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Original poster

Trick or treating in London (Holland park) help

40 replies

Gymmum82 · 20/10/2023 14:59

I’m hoping someone can help. We are in London over Halloween. My kids are devastated not to be able to go trick or treating at home. I said maybe we can go down there. We’re staying near to Holland Park.
Is anyone local? Does anyone know any neighbourhoods where we’d be able to go out? My concern is it would be all apartments with no front door to knock on and at least where I am no one answers in apartment blocks.

Also where we live you have to have decorations out to show you’re participating in Halloween. We don’t knock on undecorated houses. Is that a thing down there?
I appreciate I’m probably over thinking but the kids were so upset about missing Halloween that I’m trying to come up with a plan before we go

OP posts:
Original poster
Gymmum82 · 22/10/2023 22:28

Anyone?

OP posts:
EmpressaurusOfCats · 22/10/2023 22:41

One reason you might not have had a reply yet is that Holland Park is a seriously expensive area. Celebrities living in mansions & so on.

Maybe if you can be a bit more specific?

WinterDeWinter · 22/10/2023 22:57

I think if you move towards portobello and Westbourne Park or towards Shepherd’s Bush you’ll find fewer billionaires and more Halloween celebrants!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Events & celebrations
Owlcat42 · 22/10/2023 23:09

Found this for you: https://www.kensingtonmums.co.uk/top-12-places-to-go-trick-or-treat/ - it’s pre-Covid but at least might give you some pointers. And yes, look for the pumpkins/decorations etc, as given the stupendously expensive area it is, not everyone’s going to be happy about strangers knocking on their doors.

SheilaFentiman · 22/10/2023 23:13

Op, are you British or American?

IwishIdidntlikesugar · 22/10/2023 23:17

Yes, you will find some elaborate Halloween decorations on houses in Holland Park.

cestlavielife · 22/10/2023 23:19

Take a cab to hamilton terrace st johns wood

BasiliskStare · 22/10/2023 23:22

@Gymmum82 "Also where we live you have to have decorations out to show you’re participating in Halloween. We don’t knock on undecorated houses. Is that a thing down there? "

Yes where I live - not Holland Park - if only - but only knock on decorated houses.

Dinosaursdontgrowontrees · 22/10/2023 23:23

It will great in that area. I would head up on Ladbroke Grove lots of nice houses in that area or down towards Notting Hill. I really don’t think you’ll struggle to find decorated houses. Only knock on doors with pumpkins or decorations and you’ll be fine.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 23/10/2023 00:36

Gymmum82 · 20/10/2023 14:59

I’m hoping someone can help. We are in London over Halloween. My kids are devastated not to be able to go trick or treating at home. I said maybe we can go down there. We’re staying near to Holland Park.
Is anyone local? Does anyone know any neighbourhoods where we’d be able to go out? My concern is it would be all apartments with no front door to knock on and at least where I am no one answers in apartment blocks.

Also where we live you have to have decorations out to show you’re participating in Halloween. We don’t knock on undecorated houses. Is that a thing down there?
I appreciate I’m probably over thinking but the kids were so upset about missing Halloween that I’m trying to come up with a plan before we go

Yet you can't be bothered to come back?

user1477249785 · 23/10/2023 01:40

St John's Wood is the place to go. We used to live there. It's a Halloween delight!

Original poster
Gymmum82 · 23/10/2023 07:11

SheilaFentiman · 22/10/2023 23:13

Op, are you British or American?

British

OP posts:
Original poster
Gymmum82 · 23/10/2023 07:13

VeniVidiWeeWee · 23/10/2023 00:36

Yet you can't be bothered to come back?

Show quote history

Come back? Where? Home? No we’re not going to go home mid way through our holiday to go trick or treating, I figured it’s something we can do while we’re away and then everyone is happy

OP posts:
Original poster
Gymmum82 · 23/10/2023 07:18

Owlcat42 · 22/10/2023 23:09

Found this for you: https://www.kensingtonmums.co.uk/top-12-places-to-go-trick-or-treat/ - it’s pre-Covid but at least might give you some pointers. And yes, look for the pumpkins/decorations etc, as given the stupendously expensive area it is, not everyone’s going to be happy about strangers knocking on their doors.

Thank you. This is very helpful

OP posts:
Wilkolampshade · 23/10/2023 07:22

Gymmum82 · 23/10/2023 07:13

Come back? Where? Home? No we’re not going to go home mid way through our holiday to go trick or treating, I figured it’s something we can do while we’re away and then everyone is happy

Show quote history

PP meant 'come back' to the thread having started it, that's all.
Hope you have a nice time, and I'm glad you got the info you needed. But also, surely just explain to the kids that different places have different traditions? It's one of the nice things about living in different countries.

Original poster
Gymmum82 · 23/10/2023 07:47

Wilkolampshade · 23/10/2023 07:22

PP meant 'come back' to the thread having started it, that's all.
Hope you have a nice time, and I'm glad you got the info you needed. But also, surely just explain to the kids that different places have different traditions? It's one of the nice things about living in different countries.

Show quote history

It would be easier to explain if we were visiting a different country. But we live in England. Just the north.

OP posts:
1AngelicFruitCake · 23/10/2023 07:52

I just find this really cheeky, you don’t live in that area. Presumably the fact you’re on holiday means they are having a nice time. Whatever happened to ‘Sorry we can’t go this year because we’re on holiday? But it doesn’t matter because we’re having a lovely holiday’

Im not being difficult just genuinely curious.

Attictroll · 23/10/2023 08:28

Trick or treating down south feels relatively new...growing up I was just told it was an American thing. But now I know it happens more in the north. I would look for something else Halloween based. Even in my child friendly fairy average London suburb ( not posh at all) it will be one house on a whole street that I'd decorated and does it- in ds primary year I know of one family who does it, as it's not our custom its frequently seen as scary for old people, mean spirited etc
I have neighbours who moved from a place bought loads of sweets and no one came so research well as even if you taken them out it may be disappointing for them

1AngelicFruitCake · 23/10/2023 08:29

We get at least 100 but one year we got nearly 200! I saw an acquaintance who lives 20 minutes away and was quite shocked they’d drive to a different area to do it but perhaps that’s what people do nowadays!

Brownhairdontcare · 23/10/2023 08:31

@Attictroll I don't think this is true at all! I was trick or treating in Wales in the 80s and now my kids do it in my average London suburb, along with loads of others! Plenty of decorated houses too. Halloween is definitely not an American thing 😊

Attictroll · 23/10/2023 08:50

Brownhairdontcare · 23/10/2023 08:31

@Attictroll I don't think this is true at all! I was trick or treating in Wales in the 80s and now my kids do it in my average London suburb, along with loads of others! Plenty of decorated houses too. Halloween is definitely not an American thing 😊

Halloween is definitely not an American thing but trick or treating was seen to be when I was growing up. We always did Halloween parties etc just no trick or treating as kids. It was only via mumsnet I discovered parts of the uk did it. It may be generational though I grew up in the 80's in London.

Original poster
Gymmum82 · 23/10/2023 11:30

1AngelicFruitCake · 23/10/2023 07:52

I just find this really cheeky, you don’t live in that area. Presumably the fact you’re on holiday means they are having a nice time. Whatever happened to ‘Sorry we can’t go this year because we’re on holiday? But it doesn’t matter because we’re having a lovely holiday’

Im not being difficult just genuinely curious.

Because the kids were bawling their eyes out that we couldn’t go trick or treating. Yeah we’ll be having a nice time and they’ll have a good holiday but I figured if we can go out while we’re away then everyone is happy.
Not sure why it’s cheeky. I couldn’t care less if the kids who knock on my door on Halloween are local/foreign/ not local. I don’t really care where they are from. Just happy kids having a good time is all I’m bothered about

OP posts:
Original poster
Gymmum82 · 23/10/2023 11:37

Attictroll · 23/10/2023 08:28

Trick or treating down south feels relatively new...growing up I was just told it was an American thing. But now I know it happens more in the north. I would look for something else Halloween based. Even in my child friendly fairy average London suburb ( not posh at all) it will be one house on a whole street that I'd decorated and does it- in ds primary year I know of one family who does it, as it's not our custom its frequently seen as scary for old people, mean spirited etc
I have neighbours who moved from a place bought loads of sweets and no one came so research well as even if you taken them out it may be disappointing for them

It was the same when I was young, and most of the older generation where we live do not get involved however all the parents of children do and it is becoming bigger each year.
Im trying to research before we go, hence posting on here, to see if anyone local or local ish could give me some pointers 😊

OP posts:
mynameiscalypso · 23/10/2023 13:00

Areas around Kensington/St John's Wood are great for trick or treating not least because of the sizeable American population. We live in between and there are some extravagantly decorated houses already.