCM students (as well as kids all over America, no doubt) have simply lost interest in whatever it is that brings kids to Trick or Treat in the first place. One example of this is sophomore Jarrett Eslinger. 

“[I stopped at the age of 12 because] it’s the age my brother stopped, and even though I didn’t want to stop I felt too old to keep going,” reasoned Eslinger.  

Halloween provides many entertainment opportunities outside of Trick or Treating. Freshman Meredith Chipps recognized this at the age of 12. 

“[I stopped at 12] because me and my friends just figured it’s more fun to watch scary movies and buy a big bag of candy,” Chipps reasoned. 

On Halloween, there will always be a die-hard group that decorates like it is Christmas every year and will Trick or Treat until they can’t walk in their old age. In the survey, 16.7 percent said that they would never stop Trick or Treating, and the main reason was because of candy. It’s candy, right? The most passionate of this group at PCM is sophomore Aden Arndt, who boldly represents the rest of the population. 

“[I will never stop Trick or Treating] because I like candy and scaring little kids,” Arndt said.