Do you answer the door to trick or treaters?

[itsclh]

I personally don't 😬 though I feel like I should maybe make the effort now I have kids!

When I was younger I remember the streets being really busy and getting an answer at most doors, seems to have changed now the past few years.

Do you answer?

On mumsnet people don't answer the door the their own family and friends ill be very surprised if they answer to trick or treaters 🤣🤣🤣

We had about 30 groups knock, we decorated the house and my 2 boys went trick or treating on our street too

Yes. Because I have purchased sweets for dc and we have a pumpkin out.

I just keep the porch light on for the local kids and they'll knock if it's on and pass to the next lit house if it's not. I bought a large tub of mixed sweets, mini skittles and mini bags of cookies. They're all finished so I've switch off the lights and locked the doors.

Yes of course. Have some decorations in the window and a couple of pumpkins at the door. Love to see them coming 🥰

@crystalarter13 this is very true! 😁😁

Nope. House has no decorations, so in general kids don't knock. Those that do I don't answer. Usually due to a combination of because I forget to get any sweets, and I'm trying to get ready for work (nightshift worker)

They'll all be hiding behind their curtains or settee 🤣🤣

Yes and I don't have kids. I think if you expect others to give to your kids, not sure if you do, then it's cheeky not to answer.

Yes! It has been non stop from 6 until the sweets ran out at 8. Love it as they are all so polite, know they need to do a “turn” before getting a sweet.

The whole ‘I hate children begging for sweets’ thing always feels Scrooge-like.

It’s not begging. I go to the effort of buying sweets and decorating my house/carving pumpkins because I enjoy it. I want to give out sweets to little groups of local children who come to my door.

They’re not begging. I’m inviting them to knock and get some sweets.

It feels like a lovely, social event in the neighbourhood. It’s a chance to say hi to my neighbours and comment on the cute wee skeletons, witches and vampires that arrive on the doorstep.

We even had a dog in a vampire costume!

There have been some groups of teenagers, but they’ve all been dressed up and very polite. One group came round after DS14 went out with his friends (to someone else’s house for a sleepover). One of the girls(who I’ve known since she was in reception) told me that DS and his friends had sent them away earlier because ’you’re in Y10 and far too old for this’. While another girl was super keen to tell me she’s in DS’s PE class. 😆 I gave them sweets anyway and laughed about it.

Just a social event. Fair enough if you don’t want to join in, but it’s not ‘begging’.

I do if they knock.

It’s been years since anybody has.

That sounds so sad.

Have you any decorations up?

Or is there just not many kids who live nearby?

Yes, we put lit pumpkins out & decorations up, & we give out sweets. Kids only visit houses that are decorated round here.
In fact, someone just posted up on our local FB page asking why they hadn't had any trick or treaters - because they hadn't put out any pumpkins etc.

We generally do no pumpkin no knock, but we have a lot of Asian families around here who don't want to do the Halloween decor but will loiter and open the door to give out sweets.
DH is directed to answer the door until we're back and then a sign goes up saying don't knock, sweets in the bag. A few houses had just left a tub out on the driveway

We've had a big rush between 6 and 7. We put the pumpkins out and a bucket of sweets, they still knock. We had teenagers knocking at 8pm tonight, everything was in, no decs etc, and they pushed their faces up to the door and even tried opening it! Our poodle cross gave them the fright of their lives, probably made their halloween. I did notice the quality of sweeties overall decreased, my own included - probably cost of living impact around here.

I live in a flat on the third floor, but no - I wouldn’t open it anyway. If I had kids wouldn’t take them out trick or treating either so it’s fair.

Of course. unless it's for financial reasons why wouldn't you? if getting up and down all night isn't feasible then leave a bucket full outside. I'm always a bit disappointed we don't get more callers. we used to live on the best street for trick or treat and would have over a hundred kids visit throughout the evening. i had to break out the lindt which was meant for xmas to restock but love seeing all the outfits and excited faces. this year i had to leave a bowl out as was nursing a 7 week old. Halloween was on a par with xmas for me as a kid but it was such a lovely community thing where i grew up. all children should have that.

Same here. Not a soul. Think it was like this last year too.

Nope but only because I'm out with my kids. We have a rule around here that you only visit houses that decorate and it's very well respected.

As we're out we decorate and leave a bowl of sweets for people. We leave it out even when we get home so no need to answer the door.

We’ve been out TorTing ourselves most of the evening but we left a pumpkin out and a bowl of sweets on the doorstep. It’s been a lovely evening, one of my favourite of the year!

Yep - have decorations up so that trick or treaters know they’re welcome to knock. I take our DC trick or treating while DH mans the door at home (or vice versa). The kids are polite and know not to bother undecorated homes. I loved trick or treating when I was a child and so do my DC.

We don't get any trick or treaters here, haven't done for years. It's a bit out of the way for people to detour to.

I did worry momentarily earlier, as there was noise outside, and no sweets but cherry throat lozenges.

I wish. I have no decs as I don’t want to take part but still had ridiculously aggressive thumping in the door, twice, before I went out at 6.

We normally do, as it's a rare occasion we actually get to enjoy feeling part of the community and seeing local kids having fun (no kids of our own and when you don't have them you'd be surprised how rare seeing any can be!).

This year we were too tired to keep answering the door, and DH was still working from home till gone 7, so we didn't put out decorations but did leave a bucket of sweets on the door step knowing some kids will be used to us taking part so would come by and spot them there.