to ask for a trick?

[BriechonCheese]

I'm fine with Halloween. I grew up in Ireland and where I lived it was a definite "thing" but tricks and practical jokes were the main attraction. We always had to perform a wee turn at the door to receive a treat.

No one in England seems to ask for a trick and it tends to be a case of hand over the loot but nonetheless I've taught my kids a scary poem to recite just incase.

AIBU to say "trick please!" when the wee scary faces appear at my door?

My next door neighbour is a gobshite challenging gentleman and called me a "rude cow" when I asked for a trick from his granddaughter last year.

Would I be a meany to ask them to perform a trick? Am I likely to get egged?

[dinosaursandtea]

Oh god, don’t! The kids won’t be expecting it and it’s not nice to put them on the spot like that.

[splendidisolation]

Fuck em. Ask for a trick.

[CappuccinoCake]

In England wjere i grew up it was trick or treat in terms of if you dodnt give a treat youd get tricked - as in egg or flour on the door.... not something youd actively ask for!!!

[troodiedoo]

I've never heard of this, thought the kids played a trick on you if you don't give them anything.

But yes, please do it. Please! With live updates on this thread.

My mum would always insist on two verses of away in a manger from carol singers. Any "we wish you a merry Christmas" was stopped with a Simon Cowell style hand.

[RitaMills]

I’m in Scotland and it’s fairly standard that the trick or treaters always tell a joke or say a poem before they receive their sweets. I assumed it was the done thing everywhere, is it not south of the boarder?

[CappuccinoCake]

Nope not at all Rita- south coast UK.

[FlooOOOooomplet]

I can’t believe the manners of some of the kids I’ve had around so far. One lot of them just near enough wiped out our supply of sweets without so much as a thank you!! Yanbu!! Get a bloody trick!!

[BriechonCheese]

I want a bloody poem

[RitaMills]

Oh I didn’t know that, I’ve had 4 kids at the door already and got a joke out of all of them.

[BenLui]

In Scotland we go “guising” rather than trick or treating and every child does a joke, a poem or a song. But they’ve prepared.

If you asked a shy child who hadn’t prepared, to do something off the cuff that might really distress them. (It would my DD)

Don’t do it, you could ruin some poor wee soul’s night.

[Bea1985]

Ive nit had any yet but last year had TONS and not one of them did a trick or said a poem! I don't judge though.... I just stand there and see what they do.... If they do nothing I still handover treats. They've normally bothered To dress up I guess !

[BriechonCheese]

I'm only joking (half) I wouldn't really put a little child on the spot but I think it's bloody rude. Especially the bloody rabble of teenagers who came to my door and took a handful of sweets each without even putting a costume on!

[Sandsunsea]

I also grew up having to do something before you got the loot. Song, poem or mostly a spooky joke. Just handing them sweets is weird!

[Bea1985]

I agree with BenLui .... A shy child put on the spot might get really upset.... And I tend to think their parents should encourage them to learn a poem etc. It's kind of the parents fault if little ones come unprepared.

[IJustLostTheGame]

I don't want dog shit through my letterbox.

[Bea1985]

I learned last year not to let the children put their hands in the treat bag! Round my area they'd have your eyes out.

[Evelynismyspyname]

We're in Germany where it isn't traditional - DD's friends (pre teen boys) were asked for a trick last year and recited a poem in English (not English speakers, not an international area)! The man whose door they knocked on was being a know it all, having read about Halloween but was a impressed that he gave them 5€ each Probably pure fluke that they'd just had to learn the poem for school.

I think that you have to reward tricks with better treats / sweets (but not money) and just give non trick doorers a little mini Haribo sachet.

[Evelynismyspyname]

You put sweets into their bags, you don't hold your bag/ bowl out for them to help themselves! Polite kids will do themselves out of the amount you'd have given and grabby or clueless ones will take the lot.

[GCHQMonitoring]

I always ask for a trick; kids never have one, so I used to have one for them - favourites were - putting their hands into a box, I'd grab it from the other end when inside. Put their hands into a box of shredded paper to find my 'missing finger'. Cornflour and water mix, kids had to put their hand into the mix to find a creature, bit messy and i had to have a bucket of water nearby. Kids love it and I've never been egged

[Ragwort]

The kids (teenagers ) I have had round already had great big carrier bags, I thought they were mean to carry a tiny little pumpkin bag - I did say 'only one each' to them.

[dementedpixie]

I also expect a joke (Scotland)

[ChuckysLoveChild]

We have rubbish jokes to tell if anyone asks!

[JennyBlueWren]

DS (2) refused to sing "Incy Wincy" so I had to instead!

I'm in Scotland but haven't asked for anyone to perform but have had a stream of Halloweenish jokes.

[GCHQMonitoring]

Just had some teens come back because they thought of a better joke than they had initially.
I never let them grab sweets

[IfYouDontImagineNothingHappens]

Scotland - jokes expected from everyone bar the tiniest or the very shy