Any other Mums refusing to take the kids out trick or treating?

[Theboulderhascaughtupwithme]

Just wondering if I totally mean/unreasonable. We do a lot for/ with the kids, clubs, weekend days out, doing stuff at home etc etc but I just cannot muster any enthusiasm for taking me out trick or treating. I find the whole concept of trawling round the houses letting them beg for sweets cringe worthy.

Strangely I have no problem with other kids coming to ors and always have some sweet etc ready for them which makes me feel I am being a bit unreasonable.

Also I don't want to fork out on costumes and I am totally not able or into making them.

So I guess I am giving myself permission to just not do even tho my eldest particularly has been keen and asking to go.

What's other people's stance?

[ExsqueezeMe]

I make my DH take them.

[Really1]

Completely agree. I did them a Halloween lunch party with their friends (my mummy friends) yesterday but they are only 3 & nearly 5 so don't get the whole Halloween thing anyway. They are completely oblivious to what you are "supposed" to do on Halloween and I plan to keep it that way for as long as I can hehe!

[Wonc]

Nope. Not going. Never been.

I don't want to see my kids dressed horrifically. Friends have posted on FB pictures of their kids with knives, scars, blood etc.
"Aw it's just a bit of fun".

Erm no.

[hels71]

I have never taken DD, 7. She is going with a friend tonight. They are visiting the friends two neighbours (who are expecting them) and friend's granny before coming here. Her costume is a rather cute witch outfit, nothing gory. I refuse to go round to strangers houses even if they do have pumpkins and decorations up.

[someonestolemynick]

I would take then. Or let them go with friends, if they are old enough.
Most kids do it and it's mean to let them miss out on this, because you don't fancy it.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Don't like it, don't agree with and have never done it. We will sit in the back of the house and not answer the door tonight. My DD doesn't feel she misses out, the one time Ex took her she told me it was old, her legs hurt and it was boring.
We will watch a movie snuggle up and eat stew.

[Ticktockblock]

I love Halloween. We were up nice and early this morning as dd1 &2 are super excited. They love having people come to the door and seeing their costumes. We do a quick walk round the block so they can trick or treat as there's loads of people with children in my road and we only ever go to the houses where they have pumpkins out.

I'm stupidly excited too. Although I've forgotten to buy sweets so we are off to town to grab £15 worth from the £1 shop. I just hope they have some!!

[antarctic]

My DC don't go (they're 5, 7 and nearly 9). I don't like the idea and they've never asked - possibly because we live out in the sticks so we don't get anyone knocking on the door. If they wanted to go I'd consider it, but I certainly wouldn't encourage it.

[BelleateSebastian]

Mine love it and we'll be out later with them, our rules are!

• "Happy Halloween" (not TorT)
  
• No knocking if no lights on or no Halloween paraphernalia, if door not
  answered quickly we move on
  
• Cheap non 'nasty' non 'Slutty' Halloween costumes.
  
• Early doors 17.30-18.30
  
  Then they eat as many sweets as they can and tomorrow all the rest of the Haribo etc go in the shoot me now sisters Christmas shoe boxes ;)

[CaptainAnkles]

DD (7) has been getting very upset by my refusal to take her trick or treating but I just don't want to do it. The whole idea doesn't sit well with me. DH won't take her either. We've told her she can wear a costume at home and carve a pumpkin but that we don't agree with asking strangers for sweets

[car0line123]

I refuse to take the kids trick or treating strangers, however have made a compromise: happy to dress them, then (because we are lucky to have family within 15mn drive), go trick or treating them! Feel much safer that way

[Comingfoccacia]

We don't do it either, mainly because my dcs are muslim and dh doesn't approve but I never did when i was a kid (I am non-muslim). My main gripe is with the OTT commercialism of it, it gets worse every year.

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

Mine have never been. I'd only be happy doing it if we lived on a road/street with lots of DCs where everyone else does it. (We used to run round our estate showing off our costumes, but not back then asking for anything).

We don't we live in a very rural spot with isolated houses, many up drives with neighbours we never see.

[funkyfoam]

Never took mine. I know people say it is a bit of fun and harmless but the central idea that you turn up at someones door demand sweets and if they are not forthcoming play a trick on them I find horrible.I did find it difficult when the children were about 8 and they wanted to go but they did understand why I didn't like it and accepted that it was one 'festival' we did not take part in.

[flightywoman]

I have zero interest in halloween, hate trick or treating and really CBA. Never did it as a kid and it's just not in my calendar of things to do.

It's the third biggest revenue-earning 'celebration' for shops after Christmas and Easter. That puts me off even more.

And I couldn't give a flying fuck what other kids get up to.

[BreakOutTheKaraoke]

Never have yet. It's caused so many arguments between myself and 10 year old DD, but I just don't like the idea of it. We don't keep sweets in either.

[Damnautocorrect]

Mines not going and won't be going, if I knew people locally I probably would. But I don't, it would be strangers and that doesn't sit well with me. My grand mother had dementia and lived at home (as do many vulnerable people) can you imagine how scared she would be? Obviously I went round for halloween's but lots don't have that.

[CromerSutra]

I was of the same mindset when Dd was little but then, one time DW took her with a few friends and they went to people's houses who were clearly waiting for visitors and she had a wonderful time! Where we there are certain streets that go in for it in a big way and you stick to those. She's been every year since. I also insist on being polite and saying thank you etc.
I think if you realise that lots of people do actually enjoy getting trick or treaters then it is not cringey!

[PrimalLass]

It's not begging if the houses they go to want the kids to do it. It's a big thing in our village, and the kids really just go to each other's houses. We love it.

[CromerSutra]

In fact one year we went to a Halloween party and on the way home people were coming out of their houses offering her sweets because they had so many left to give!

[PrimalLass]

The rule here is that if someone has a lit pumpkin in the window then they are happy to have 'guisers' (I refuse to say T or T).

[Thisghosttrainisreversing]

When my two were little and I wasn't sure about the whole trick or treating thing, I set up a sweetie hunt in the garden and around the front of the house. I got neighbours involved too, they were happy to let me hide more sweets there.

It might be a good compromise. The kids get the sweets and the fun of hunting with torches in the dark.

[Magpiemystery]

I never went as a child and I don't plan on taking my children either.

I find the whole concept a bit weird- we're always warning children about the dangers of strangers and the 1 night a year it fine to take sweets of them- very mixed messaging.

If anything I will do a Halloween party when the time comes