Aibu that Halloween is begging?

[TopangaD]

Ok do I start this post with a childhood disclaimer, we never went guising as children which is what we call it in Scotland as my mother felt it was begging.. prob cos the old tradition was to do a turn ( I.e. Do a performance in some sort and ask for £).. so I see on a local parenting site a query from an American asking where in the city I'm from there are American style or friendly dot to door things for Halloween for her snowflake's first Halloween Ainu to say if you want you own traditions Cool but don't expect them to exist here ... I think her post and the way she assumed that American cultre would be repropriated annoyed me..

[MumOnTheRunCatchingUp]

It's one day.... one.... is it worth getting so worked up about?

[cozietoesie]

The youngsters that come round to ours really just want their costumes commented on.

[TopangaD]

Well yes If I have to spend money on gifts to be given if they rap my door and second if it is not a 'holiday ' we choose to celebrate what should an american expect the same here?

[TopangaD]

I think I am balked by her assumption that it would be all American with pumpkin patches and doors to knock on

[SansasEscape]

You mean trick or treating is begging. Going to a party dressed as a ghost isn't begging.

[WorraLiberty]

Congratulations OP.

You've started the very first "Halloween is begging. The Scots call it guising doncha know" thread of the year.

Between now and Halloween (which is still over a week away) I'm guessing there will be many more.

And yes YABU.

It's existed here for years and years.

Either take part or don't, but there's no need to piss on anyone else's chips.

[Haudyerwheesht]

But it is our custom too because as you've just said we call it guising.

My mum never let me go guising, considered it begging etc.

I decorate the outside of the house, carve pumpkins, sometimes have parties for the kids, take the kids guising and have sweets for visiting kids.

Oh and I spend ages teaching my children jokes which they promptly forget.

It's one night and ime most kids love it. What's not to like? I really love it - walking round and the kids all talk to each other and adults too and admire each other's costumes etc. Great.

[Kel1234]

My parents were always against trick or treating, they saw it as a form of begging. Needless to say I never went and never missed it. I won't ever let any children of mine go either.
Fancy dress parties are one thing, but I'd never allow any child of mine to knock at doors asking for money or sweets, I couldn't do it.

[Nikki1171]

YABU. We work on a simple premise. If any of our neighbours have their houses decorate for Halloween we knock. If they have nothing up then we leave them in peace. The ones who have made an effort are keen to have children call. I feel sad for those who are hung up on 'begging'. Seriously get a grip.

[FlyingElbows]

This year my house will be transformed in to a gingerbread house and I will welcome the local kids to come up the drive (if they're brave enough) and tell me a bad joke in return for a bag of sweeties. It will take the whole of next week to transform our house and the kids love it, so do their parents who are also welcome. I see no reason to sneer at the Americans when our ancestors took our tradition there. It's not an American import, as some feel the need to say, they just made it a bit "supervise"! I'll refer again to local boy Rabbie Burns and his poem "halloween" written in 1785! If you don't want to join in then don't but fuck of sneering at those of us who enjoy it. There's nae hairm in it.

[Haudyerwheesht]

Oh yes good point we only go to decorated houses

[Haudyerwheesht]

flyingelbows your house sounds fab!

[FlyingElbows]

"superSIZE"! Bloody phone.

[Sparklingbrook]

As I have said on all the AIBU Halloween threads this week and probably for the last 5 years-YABU.

Around here it is not begging or asking for sweets it's ringing doorbells of houses that are decorated and being offered a sweet.

We do need a moaning about Halloween Topic.

[CrowyMcCrowFace]

I think everyone has got it in recent years!

Some of us like to 'do' Halloween, others don't. You leave non participants (identified by not decorating house) in peace.

The rest of us can then enjoy the fun.

[previously1474907171]

Trick or treating with the locals is fine.

Being invaded by busloads of children from other areas rushing round to get to as many houses as possible in their greed is not fine. We couldn't believe it, there were hordes of them and loads of men and no way were they locals. I was alone in the house and I hid.

It was our first year in this house and it was not pleasant. No idea why so many or where they were from, there was no warning that it was an event or anything.

[HappyCamel]

It's a huge community gathering here in the US. Especially in the Southern States where the weather is still warm. Everyone sits on deck chairs at the end of their drives to chat and hand out candy. Lots of people have parties. We got to know all our neighbors, it's great. Most people decorate their houses with a mixture of fall and halloween themed decorations. This year we have a projector animating a pumpkin, a scarecrow, a graveyard in our front lawn and a projector making it look like there are ghosts looking out of our front bedroom window. We will be far from the most decorated. We will all dress up.

It's just totally totally different to how it is in the U.K. and is friendly and lovely. She is not being U to miss it and want to find it. It was a huge and wonderful surprise to find out about this festival when we moved here. She won't find it though. The closest she'll get is bonfire night, which is the U.K. community celebration and which obviously isn't celebrated here.

[MuffyTheUmpireSlayer]

Like many American things, it's been a tradition here for years. Generally children, on that one night of the 365 in the year, get dressed up and go to houses that have been decorated. For one night. Houses that are obviously participating. So yes, YABU.

[BradleyPooper]

Also in a southern state of the usa. Houses in my neighborhood have been decorated for weeks, kids will dress up and knock on doors of houses that are decorated. They will be offered candy. Many neighbors sit on lawn chairs outside their houses with a beer or glass of wine, congratulate the kids o their costumes and hand out candy. It's all very sweet natured and over by 8.30pm. We don't get any nastiness or older teens trick or treating and there are no tricks. If you dont like it, dont participate. What is the problem?

[LagunaBubbles]

Worra there's been one this year already. It's like MN bingo, it's not truly Halloween until these threads appear. Don't understand why some people get so het up about this, especially since they don't participate. So Yabu OP - it's a bit of fun, my 23 and 14 year old have loads fab memories and now my 8 year old will to.

[CanadaMoose]

I am from Canada, and trick or treating is part of the culture here. Every child grows up doing it. It's not begging - it's a wah to celebrate an old pagan tradition with an element of fun. Just turn off your lights and nobody will come to your house.

[londonrach]

Of course it is this. First is hallowe'en begging post on mn ive seen this year. Now im looking forward to the xmas posts🤗

[Tootsiepops]

I have a question - I'm Scottish, but now live in Kent. Last year was my first Halloween in our new house, and even though we hadn't put any decorations up, we still had lots of kids knocking the door (accompanied by parents).

I was really disappointed when none of them told a joke, or sang a song or anything as this is the norm where I grew up in Glasgow.

Is that not the done thing in England? I was so looking forward to hearing cute children telling bad jokes!

[Oblomov16]

There's no 'trick or treat' anymore. No one even says that anymore. Anyone asked for a 'trick' recently? Did you get one? Nope, thought not. Now it's just primary school children in a costume and everyone gets a sweet.

[DoAndroidsDreamofEwentheSheep]

flyingelbows are you a 'bonnie lass' from Ayrshire then? if so I'm going to have to (within reason!) look out for your house!