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Halloween
- The Story Behind Halloween – Lesson
- The Story Behind Halloween – Quiz
- Are You Too Old To Go Trick-Or-Treating? – Lesson
- Look out for the Blue Pumpkin – Lesson
- Is the White House Haunted? – Lesson
- Is the White House Haunted? – Quiz
- Mummies Discovered in Egypt – But That’s Nothing to Fear – Lesson
- Salem Witch Trials: When Being Called a Witch Meant Death – Lesson
- Halloween Around the World: It Isn’t Just Costumes and Candy – Lesson
- Halloween Around the World: It Isn’t Just Costumes and Candy – Quiz
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Thanksgiving
- The Evolution of Thanksgiving – Lesson
- The Evolution of Thanksgiving – Quiz
- The Political Roots of Thanksgiving – Lesson
- The Political Roots of Thanksgiving – Quiz
- Turkey for Thanksgiving – But Why? – Lesson
- Turkey for Thanksgiving – But Why? – Quiz
- This Thanksgiving, Consider Helping the Less Fortunate – Lesson
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Christmas
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Easter
- Good Friday: Christ Carried Sin to the Grave – And Left It There – Lesson
- Good Friday: Christ Carried Sin to the Grave – And Left It There – Quiz
- Easter Traditions: From Rabbits to Egg Jarping – Lesson
- Easter Traditions: From Rabbits to Egg Jarping – Quiz
- Easter Monday and Egg Rolling at the White House – Lesson
- Easter Monday and Egg Rolling at the White House – Quiz
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Federal Holidays and Observances
- New Year’s Day: Just as Political as Anything Else – Lesson
- This Presidents’ Day, Let’s Remember the Weird – Lesson
- Astounding Facts about US Presidents – Lesson
- Astounding Facts about US Presidents – Quiz
- Memorial Day: A Time of Honor and Respect – Lesson
- Memorial Day: A Time of Honor and Respect – Quiz
- From Decoration Day to Memorial Day – Lesson
- From Decoration Day to Memorial Day – Quiz
- Who Was the Poppy Lady, Moina Belle Michael? – Lesson
- Who Was the Poppy Lady, Moina Belle Michael? – Quiz
- The Origins of Flag Day – Lesson
- The Origins of Flag Day – Quiz
- America’s Flag – An Evolved Banner for an Ever-Changing Country – Lesson
- America’s Flag – An Evolved Banner for an Ever-Changing Country – Quiz
- Celebrating the 4th of July – Lesson
- Celebrating the 4th of July – Quiz
- Who Should We Thank for Labor Day? – Lesson
- Who Should We Thank for Labor Day? – Quiz
- Constitution and Citizenship Day – Lesson
- Constitution Day – The First Day of Constitution Week – Lesson
- Constitution Day – The First Day of Constitution Week – Quiz
- The Political Origins of Columbus Day – Lesson
- The Political Origins of Columbus Day – Quiz
- Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day? – Lesson
- Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day? – Quiz
- Veterans Day: A Day to Honor Those Who Served – Lesson
- Veterans Day: A Day to Honor Those Who Served – Quiz
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Other Traditions
- Valentine’s Day Love Poems – Lesson
- Love Poems for Valentine’s Day – Lesson
- Who Was St. Valentine? – Lesson
- Who Was St. Valentine? – Quiz
- No Love for Valentine’s Day in the East – Lesson
- No Love for Valentine’s Day in the East – Quiz
- Beware the Ides of March – But Why? – Lesson
- Beware the Ides of March – But Why? – Quiz
- St. Patrick’s Day: A Celebration of the Irish – Lesson
- St. Patrick’s Day: A Celebration of the Irish – Quiz
- May Day: Dancing ‘Round the Maypole – Lesson
- May Day: Dancing ‘Round the Maypole – Quiz
- Cinco de Mayo: Celebrating Mexico’s Victory in Puebla – Lesson
- Cinco de Mayo: Celebrating Mexico’s Victory in Puebla – Quiz
- Mother’s Day: The Anti-War Effort Turned Holiday – Lesson
- Mother’s Day: The Anti-War Effort Turned Holiday – Quiz
- Father’s Day: More Than Just a Day for Ties – Lesson
- Father’s Day: More Than Just a Day for Ties – Quiz
- Presidential Fathers: Responsible for Their Kids and the Country – Lesson
- Presidential Fathers: Responsible for Their Kids and the Country – Quiz
- Proof of the Hanukkah Story Found? – Lesson
- Proof of the Hanukkah Story Found? – Quiz
- Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue – April Celebrates Poetry, Too – Lesson
- Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue – April Celebrates Poetry, Too – Quiz
Are You Too Old To Go Trick-Or-Treating? – Lesson
City bans teens from Halloween activity.
Are you or your friends too old to go trick-or-treating? According to Chesapeake, Virginia and other cities, anyone over 12 has no business dressing up as their favorite Marvel character and knocking on doors for candy. Various news outlets recently reported that Chesapeake has a law on the books banning teenagers from going trick-or-treating on Halloween.
Age Limits on Trick-or-Treating
Chesapeake city officials recently announced that trick-or-treaters older than 12 could be imprisoned for up to six months and receive between $25 and $100 in fines. Sounds pretty harsh, doesn’t it? But other cities like Meridian, Mississippi and Boonsboro, Maryland have similar statutes.
Most children decide on their own to stop trick-or-treating when they become teenagers, but what age do most people think should be the cut-off? An informal poll conducted by The Today Show revealed that 43% of participants believed young people should stop trick-or-treating between the ages of 13 and 18. Interestingly enough, 42% thought there should be no age limit. Perhaps some adults wish to relive their days dressing up and asking for candy?
Will teenagers really go to jail for trick-or-treating? According to Chesapeake city officials, the answer is “no.”
Chesapeake County Reverses Course
Mayor Richard West told Time magazine that he is “absolutely” for removing the law. “We didn’t even know it existed until it went viral last Halloween,” he remarked.
Laws such as these were originally put into effect due to safety concerns. “There were problems, beginning in the ‘70s, when the ordinance was passed, with groups of older teenagers harassing younger kids,” said West.
Despite the fact that the law exists, the city never enforced it, and no teens have been arrested for Halloween activities.
Should the Government Restrict Trick or Treating?
While this story is quite amusing, it does bring up an interesting question: Should the government be involved in policing Halloween activities? Some might believe that setting laws regarding trick-or-treating is appropriate, others could feel it is too much of an intrusion.
The United States was founded to protect liberty – even the freedom to ask for candy from one’s neighbors. If neighbors believe that an individual is too old, they can simply refuse to give out the candy. Unless, of course, they are frightened of a potential “trick.”
It appears that Chesapeake’s government understands this is not a priority issue, which is why the law has never been enforced. Even so, it is always wise to consider whether a law benefits society, or if it needlessly restricts freedom.