Anyone here not answering door today

Dog walked early, lights off, will spend from 5 - 8ish in the kitchen at the back of the house, as all the noise at the front makes Ddog really anxious, it's absolute chaos round here there are so many kids doign the rounds (new build estate). Hopefully no-one will knock as we are not decorated, but we did have some older kids last year up until about 9 who clearly didn't care about the 'decorated houses only' rule. I hate it more than Bonfire night tbh.

I am over 40 and it has been a tradition to trick or treat since I was a kid. We live in Scotland so I am also surprised to hear it is a newer thing? I'd say something that has been about for 30 years is no longer a new thing and firmly rooted in British culture.

I always leave the tub of sweets on the doorstep, then fill it up every hour or so. This is because we have a dog and the constant opening and closing of the front door really agitates him.
In my experience, between 5pm and 7pm it is usually young children with their parents and they just take one sweet each. Teenagers will come out later, they are usually polite and respectful but even if they do take a handful that's fine by me, at this point I'm happy to see the sweets gone.

I don’t like the whole Halloween thing and don’t put pumpkins out, but kids still knock. I hate having to buy loads of sweets that I wouldn’t normally be spending money on. My kids know we don’t really do it. I never did it as a child it seems to be much more of a thing in the last 10 years or so. We’re out tonight so hoping we miss the majority.

I’ve had the opposite issue where I’ve bought sweets and put the pumpkin out and literally no one has come down our road. We’ve just moved and I’ve been told it’s the same here. I’ve got an emergency tin of Quality Street in case.

The unspoken rule of only decorated houses ( even if only a small indication) being approached used to be adhered to here ( SW London ) and the giggling of small groups of dressed up and supervised local young children was very sweet. Teenagers came by much later and were more interested in laughing amongst themselves than bothering households that didn’t want to join in.

In the past couple of years, though, it’s changed to non local groups of children being taken around in cars, grabbing the whole supply of sweets and then later bigger groups of teenagers demanding money. Scares the wits out of the solo elderly in this road.

We leave a bowl of sweets out all the time when we go out and we live in a "rough" area. I suppose it's not as rough as we thought!

I think it's great, a chance to have a chat with the neighbours and a bit of fun pretending to be terrified of tiny giggling vampires.

I feel a bit bad for people who won't be troubled or disturbed by anyone because as with everything, you get out of your community what you put in. Humour the children and spread a little bit of joy!

I no longer take part , as it's moved on from local kids in the street to touring groups from all over, but mainly they go to decorated houses, so don't usually get disturbed .

I use a cardboard box for this reason. I make my offering to the neighbourhood, once it's out there it's their issue if the first kid takes it all

Funnily enough I consider what my family do in the run up to Halloween a tradition now.

I've told my clients to text first so I open it just to them, otherwise I won't bother.

Yeah. My husband wants to do it so I grudgingly give in. This year little one can go to my neighbours and give them something that's it. One house.

Thing is the older teens ruining it can be quite intimidating d

Yeah that happens here but I just leave the tub out anyway not my fault if the kids after them are disappointed.

Same. And took the bowl, to boot.

Doesn't agent millions turn up today from premium bonds?

That’s awful you get that! Lucky we don’t have that hear so it’s a fun tradition for those who want it.

I love Halloween but I totally understand your point of view. Don’t get me started on sitting on Father Christmas’s lap, especially when you know he is wearing a fake beard!

By all means don't participate. The rule is not to knock on undecorates houses.

Calling children chavs is uncalled for.

Chav teens not dressed up at all, ignore the rule and demand money, not sweets.

I’ve just asked this on another thread - where do you live that this happens?

Demanding money is not a Halloween tradition. It could be extortion though.

I’d send them away with a flea in their ear but I realise not everyone would be able to do that.

By me, people only knock on it you have a pumpkin out or a decorated Halloween house. I bought some sweets but have eaten most of them so probably won't put the pumpkin out!

If everyone did this, the tradition would die out.
Fingers crossed! Wasn't ever a "tradition" in the various bits of England I've lived in all the way up to the 90s. What children do in England now is a very recent US import, nothing to do with Scottish or Irish traditions and not a tradition in England at all. I'd happily see it die out.

It's difficult as my dogs bark like doorbells 🙈😬 my son has told his friends to all pop round. I had planned to just leave sweets out so I think I'll do that (until they are gone). Other than opening for his friends.