Do people not understand Halloween etiquette re trick or treating?

[Notcontent]

I thought the rule was you only knock on doors where there are obvious decorations or lit pumpkins - basically an invitation to come?

We usually do it and have lots of sweets but I just didn’t feel up to it this year. Teen dd has gone out and it’s just me at home. No decorations at all. And some kids have just come knocking. Have now had to turn lights off at the font to make it look like no one is home!

"Any not doing a turn at ours left empty handed." Definitely- but no one would dare not doing a turn here!

@weebarra

Also, very few people are arriving with a joke, song or other turn. We're in Scotland and this is definitely a tradition. My 13 year old is on door answering duty and he's horrified by the lack of jokes!

That’s disappointing. We’re down in England but I’m Scottish. My kids find the idea of ‘performing’ horrific but it’s much more fun.

I have opted out this year. Just can't put up with the distuption. I have a sign on my door saying sorry no trick or treaters, the lights at the front of the house are off, yet still had three groups knock on the door

It's the last day of the school holidays where we are, so just wanted to relax!

They usually only call to decorated houses around here but since last year's was cancelled the kids losing the run of themselves a little bit. We have had lots of little ones already, the bigger ones from farther afield will be along soon.

People seem to be obeying the rules here. But I do feel sorry for the local kids though because very few house have got pumpkins/ decorations up so not many houses to knock on. My own children are away with their grandparents so we haven’t bothered this year.

I’d never heard of this pumpkin/decorations thing before reading about it on here.

This is our first year doing it and knocking on “lit pumpkin” doors just seemed instinctive. By the end DD was bellowing “LOOK A PUMPKIN LET’S KNOCK”

Almost didn’t go to one door as it was fully kitted for Halloween but no pumpkin and a bloody “KEEP OUT” sign…

They should give parents training in social etiquette like this at NCT classes. More useful than “put some essential oil on the hospital radiator”

I think if you live in quite a small tight community perhaps some children remember ^that's Mrs NotContent's house, she always has loads of sweets on Halloween" (and you had your front lights on?)

Unless they're hammering the door down and not giving up, I think it's fairly easy to ignore a few random knocks and giggling kids outside the door.

Most children follow the "No decs, no knocking" rule where we are.

I've had a couple take a handful but mostly very polite. In England so no requirement to perform but what do people say when the child says "Trick or treat", my go to is to comment on their costume.

Loads of fireworks here too (dublin) which is unusual around my area, especially so early.

What tradition! Yes in some parts of the UK - I am told - there has been a Halloween tradition stretching back centuries. That's fine. Other parts of the UK have different traditions. But now you expect everyone to know about the very recent facebook social media tradition of only knocking on houses with decorations. Where I live in the country Halloween didnt exist when I was a child. I hate Halloween (and the totally fake modern traditions).

We’ve so far only had kids from school where I work banging on my front windows and doing a runner, scaring my dog and cat. (This isn’t confined to Halloween)

Not a thing here...kids knock regardless.

We're not in the mood for Halloween so all lights are off at the front of the house. The weather here in the west of Ireland is so awful today with heavy rain and a strong wind, so I'm not surprised there haven't been any trick or treaters around. There have been a couple of fireworks though, a bit optimistic today considering the weather.

Never heard of that particular unwritten rule. Only people with kids decorate their houses here so kids knock on any doors.

I always taught mine to only go to houses that are decorated, however I seem to be in the minority. It doesn’t matter whether you decorate or have lights on or not, people still hammer on the door and I’m sick of it as it upsets the dog and will be constant till around 9. No way am I turning the lights off and pretending I’m out though!

My kids are older now, we used to really decorate and give our sweets, this year though I’m still cautious with Covid but there are loads of kids on the estate, so I haven’t decorated but left some sweets out in a bowl for people to help themselves. The weather here is filthy so think less people are out anyway!

When they did go though it was only houses with pumpkins/decorations.

We just got back from DD's first trick or treat session. It was lovely; kids everywhere and a great vibe. We've also has loads come to the house- I've had to crack open the emergency lollipops.

We have got decorations up though, and we only knocked at decorated houses.

We've only had a few this evening, about 7 lots so far, and one joke:

'Why did the teddy bear not want dessert? He was stuffed!"

I just had a kid knock on who wasn't even dressed up. He was on his own so I felt a bit sorry for him. I just gave him sweets like the others though.

I never knew of the pumpkin rule until I read it on mumsnet either.

No decorations but I have tiyrned the lights on.

Only one lot of trick and treaters, and that’s a family I’d mentioned it to early. Dc

We have a pumpkin in the window and I dashed to the shop this afternoon for sweets (& had to spend a bloody fortune on chocolates and baked goods due to a distinct lack of sweets) and no-one has knocked yet! The baby is now asleep on me and dd is off to bed shortly so looks like we’re eating mini gingerbread men for the next week I think it’s too wet and windy here, it put us off going out!

@LadyCleathStuart I feel exactly the same!! When I was younger it was much more popular, it felt magical as a child. Lots and lots of houses round here are just miserable!! I’ve got the front of the house lit up and we’ve still only had around 7 visitors. How sad it must be for those children walking past rows of houses and only Able to knock on one or two.

Completely understand those with dogs/young babies/elderly etc, but it doesn’t take much to make it special for the neighbourhood

I've always wanted to dress up myself as a cackling witch, with an enormous knife dripping fake blood calling out children, children, come here, we love children.

This year, I've lured the next door neighbours children by admiring their costumes. There is a courtyard at the rear of out house. I've left out an led lit pumpkin and a tray of individually wrapped sweets on a small table at the back gate with the garden lights on so they can be seen.

Shall go outside around 10pm to see what has happened.

In our part of the south east it's unheard of to 'do a turn' like was the lovely tradition in my Scottish childhood. Takes all the charm and fun out of it imo.

Yes, the children should only go to houses with an obvious Halloween welcome, and not in a large (intimidating to some) group.