Agrhh Trick or Treaters just woke my DS up

Tropez

Round here they knock even if you have a sign up saying you don't want them to... kinda irritating. At my mum's house, she even moved her wheelie bins in front of the gate to make it harder to open thinking that would clue them in, along with the sign, but nope... they moved the bins and still knocked. I had to go out there to put a padlock round it in the end...

threemuttleys

we had a sign up outside, but still got two knocking, with the parents stood behind them.

I really dont like the idea of T or T...imho its begging

nannymiaow

I wanted to put a sign up saying "Caution! Dogs that EAT children live here" but my husband wouldn't let me. I hate Halloween, despite all those swearing by all that is Holy that they only knock on doors that are lit in some way I had about 5 knock even though the lights were out. I HATE the idea that I have to go out of my way to get a poster or banner to opt out of this crap.

Slinky

I started putting a sign up about 3 years ago, got fed up with the ToTers round here, would be groups of teenagers who would come as a group, them the same ones would come back individually later thinking I wouldn't recognise them!

The sign worked last night.

kafkathecat

My ds has only ever called at houses that have decorations. You know that they want visitors and it makes more sense for the children as well as they don't spend ages hanging around for people who won't answer the door or don't have anything so I'm sure they end up with a better haul at the end of the night even if they end up walking a bit further.

Caroline_a

I have a large sign on my gate that says 'I live here' with a picture of a large German shepherd. He does... and they don't knock!

Not keen on the Trick or Treat thing myself as I think it's a cheap American import to get people to spend more money on tat in the £ shops! However... whatever happened to 'Penny for the Guy'????

Emmarillo

Maybe the people whose children go trick or treating, but don't answer the door themselves are out with their children. I always feel bad about that and leave a pumpkin with sweets in on the front step, but I have no idea if the first callers take the lot!

gratefulforhelp_2

Nicki wrote: »

I love Halloween, and always have stuff in for trick and treaters, though when I take my kids out we have an unbreakable rule that we only knock on doors who have a pumpkin or other Halloween decorations in the window and have therefore indicated they are happy to participate.

Same here.

Newly_retired wrote: »

Frankly I cannot understand those parents who allow and encourage their very young children to go knocking at strangers' doors, even under supervision.
We kept most of our lights out but still had 3 knocks. DH went to door and just said "No Thank you, but be careful on the drive which has got wet concrete on it. " Almost true, as we are in the middle of having our drive done and it is highly unsafe today.
Does anyone actually do Tricks if they don't get their Treats?

It's just a bit of fun for the little ones, it's another thing when it's older teenagers.

It's a big thing in our village, but everyone knows everyone and we only visit where there are decorations and we know we'll be welcome. All the children say thank you and make an effort to dress up.

I do know what you mean as two lots called while I was putting baby to bed, I had left sweets in the porch but most kids here are too polite to help themselves without being told!

Idiophreak

threemuttleys wrote: »

I really dont like the idea of T or T...imho its begging

Begging, in general, requires no effort. Trick or treat is more akin to sponsorship (allbeit not in the best of causes ) or busking even. You're rewarding the kids for making the effort to dress up, essentially.

Personally, as a child I went to my grandparents and great-grandparents houses and that was it. The last couple of years, however, I've been taking my BIL around ToTing door to door. We only do houses with pumpkins outside and I have to say, it's really good fun.

I'm sure many people agree with the posters on here that say it's an Americanism designed to get people to spend money etc...but, to be honest, I'm all in favour of importing anything that's good fun and brings people together.

Where we go trick or treating, people make a real effort to pimp their houses out well and obviously get a little competitive with their neighbours - we saw animatronic ghosts, front gardens converted to graveyards and a CSI style murder scene. There were also body parts and creepy crawlies a-plenty. There are loads of people out chatting in the streets, last year some students had organised some lucky dips, bobbing for apples etc and it was just a really good, festival atmosphere. The best thing? There were loads of kids running around, laughing and having a good time. Maybe I'm going soft in my old age...

Nicki

Idiophreak wrote: »

Where we go trick or treating, people make a real effort to pimp their houses out well and obviously get a little competitive with their neighbours - we saw animatronic ghosts, front gardens converted to graveyards and a CSI style murder scene. There were also body parts and creepy crawlies a-plenty. There are loads of people out chatting in the streets, last year some students had organised some lucky dips, bobbing for apples etc and it was just a really good, festival atmosphere. The best thing? There were loads of kids running around, laughing and having a good time. Maybe I'm going soft in my old age...

That sounds fabulous. There is a beautiful white house with pillars flanking its front doors near where we live, which is often used in film shoots as an embassy location. I think the owners must be american, because every year, they convert it into a gory scene, with fake blood running down the pillars, and a bloodstained axe, or severed head or something on the steps. Either they have moved or were away on holiday this year, because it wasn't decorated last night and we were all really disappointed as we make it the finale of our trick and treat circuit usually.