to wonder where people who are too scared to answer the door to trick or treaters have got the idea that they are going to be mugged on their own doorstep?

[GoreRenewed]

I live in a quite gentle little town. It's not perfect and entirely crime-free, but it's not exactly Murder Central either. But I have spoken to several people this weekend who tell me that they won't open their door to trick or treaters because it's too risky. Asking for trouble. But none of them have been assaulted or robbed, and neither did they know people who had been.

DS2 and I walked up our road to see whether there were any potential trick or treatees. We have just moved in and we don't know the drill round here. No pumpkins and lots of 'bugger off TorTer' signs. And shadowy figures hovering in darkened rooms peering out at us presumably to see if we were dangerous It was like the eve of some terrible battle, not some silly festival for kids.

I have no problem with people not wanting to give to trick or treaters, it's entirely up to them and I can see it could be a pita. ANd yes, if you are elderly and frail and living alone, it could seem alarming.

But where did this automatic suspicion of strangers come from? When the evidence of most people's own experience is that strangers aren't scary and dangerous. Particularly when they are 3 ft tall and dressed as a pumpkin .

We dont do trick or treat here. We also seal up the letter box. But in the past we have had glass left on the front door step, tyres slashed, cars keyed, in the area there has also been fireworks shoved through the letter box.

In the last couple of years no body has bothered (predominantly elderly neighbours) this year we have already had 3 lots. The house is not decorated and whilst i could turn the door bell off and ignore them they blatantly know we are in because we have no curtains in the front window due to decorating. The parents of the first lot seemed incredibly surprised by the fact that I told their kids "i'm sorry we dont do trick or treating here" As they know my son, I suspect that they are class mate. Bollocks to them. Still dont do trick or treaters. The slightly older kids got questioned about whether they knew the decoration eticate. they were actually appologetic.

I am just hoping that my car will be left in one piece as some one has already stollen the front number plate this year and I cant afford more repairs!

I'm not scared of opening the door (especially not with 6'4" barn-door of a husband here )

We just basically can't be arsed with any of it. So we are lights off in the hall & don't answer the door if the bell rings. (We are also trying to do tea-bath-bed routine with 2 & 4 years old DC)

Surely it isn't compulsory to find other people's children disturbing our peace and quiet and demanding sweets amusing, just because it's halloween? (even if they are 3' tall & dressed as a pumpkin :) )

BTW my DC have plenty of sweets sadly.

There were a couple of kids who came round here earlier - I'm moving tomorrow so I didn't have anything for them except for half a bag of Aero balls. They said no one on the street had answered their doors. I felt a bit sorry for them.

Emptyshell I am afraid to say that will also be taking your approach

"Anyone tries to do the trick crap on me for not opening the door and I'll be on the phone to the police as well."

And I am also afraid to say that I agree with the view of not wanting to provide other peoples kids with sweets. And home is my scantuary. Not everyone lives in a neighbourhood that they feel safe in. And that is normally. never mind halloween.

I'm not a fan of people assuming that the rest of society should automatically accept everything to do with their children without any forethought or consideration to the implications for others. Not everyone likes kids, some people find them intimidating - it annoys me when people won't accept that, yet expect consideration unconditionally for everything in return.

I don't like being disturbed at home at all - especially lately when I'm not well and it's the only place I feel safe. I just dislike the trick or treating tradition immensely, as do many other people by the prevalence of signs around - and I really object to the mummy bully hysteria that we're in some way evil for not wanting to blow our limited disposable income on kids we don't even know.

Even you chose to immediately jump to the conclusion I'm some child-hating nutball because I'm not joining the hysteria on planet pumpkin.

I'm not scared, I just don't like being bothered by children being encouraged to beg.

My 90 year-old grandmother however is very scared, especially since 2 years ago my great-uncle (her BIL) had an aggravated burglary which left him in hospital by 3 young men knocking on the door in costume on halloween.

emptyshell never thought I would see the word ket on here [hsmile]

WE normally do it but been away for weekend and only got back after shops shut. Bloody keep knocking though! (all lights out and door locked LOL)

I am running out of sweets - my skeletons and witches have been very polite and only taken one sweet each. Ds2 is out at friends trick and treating and DS1 is playing on wii with dad.

I live in a gentle village, with only small petty crime. A couple of years ago, a father at school told us how, after he'd refused to give to trick or treaters, got a brick through his window and his baby showered with glass . Similarly an old lady who offered fruit instead of treats. When you hear stories like that, is it any wonder?

GoreRenewed I have an issue with you repeatedly trying to paint people who choose not to answer their doors (wasn't aware I was legally compelled to do so)... who want a quiet evening and don't want to participate as morally wrong or abhorrent in some way.

I live where I do specifically because it's somewhere I DON'T have to feel scared - but I've lived in places in the past where, if you do open your door and don't cough up, you'll be getting your house egged at best, and, quite likely, fireworks through your letter box. It's a horrible reality in some areas - I understand the fear.

"Even you chose to immediately jump to the conclusion I'm some child-hating nutball because I'm not joining the hysteria on planet pumpkin.

"

Erm no I didn't.

it's the 'encouraged to beg' comments that rile me personally.

my dad is 80 and lives alone and he's got his skeleton out!

"who want a quiet evening and don't want to participate as morally wrong or abhorrent in some way"

Again, no I didn't.

Try reading the post before getting so worked up.

We used to go penny for the guying...now thats begging [hgrin]

herbie - I specifically said I could understand if the householder was old and frail.

I have a big bowl of sweets that cost me all of ...oooh... £4. Now if I was going to encourage my kids to beg I'd hope they'd have more ambition.

Our local coppers are quite hot on anything anti-social to be honest. Granted you'll probably only get a community support officer around - but it's a uniform and a visible presence which usually does the job.

Like I say, apart from the odd spot of car crime, we're pretty lucky round here.

5 rings of the doorbell so far. And no tricks. Can that be right? Where are the scary teenagers, where are the eggs, where the broken windows?

And FWIW I live slap bang next to one of the most deprived estates in the county.

And I don't think I am the one making assumptions about anyone.