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Original poster

Do people not understand Halloween etiquette re trick or treating?

365 replies

Notcontent · 31/10/2021 17:44

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!

OP posts:
TedImgoingmad · 31/10/2021 19:03

Year before last, I had an older teen turn up, not dressed up, really late (11ish, after we'd blown out the pumpkins and turned off the lights) asking could he have his sweets now. Then the next morning, 2 older kids on my doorstep asking could they have some sweets, not dressed up, no explanation why they had left it to the morning, no apologies or niceties. Told both sets of cheeky gits to do one.

Aardvarkitsabloodyaardvark · 31/10/2021 19:03

For those of us celebrating Samhain, blessed be.
Its not just a reason for the little ones to dress up, get sweets and then take the piss out of us that believe the rest of the year.

Wife2b · 31/10/2021 19:04

Just don’t answer your door. We’ve not had any - at least none that I’ve heard. We have the lights on in the front room but I won’t answering if they knock - nor will I be hiding with the lights off. It’s your house OP, you’re not obligated to answer the door today or any other day.

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RubyRedSlippers1 · 31/10/2021 19:05

@SirChenjins

It’s an unwritten rule - but there’s always a chance and so kids will take it!

Things are really quiet round here - we used to go out when the kids were younger and the place was teeming. I’ve only had 3 lots at the door and they’ve all been very polite and only taking a sweet each - I had to tell the last lot to take more because I bought loads and will end up eating them myself. Feel quite sad that my Halloween days look like they’re coming to an end after 20 years.

Same here! We've only had two lots and we know one of them. Got my pumpkin out and everything.

It is a bit cheeky to knock on doors without decorations. We wouldn't do it. We aren't even out this year...which means I have no right to complain about the lack of traffic here I suppose.

Mrsjayy · 31/10/2021 19:05

I forgot to get sweets I've no children it completely went out my head we have had a few knocks I've just ignored the door Halloween Blush I just think kids chance it we will be known as the stingy house!

AbandonedCharacter · 31/10/2021 19:06

'I had such fun out guising when I was a kid. And I’m a bit sad guising is now trick or treating. But on the plus side, pumpkins are a hell of a lot easier to carve than neeps!'

Same here @TrashyPanda - it was so much fun when I was wee. I loved going round with my neep lantern and homemade costume.

80sballetgirl · 31/10/2021 19:06

Same unwritten rule in my area - knock at decorated houses. I enjoy giving out sweets & have dressed appropriately for Halloween!! All the kids who have come have been dressed up, polite & with parents. It was hammering down this morning, ok now but bit blustery.

Crinkle77 · 31/10/2021 19:06

@MissyB1

It’s absolutely the rule on our estate. We have a fb group and the reminder went out today. Kids are pretty good at obeying it here.
What seriously? Jesus Christ what joy suckers. I'm not a massive Halloween fan but even I'm shocked at that.
WhatsitWiggle · 31/10/2021 19:06

I bought loads of sweets this year after running out very early 2 years ago. Ended up offering them to the parents as well as we didn't have that many callers. There's definitely fewer young children in our close, and fewer households participating which is a shame. But a few with babies/toddlers so maybe it'll pick up again in a few years.

Teaandakitkat · 31/10/2021 19:07

We've had three, yes three, different kids turn up and play the recorder badly. One violin players and 2 teenagers do some Romeo and Juliet. That honestly went on for 5 full minutes. Torture.
I wish they would just say 'trick or treat' then go away

SirChenjins · 31/10/2021 19:07

The Neep lanterns didn’t half smell though Grin I remember my dad carving ours with a chisel (and lots of fruity language)

chaosrabbitland · 31/10/2021 19:07

dd who is 13 didnt fancy trick or treating this year ,she wanted to go to fright night at hellfire caves instead which we went to last night
the only thing i have out the front is a single pumpkin which she got whilst on her dads boat last week , and its sitting behind a large grass by the front door , front of the house is very dark ,yet had knocks twice now , i was always under the impression you only knocked at decorated houses as well ,

i answered the door forgeting and assuming it was my neighbour wanting to borrow a bit of tabacco , but it was these two lads and i didnt have anything to give them , just nothing as i hadnt bought sweets . it was so incredibly embarressing , after theyd gone it did occur to me i could have given them a packet of dds quavers each , but she wouldnt have been very pleased , pretended i wasnt in on the second knock

Kanaloa · 31/10/2021 19:07

I think it depends a bit. Where I live we don’t have porches/steps or anything, the doors open straight out into the street, so nobody puts out pumpkins or anything like that, they would just clutter up the street. Also very few people where I live decorate. However, we still get sweets in for the kids. I never thought of putting a pumpkin out to show we would accept trick or treaters. But then the kids here don’t hammer the door or anything. They knock every door once and it tends to pass on so they’ll tell each other nobody is answering at number seven so they’ll stop knocking that door.

Skyechasemarshalontheway · 31/10/2021 19:08

Also scotland most people ask whats your joke when they answer there door.
Kids mainly only go to doors with decorations.

I have a slight issue with people asking for jokes as two of my dc cannot speak due to different adn, i never know what to say tbh. It feels a little awkward when i have to say it outloud infront of them but they both want to go do it with their sister.

Mrsjayy · 31/10/2021 19:09

Hot turnip was the smell off Halloween Halloween Smile

HoldingTheDoor · 31/10/2021 19:10

For those who demand that kids do a "turn" what about children with special needs who might not be able to do that or who'd be stressed out by the demand. It seems rather mean spirited to me.

Kanaloa · 31/10/2021 19:10

I’ve also found all the kids every year to be so polite and lovely. I find I’m often saying ‘take another one’ because they’ll just take one lolly/one fun size chocolate bar when there’s lots. Had a lovely little girl last year who took just one lolly then took it back to her little sister who was standing next to her mum and too nervous/shy to come up to the door - I had to call the bigger girl back to take some more for herself!

TrashyPanda · 31/10/2021 19:11

Oh we have just had the most adorable wee witch at the door! About 18 months old and just scrumptious in her costume! (She was with her brother and sister, plus dad, so not out on her tod)

Peoniesandpeaches · 31/10/2021 19:12

In my area the unwritten rule is to only go to lit houses as so few people decorate. It’s sad so few houses are bothering to keep their lights on this year and my local Facebook page is full of miserly moans from people complaining that those from the poorer areas of town are coming to the posh part because that’s the one bit with any decorations.

icelolly12 · 31/10/2021 19:13

Not sure anybody is 'demanding kids do a turn' @holdingthedoor but it is a shame that is has demanded into kids basically rifling through the bag of sweets without so much as a hello, joke, song or smile. Kind of takes the innocent pleasure out of the occasion with the entitlement.

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 31/10/2021 19:13

I live on a road which historically is very popular-

I have given out about 350 sweets-although still have a few in the bowl.

I wasn't going to do it but DD ( Uni age) was home and convinced me to decorate.
My DC loved trick or treating when they were young so I guess I felt I wanted to give a bit of fun to the kids who have had such a shit couple of years.

TrashyPanda · 31/10/2021 19:14

@HoldingTheDoor

For those who demand that kids do a "turn" what about children with special needs who might not be able to do that or who'd be stressed out by the demand. It seems rather mean spirited to me.
We know a little girl who is very shy, so what she did was bring a Lego model she had made to show us.

It is traditionally a part of Halloween in Scotland that you “do” something for your treat. I thought this a brilliant and creative way of letting her participate.

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 31/10/2021 19:14

And should add-all very very polite-lots of happy halloweens and trick or treat and thank yous

Marelle · 31/10/2021 19:16

I like to treat the kids so I buy full size chocolate bars. There have been lots of lovely kids who’ve taken one bar and said thank you. But there have been a few who’ve taken two or three and I’ve had to stop them before they wiped out my stash! One child grabbed a second bar and tried to take a third, and I said “Only take one bar please because there are lots of trick or treaters” and the mum said angrily “Fancy being greedy with kids on Halloween!” Wondering how many she thought I should have allowed her offspring to take? 🤔

Blondeshavemorefun · 31/10/2021 19:16

We had a Skeleton spider and 2 lit pumpkins and those who know me DAve 😂😂

We went out 5/6 and left sweets on door with note saying please take one

Then Home 6/630 so my 4yr could open the door

She loves both aspects of t&t

We had lots Round All polite

Everything In 630 ad she went to bed

No knocking since 630

That’s how it should be