Dreading Halloween...

chelseablue

mrcow wrote: »

My kids have never moaned. They don't have to go round knocking on the doors of strangers in order to get sweets. I can buy them sweets myself if they need them.

It's the other parents who are the general problem. Those who just don't understand the word "no".

Indeed. We will of course be bringing them up not to moan about not having sweets!

Tropez

I can't stand trick or treaters either. There's something about the whole concept of asking for goods using the threat of a trick that doesn't quite sit right with me, no matter how "fun" it is dressed up to be.

I can lock my gate and they can't even get to the doorbell to bother me if needs be but my mother doesn't have that luxury where she lives so I tend to pop round and stick a few cinderblocks in the wheelie bin and block the gate with them to prevent them from opening it. That gets the message across.

Halloween at most should be for remembering the dead (for the religious people who actually still do that), parties or for watching some horror movies.

MadDogWoman_2

My church holds a light party for the children, have a packed tea, followed by biscuit decorating, crafts and games then the last 20 minutes are singing and dancing. The children get a goody bag of sweets and chocolate to go home with so they don't miss out.

It also means that we're out of the house at prime trick or treating time

Our neighbour decorates their house, and invite DD in and give her some sweets etc, but they know we don't do halloween.

DD will be getting a pumpkin this year but it will have a happy non-scary face.

The day after halloween we get the penny for the guy knocks, the carol singing starts after bonfire night. They get nothing if they can't sing past the first line.

balletshoes

zaxdog wrote: »

Trick or Treat evolved from the Scottish tradition of Guising which the Scots who emigrated took with them to US

yep - I went guising as a kid, the way I guised is no different to the way my child and her friends go "trick or treating" now. The name has changed, the activity is the same. She doesn't have any "tricks" she dresses up, knocks on neighbours doors, prepared with a little song or riddle if asked to perform, gets a sweetie, and goes on to the next .

aileth

balletshoes wrote: »

yep - I went guising as a kid, the way I guised is no different to the way my child and her friends go "trick or treating" now. The name has changed, the activity is the same. She doesn't have any "tricks" she dresses up, knocks on neighbours doors, prepared with a little song or riddle if asked to perform, gets a sweetie, and goes on to the next .

Haha, if I asked the sorts that come round here for a song or a riddle,I'd get told to F off!

kerri_dfw

balletshoes wrote: »

why would you be scaring little old ladies?

I'm sure there are lots of little old ladies that fear halloween like the OP because noisy teenagers dressed in scary costumes come to their door in a threatening and menacing manner.

jellyhead

tinkerbell28 wrote: »

I love Halloween. Always loads and loads of kids dressed up well. 99% polite, most with parents.

Like most have said around here, people only tend to knock on decorated houses.

People do go to town here though, big elaborate displays in the gardens, "ghost houses" in the garages.

No old people here though

It's not just old people who don't want to answer the door to trick or treaters though, there are babies and toddlers with bedtimes, nervous pets, nervous people, etc. and last year our neighbour's dog was giving birth so he put up a sign saying don't knock. Perhaps people just want to watch a movie or eat their meal in peace without being interrupted. Maybe they are having sex or arguing, breaking up, whatever.

A policeman went into school this week (it's half term next week) and advised the children to only knock at houses they know. A lot of children will knock at any decorated house though.

I decorate the house. My children love hallowe'en for some reason, it's more exciting than christmas! I only take mine to trick or treat at a few houses of people we know, then the rest of the fun is seeing other people's costumes when they knock, and scaring them with the spider glove that holds the sweetie tray. We watch a movie together and have a laugh.

Not everyone loves it though, and my children will always respect that.

jellyhead

Aileth I think in your situation I would definitely go out. A few eggs will wash away. It sounds horrible, and if the local kids were that awful here I'd hate hallowe'en too!

WestonDave

Ah yes - time to stock up on "fishermans friends". That'll give them something to think about!

To be fair, the little kids at 6pm is tolerable, but at 7:30 the curtains get drawn the the front lights off, and we ignore anyone after that.

balletshoes

kerri_dfw wrote: »

I'm sure there are lots of little old ladies that fear halloween like the OP because noisy teenagers dressed in scary costumes come to their door in a threatening and menacing manner.

i was asking in the context of your post, where you said you wouldn't take your daughter, as a child, trick or treating on Halloween. How do little kids with their parents present, scare little old ladies?