How to Trick or Treat?

[DappledThings]

I have never been Trick or Treating. It wasn't a thing when I was growing up, nobody did it. I'm not Scottish, Irish or American and have no frame of reference for it other than TV and films.

DC have asked for a couple of years and I've refused (because it's weird to me. Because I have no experience of it and I never expected it to become so big that it would be something their friends were doing).

However this year DD has been invited to a Halloween themed birthday party after school on the day with the expectation they all head out afterwards so I can't really just take her home when all her friends are going.

So what do you actually do? Only knock at housed with lights/decorations. And then just literally "say Trick or Treat?" and get sweets? Is there other etiquette? Does anyone else do it and feel really uncomfortable about the whole thing?

I’ve made lanterns out of cardboard boxes, cut into an oblong formed into a round shape, cut slots about 2cm long along one of the long sides about 2cm apart. Fold the slits in and glue them to a circular disc of cardboard glued cut to size, to make a base and holes cut in the sides for a scary face, a couple of battery operated l lights inside and a string handle to carry it. Kids loved, no one else had one. DH was on an oil rig in the middle of the North Sea so his turnip carving skills were missed so I improvised.
I like another posters idea of cutting a pumpkin shape out of card or paper and sticking it in the window.

Im 45, in england, and it was a big thing when i was a child. Our costumes were bin bags and plastic masks but we went trick or treating every year and attended halloween parties with apple bobbing.

Asda and Card Factory have come through for me. On the off chance anyone at either Tesco or Asda responsible for shelf displays is reading then then to Asda, thank you for being normal and sensible. To Tesco, just stop it. Wait a few more hours before making your employees take down all the current seasonal stuff and replace it with the next season's stuff.

Thanks for cardboard lantern tips but that's still more effort than I'm prepared to make!

Yes, Asda never disappoints. Glad you got sorted OP, it’ll be better next year. Happy Halloween ☠️👻🤖💀🎃🎃
DH has just helped our grandkids carve their pumpkins before we drop them off at home.

I’m 45, in england, and it wasn’t a thing at all when i was a kid. There were some halloween parties, but i’m with you OP - tonight is the first time i’ve ventures out because DDs keep asking, and i’m fairly nervous about the whole thing. It doesn’t help that there are no houses around us, so i have to drive to a random place which just feels cheeky.

Solidarity my friend.

I realised just now I find even saying it out loud uncomfortable! I just referred to the activity as "going round to the houses" rather than say "trick or treat" out loud 😂.

See you on the other side!

It's great fun.

We only knock on doors if they have Halloween decorations up.

So knock on door, say trick or treat or happy Halloween when they open the door.
Homeowners usually comment on costumes, give a sweet (usually choose from a bowl - good etiquette to take only one)
You say thankyou, wish them happy Halloween and scamper off to the next house.

If you are only knocking on houses with decorations and are polite then you should have a great time.

I miss going trick or treating as DS is an adult now. We used to have big parties straight after school and when he was a bit older we used to go trick or treating. Now I put out pumpkins and decorations, we had 75 children which is a record and have never had that many before. We have a ring doorbell so there’s was lots of ooh look at that cat pumpkin. We had them over three hours and then took everything in. Myself and DS GF opened the door wearing masks, one dear little girl gave us a twirl and all the children said thank you.

Did you and your children have fun op?

Scottish people go guising. It's not the same as Trick or Treat. DC need to perform a 'party piece' to get a sweetie - joke, poem, song, etc.

I had one child do a back flip on the front lawn this evening! Impressive!

I can't believe kids in the rest of the UK don't tell a joke to get their sweet! In Scotland it's always been either a song or joke, but songs have fallen by the wayside. It also used to be 'guising' but more and more I hear it being called trick or treating.