Dreading Halloween...

aileth

Hi all, I wonder how many feel the same way I do. I HATE Halloween. I love the idea of a spooky day and what not, but I really hate strangers knocking on my door. Usually OH is there, but this time he is working till 8.30 p.m. so I'm going to be home alone for the whole evening.

We live in a pretty crappy area. Last Halloween, we were both home and took turns to go to the door, and the kids were right little sh*ts, asking them to please take one, they'd grab a handful, teenagers who'd spent 50p on a mask turning up at the house in gangs and trying to mug me of the bowl with all the sweeties in, parents swearing at me for not allowing them enough, being threatened that our house would be egged for not giving good enough sweets, generally pretty horrible.

I absolutely hated it and it made me feel pretty scared in my own home. I've asked around and nobody is available for me to go to their house on Halloween, nor come over, so I'm stuck at home alone. I'm feeling pretty terrified to be honest, but what do I do? I could turn all the lights out and pretend not to be home, but then I'm literally a prisoner in my own house. I could have the lights on like normal, but chances are our house would get egged for refusing to open the door (our next door neighbour got egged because they were home but didn't open up by one of the teenage gangs).

I really hate it and don't know what to do. Help

artichoke

Oh - this sounds awful - i have no experience of this at all - we live in a rural area and nobody ever knocks on our door and i think in the village the kids only knock on doors where there is obvious halloween sign out to show they are participating in trick or treat...

can you not go out to the cinema or the swimming pool or even to the supermarket ie somewhere you can be on your own and feel safe on your own? and then meet DH at 8.30 after work and treat yourself to a cheap pizza out?

art

aileth

Could do, I finish work at 4.30 so would have about four hours to burn though

warehouse

All lights out at the front, live in the back of the house for the evening. Just make it look like you're out and don't answer the door.

Brighton_belle

Well you present three choices:
1) lights off pretending no one is at home and feel a prisoner
2) lights on don't answer and feel frightened of outcome
3) lights on, absolutely hate answering it and all the anxiety about strangers and horrid kids etc.

So what is the least worst option?
I'd opt for lights off at the front of the house and spending the evening in a room at the back where no light comes through to the front. Yes, not great to be forced to do that, but it's about you still making the best choice to deal with a nationwide situation.

julie03

Can you not sit at the back of the house , with hall lights off to try and look like your not in. Can't believe people behave like this, I do take my kids out but we only knock on doors with decorations up.

stir_crazy

What time do the kids begin knocking at your door? If you have the opportunity perhaps you could do an hour or so over time then cinema as artickoke suggested. Or if you get late night shopping on a Thursday you could go shopping or window shopping for a while.

Or if you know your neighbour well enough you could go round to them for a cuppa and a chat.

iammumtoone

I am sorry to hear thats what happens in your area, I was saddened to read that. I thought it was a nationwide unwritten rule that everyone only went to houses with pumpkins outside, like we do here.

Personally I would go out, I would not want to sit in worrying. Like someone above suggested can you go to the cinema? Or go for a look around the supermarkets (they will be open late), maybe plan what goodies you can buy for Christmas.

aileth

Last year they started literally as soon as I got home at 4.30, almost like they were sat on the corner waiting for people to arrive back from work. I was only in the house for two minutes before the doorball rang.

Had a steady flow all the way through till about 7.30 and then one gang at 10-ish IIRC.

Yeah, I think my options are go to the local shopping centre, see a movie and have a coffee (or two or three). The problem is the back of the house is easily viewable from the main road so lights would easily be seen (I'm sounding paranoid now...)

I think I might just hide at the back in the spare room with my spare TV!

LEJC

I used to love halloween and get into the spirt of things by hanging lanterns outside and preparing treats for the local children...but somehow over the years its just lost its appeal to me and the rest of the family so much so that we now all get home from work and school,firmly shut the gate and hang a note out saying "no trick or treats"!
Its a shame really as it used to be really nice seeing the little ones come round dressed up...we used to keep everything lit up until about 7pm and loved the good naturdness of those that came round.
But like you the last few years it has seemed to turn into older kids who quite frankly are probably taller than me and arn't in it for a twix finger or mini mars bar...in fact come the first of december they will also bang on the door with a one line of "we wish you a merry christmas" and expect a pound for it!

I remember one year as well when my youngest wanted to have a go at trick or treating and took him out and about the local area...poor little soul seemed to walk a long way for a twix bar an 20p...and even he at his tender age of about 5 at the time decided that halloween just wasnt worth the effort...and perhaps partially in response to not getting much out of it we decided to scale back a little then on our hospitality to others...

This year its half term for us so I think we will probably go out for tea that night and leave them all to it!
If I were you I would probably get in the car and go and do a bit of shopping or at least a look round for a few hours then come home and shut the door to callers.

aileth

iammumtoone wrote: »

I am sorry to hear thats what happens in your area, I was saddened to read that. I thought it was a nationwide unwritten rule that everyone only went to houses with pumpkins outside, like we do here.

Personally I would go out, I would not want to sit in worrying. Like someone above suggested can you go to the cinema? Or go for a look around the supermarkets (they will be open late), maybe plan what goodies you can buy for Christmas.

No one puts decorations up around here, so I guess they see everyone as fair game unfortunately. The whole evening feels like a game your 'neighbours' play to try and extort as much free sweeties out of you as possible. None of the kids have any manners, and I think out of all that came last year I can only remember one lovely little girl (who had made a huge effort with her costume) who actually listened when I told her to take two. The rest grabbed handfuls, and in fact I remember one lad grabbing two handfuls, running to his mum, shoving them in the pot, then running back to me before I had closed the door and grabbing two more while the mother smirked.