To not like Halloween?

[Sunshine51]

I really dislike Halloween especially trick or treating.
In my old house before we had kids I used to pop a sign up asking people to request our wishes.
This year we have moved to a family village and I have a suspicion we will be bombarded. I don't want people to think I'm a Grinch but I do feel quite strongly.
Is there away to get out of it or is it just a case of turn off the lights and hide!

[HerFaceIsaMapOfTheWorld]

I love Halloween but I hate trick or treaters (I know hypocrite) Just don't answer your door I never do lol

[IfartInYourGeneralDirection]

Yeah...but free sweets though...

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Don't do any hint of decoration.
Have your lights off/dimmed
Don't answer the door
Leave a note "No Tick or Treaters please"

I half expected a "Its so commercialised/imported from the States" which is the usual rant I hear from my patients.
I muse sweetly. "It isn't really, its really big in Scotland and Ireland" then look innocent --burst their ranty Daily mail Bubbles

[RiverTam]

Round here (inner city London) trick or treaters only go to decorated houses (ie houses with a lit pumpkin outside). Once we've run out of sweets and brought the pumpkin in we're never bothered and I would never allow DD to go to an undecorated house.

Or, you could just go out? Or even join in! Be a good way to get to know people?

[lalaloopyhead]

We like Halloween here, just s bit of fun and all that. We trick or treat round our way but everyone seems to respect the unspoken rule of only knocking on decorated houses.

[wornoutboots]

no. YANBU (I love halloween)

it used to scare my nan, she blocked up her letter box every year for fear an idiot would put fireworks in through it.
(happened once, she shoved it back out with a broom)

I think people should respect the "decorated & lit - can trick or treat there, no pumpkins means no trick or treating please" rule

[DangerousBeanz]

Could you put a sign with a bowl of goodies at the end of the path so trick or treaters can help themselves and you won't be distrurbed?

[Sleepybunny]

Put a sign up saying 'Caution unexploded mines' at your gate and spend the evening walking around with a metal detector. Easy

[Bambambini]

Just put a sign up on your door. We love it and the kids love going round but fsir enough if it's not your thing.

[HunterHearstHelmsley]

YANBU at all. I bloody hate it.

The trick or treaters always seem to collar me on the way into the house then I look miserly.

[Sparklingbrook]

It's easily avoided TBF. Just don't decorate and don't answer the door.

[FaithAscending]

YANBU, I don't like Halloween. Fwiw I'm a Christian which effects my view but the concept of celebrating all things creepy is weird to me and I think treat or treating is off.

To be fair though, we live in a family village too (been here several years) and never had trick or treaters. They tend to follow the 'knock at decorated houses only rule it seems.

[NoNutsPlease]

Why do you care if people think you are a grinch? Don't like it so don't do it, put a sign up/ just don't answer.

Non issue really.

[thehugemanatee]

I don't like it because I have an irrational fear of people knocking on the door. I keep my lights off and don't put decorations up or anything.

People can only see in one of my rooms anyway and I'm one of those horrible people who often have a Christmas tree up by Halloween so if they look in they'll see that and probably think I'm too weird to knock on my door

[WaitrosePigeon]

Oooo it must be time for all the Halloween hate threads to start

[Sparklingbrook]

YY Waitrose they have started a few weeks early this year.

[FlyingElbows]

We love halloween but we are Scottish so I appreciate it's different here. My theme for this year has been a year in the making. I love it. If it's not something you're comfortable with the just don't answer the door.

[JeSuisUnChocoholic]

Do you have a sign similar to this which you can download? Maybe if it's from the police they'll respect it more.

Or leave a bowl with sweets outside and a note saying that you have CCTV so they shouldn't bother trying to take two.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Elbows I spent years of my childhood in Scotland , we went Guising which I think is "Disguise" rather than Penny for the Guy ( Nov 5th)

There were turnip lanterns (nightmare to carve and they stink )
My very religious ( Protestant) Grandad set up apple dookin' in the washing up bowl (but we held forks in our mouths to drop into the apples rather than plungeing our heads in the water)

So different now

[Sunshine51]

I had thought about leaving a bowl of sweets out not sure hubby will be too keen!
Lights off, curtains shut it is!

[MiddleAgeMiddleEngland]

We have a sign which says something like "Enjoy Halloween but don't knock here as we're not doing it." It seems to work, we get no trouble at all, and this is a very family-minded area.

A couple of years ago I forgot to put the sign out in time and got a small group of teenagers at the door. I asked them to explain exactly what Halloween was, how it came about and why we "celebrate" it. They didn't have a clue.

[PupPupBoogie]

Request our wishes?

Didn't that mean people knocked more, asking for wishes?

[Sparklingbrook]

On the bajillion threads about Halloween in years gone by I have gleaned that in most parts unless there is a lit pumpkin in the window and decorations outside people won't knock. So the panic is for nothing.