Crap halloween givers

[WashingAt30]

It's nice when someone opens the door to you, and they at least smile, and maybe have a little chat about the DC's costumes. My god, some people don't even look happy, just shove a bag of sweets at you as close the door! I wouldn't be surprised if one creepy man we met was on some kind of offenders register. Why bother if you're not going to get into the spirt?!

If you've ever had a 'trick' you might be too scared to refuse.

So entitled!
You should really only be knocking on the doors of people that you know.
It doesn't give a good message to children to encourage them to knock on strangers doors and expect to take things from them.

You are giving little anecdotal examples.

It's my experience in the 80s and 90s too. When I was a kid we had Halloween parties, trick or treat. Of course it was a thing for many.

The Halloween is for the children. They're very enthusiastic and excited about the whole thing, so if ppl decided to take part of it, decorated their homes to expect the visits I do agree they should at least be in a good mood and yes, smile because it's just the poor kids having a great time!

Nobody has yet answered the question that I and others have asked: why does decorating your home for Hallowe'en automatically mean that you welcome trick or treaters with open arms?

Why does it have to be 'you must celebrate Hallowe'en in the way that I dictate or you aren't allowed to celebrate it at all'?

People have already said that they have year-round general decorations on their house, and trick or treaters have decided they must be pumpkins or whatever and thus they are entitled to knock. Presumably, you're expected to UNdecorate your house for a week if you don't want trick or treaters?!

Also, what's the betting that people in some areas will be criticised if they don't 'get in the spirit of it' - like the people who were 'shamed' if they didn't go out and bang saucepans 'for the NHS' for whatever reason?

Rather than rely on your own personal interpretation of subtle arbitrary indications - like the old having an aspidistra in your front window to supposedly signify that you're middle-class - Surely the best way would be for participating houses to have signs up saying "Trick or Treaters welcome here!" It can't be beyond the wit of Poundland to start producing these for those who want them. That way it's unequivocal and everybody knows the score: see a sign, visit and get sweets; no sign, stay away.

Wat utter BS - all the kids I know (and I know a lot!) have never taken away the message that is ok to knock on strangers doors and ask for sweets at any other time apart from Hallowe'en when trick or treating at houses with decoration.

If you've ever had a 'trick' you might be too scared to refuse.

Most middle-class MNers don't have the faintest idea that what, to them, is a jolly little bit of harmless neighbourhood fun, is actually a terrifying prospect for many people in very rough areas.

It's effectively hidden in plain sight in the phrase that they all say. If you don't hand over a 'treat' (which, as we've already heard, will often include the expectation of money or items of value - offering a fun-size milky way will be treated as an insult), you WILL receive a 'trick', which won't just be somebody rattling your letterbox or saying a Harry Potter-style 'spell' at you, but could well be actual violence or criminal damage.

Nobody is decorating their houses with pumpkins'/Hallowe'en stuff all year round...

If you've put a lit pumpkin outside your door/gate on 31st October - then of course people will presume you're celebrating and want ToTers.

A bit like if you put a Christmas Tree in your window around the 25th of December - people would presume you are celebrating Christmas in some way

"Nobody has yet answered the question that I and others have asked: why does decorating your home for Hallowe'en automatically mean that you welcome trick or treaters with open arms?"

I think it's because it's mostly children's fun date. They see a decorated house, think they are celebrating, so you are allowed to knock on the door. You can take measures, just don't answer the door, or leave the sign saying no trick or treating, or whatever. If an adult is with them, they won't bother you if they see the sign.

Here's just one example of Halloween parties and trick or treat being referenced as a thing people did, 1996. The idea of no one acknowledging it or doing anything for it in England 80s/90s is complete nonsense. If individual posters can't remember people doing anything, or didn't have it in their area, that's just your anecdote, which tbh I'm not entirely convinced by.

https://halloween.fandom.com/wiki/2point4Children::TheLadyyVanishes

Why would they be uncomfortable celebrating what was once a Christian Holy Day - that was intended to supplant a Pagan one. Why would they be uncomfortable celebrating Pagan Festivals in October when they celebrate Pagan Festivals in December and Easter...?

The joy of living in the UK, is these big festivals are a big mishmash of different cultures and celebrations. The "Christian Festivals" are tagged onto pre-existing Pagan Festivals (Yule, Eostre etc) and we now see a good mix of everything int these festivities - which is a good thing. So at Christmas when a Christian merrily decorates with baubles and happily brings trees/wreaths/foliage inside, eat a slice of yule log etc they're doing "Pagan things". When they buy their kid an Easter Egg, or let them do an Easter egg hunt where the Eater Bunny dropped them - whoops Pagan.

I remember there was a lot of pushback from the Church of England about how it was "evil", so possibly in some areas this view dominated. I bet kids and young people were still having parties nearby though.

it's almost like the churches are following some sort of make believe stories that have inconsistencies and aren't substantiated by any actual evidence...

Nobody is decorating their houses with pumpkins'/Hallowe'en stuff all year round...

Have you read this thread? And did you actually read my post properly? It's people choosing to interpret any kind of year-round decorations - such as a wreath - as meaning that 'it must be for Hallowe'en'.

A bit like if you put a Christmas Tree in your window around the 25th of December - people would presume you are celebrating Christmas in some way

Yes, in some way - but not necessarily in their way.

Does sticking a Christmas tree in your front window indicate that you welcome groups of carol singers coming and collecting for charity, or people seeking generous donations for Crisis, whilst you're trying to eat your evening meal or get the kids to bed?

What about if the local vicar comes and wants to discuss the Christmas story with you and its importance to your faith? After all, you're clearly celebrating Christmas - so why could you possibly be celebrating in a different way or for different reasons from anybody else celebrating it?

I really don’t think the trick aspect of it is a thing. Not meaningfully. And certainly not in my experience in the UK.

People might say ‘trick or treat’ but it’s just a phrase. No one is extorting sweets with menaces.

It is just an opt in thing - put out a pumpkin /some decorations to indicate that you’re participating in giving out sweets.

Gosh I agree with others.

I put out some decorations, bought sweets, got up and down to answer the door and said "happy Halloween". You're not going to get much more out of us.

I feel awkward chatting to strangers kids.

I really don’t think the trick aspect of it is a thing. Not meaningfully. And certainly not in my experience in the UK.

People might say ‘trick or treat’ but it’s just a phrase. No one is extorting sweets with menaces.

The vast, vast majority are like that, but you do get some people in some neighbourhoods who will exploit the custom and actually treat(!) it as a way to demand money with menaces.

To be honest, even if they are just after a few free sweets and meaning no harm, I think it's questionable when teenagers go out in groups doing it. Nobody is going to be scared of a 6yo with their mum or dad behind them; but half a dozen sullen teenagers can be quite threatening to some people.

Well I myself went to Halloween parties and trick or treating as a child in the early 80s, so of course it’s not a new thing! I have photos of me wearing my terrible self-applied zombie face paint.

I really, really hope this isn't true, but knowing how entitled some people are, I expect it is. Instead of writing her a letter, just be grateful for any sweets she gave, and don't call at her house again in future.

Well I myself went to Halloween parties and trick or treating as a child in the early 80s, so of course it’s not a new thing! I have photos of me wearing my terrible self-applied zombie face paint.

Yes I also have spooky fancy dress photos from when I was a child, as does DP who grew up in rural Yorkshire.

My partner is the most shy introverted guy going and probably would never do Halloween cause he just likes a quiet life. It was me who chose to do Halloween and get treats but I nipped to the gym and as much as he didn't want to answer the door he did and he shouldn't have to be expected to have a conversation every single person he answered the door to last night

He's not miserable he was just well out of his comfort zone. Why is everyone so judgemental

You're plucking out one example. I'm sure there are sumo wrestlers in the UK, but no-one would say Sumo is a popular activity in the UK.

Halloween was not celebrated in England prior to the 2000s. Why aren't there any Halloween themed programmes in England prior to this? Because, it wasn't celebrated. No TV shows, no films, nothing. No Noel's House Party Halloween special, no Saturday mornings kids tv (Going Live!) Halloween special. Nothing on news channels on the day itself.

England has always been about the 5th of November, aka Bonfire night, which is an English custom. The BBC weatherman will mention it on the news..."the weather for Bonfire night". Max on EastEnders saying "penny for the guy".

As I said, coming from Ireland where Halloween is celebrated (appropriately enough given that it is the birthplace of it), it was a culture shock to see nothing about Halloween in England when I was at uni there in the 90s.

I mean, the stranger could well be a sex offender.. that’s why I find the concept of trick or treating so bizarre. I do think the norm is to go to peoples houses that you know.

Ghostwatch in 1992 just off the top of my head.

I used to watch Halloween themed stuff all the time in the 80s and 90s, as did all my friends from school. On Halloween night itself we would usually be at a party at my friend’s house as it was also her birthday, also Halloween themed. Even as far back as playgroup I recall making ghosts and witches out of tissue paper to stick in the windows. We all used to go trick or treating in small groups and talked about it at school.

so Halloween was not celebrated in England prior to the 2000s is just wrong. Just because you didn’t, it was very common elsewhere and not just in little pockets.

Also being an Irish person trying to tell English people that we didn’t celebrate it is a bit weird.

I'm not plucking out one example, I can find many. It's also my own lived experience. Halloween was a thing here in the eighties and 90s, I don't know what kind of weird bubble you lived in at university, but I can't be bothered to argue about it. You're wrong.