Trick or Treating - Grabby?

[chattingtoaspanishgirl]

I'm thinking of taking DS (10 months), along with DNiece (8) this year because she's asked if I would dress him up and go with her and her Mum. I said it was a lovely idea!

Would you say Trick or Treating is grabby? The specifics are that we wouldn't knock on anyone's door who's house isn't decorated/have pumpkins outside.

For those in the area that don't have the full shabam of decorations up, the done thing in this area, apparently, is just to leave a basic bumpkin within site to let Trick or Treaters know they're welcome to knock for sweets

This really irks me a little bit, I've been brought up to believe a pumpkin gives spirits the permission to enter the house and not leave until the following Halloween

The only place I've ever seen people say it's grabby is MN, which is not representative of RL.

Take your niece and have fun!

Wow! It’s not even the end of September and we have the first Trick or Treating thread!!!

Ps before anyone mentions it - it’s not an Americanism, it originated in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

It's not grabby unless you don't join in and give out sweets yourselves. We either leave a bowl of sweets by the door or one of us stays home while one goes out with the dcs. We only knock at decorated houses and are usually done by 7pm.

It's not grabby unless you don't join in and give out sweets yourselves. We either leave a bowl of sweets by the door or one of us stays home while one goes out with the dcs. We only knock at decorated houses and are usually done by 7pm

I won't be leaving sweets for anyone. I'll be out with my niece and DH turns off all lights and sits to watch telly in darkness. I won't push him because he won't budge Moody moo

"Wow! It’s not even the end of September and we have the first Trick or Treating thread!!"

And? Since when has there been a rule on what time frame someone is allowed to post about something. Jesus Christ.

"It's not grabby unless you don't join in and give out sweets yourselves. We either leave a bowl of sweets by the door or one of us stays home while one goes out with the dcs." Nonsense. Never heard of such rubbish.

dont bother anyone with an undercorated house or a get lost sign. oct 31 only. that's it.

Chill oot FunSponge! It was a passing comment. Just like there are comments saying ‘ don’t mention the C word until November. No need for the Jesus Christ

It's not grabby. This comes up every year on MN and it's ridiculous. If you only knock at decorated houses then the occupants have signalled they want to take part. No grabbiness involved. Have fun!

Grabby, horrible and can cause distress. My kids have never been.

In Scotland the kids have to have a "piece" ready - a poem or a song they've learned specially to perform at each house. If you don't do your piece, you don't get any sweets.
That seems to me a much better way of doing things.

But I loathe trick or treating and never answer the door on October 31st.

I think it's a bit grabby if you won't be participating yourselves, to be honest. But if your DH won't even let you put out a bowl of treats there's not a lot you can do about it. Does he often dictate things like this to you as it seems a bit controlling?

That said I love Halloween and love trick or treaters coming to the house. We always leave out a pumpkin to try to draw them over as I think the kids and costumes are so cute. I dress up myself and have given some little ones a fright!

The lantern (I still do a turnip) is to scare the ghosties away and the dressing up is to confuse them. Where did you get the idwa it was inviting them in?

Why can't you leave a bowl of sweets by the front door with a pumpkin. A few houses near us do that when I think they are in but don't want to answer the door. We also used to do it when the kids were little and we took them out.

Not a problem unless you're only looking for treats!

Actually it really used to piss me off when all 4 of my neighbours kids would knock on the door and empty our sweet bowl and they wouldn’t answer the door to anyone.

When I was a kid it wasn’t a thing. I don’t like it but do join in a bit and meanly didn’t let my kids do it.

It really annoys me that our area gets targeted and people arrive in large cars packed with kids. I do feel it should be a local community thing.

I think it's a bit grabby if you won't be participating yourselves, to be honest. But if your DH won't even let you put out a bowl of treats there's not a lot you can do about it. Does he often dictate things like this to you as it seems a bit controlling?

Oh here we go, I knew a 'is he always like this OP' comment was coming No, he's not. He just doesn't like Halloween and has a right not to have to celebrate or participate since it's his home too

Yes it’s grabby if you aren’t putting sweets out yourself.

I think Halloween is fab - were in Scotland and the kids love learning their joke or song. I was never allowed to go guising as a kid and feel like I missed out.

Wow, ok, but if you refuse to put out a bowl of sweets then yes, grabby! I don't even have children of trick.or treating age and yet I give to every child who knocks on my door, while you only want to get and not give. Does that seriously seem right to you???

I don’t think it’s grabby atall if the Halloween decorations are out it’s an invite, My daughter is 3 we have never actually been trick or treating (usually dress up for a party at the community centre) So on Halloween we put up our decorations and wait for the trick or treaters! She absolutely loves handing out sweets and seeing all of the other children dressed up! I say go out and have fun!! X

Well personally I don’t like it myself. We don’t do it as DS is the only child on the street and I don’t think other people should have to provide his sweets. The kids around the corner are horrible little shits who are awful to DS so I don’t answer the door to them. DS has a party instead so he can still have fun.

What on Earth is your 10 month old going to do with all the sweets.

If you don't like giving sweets out just say 'trick' to them. They very rarely have anything prepared and just expect to be offered sweets or money. The blank look on kids faces when you say 'trick' says it all.

I'd go but not take any sweets on behalf of the 10 month old. Just dress your lo up and accompany your niece, she's at the perfect age to enjoy it! I never heard of only knocking on doors with decorations. When I was a kid we'd do our street and people would answer the door or they wouldn't. I don't always put decorations up but always get sweets in. The only time I think it's grabby is when you get 16 year olds knocking for treats! I do think it's for younger kids but I still hand them a few sweets as I don't want them to cover my car in toilet paper lol!

What on Earth is your 10 month old going to do with all the sweets.

I won't answer that