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 .

And I meant put a stop to the vandalism and thuggery. Atm in the situation we are in the onyl way to stop the problem is to have a compulsory curfew for the under 18s and I dont think you would think that that is the best option either. So if you had a choice to stopping the excuse for thuggery and stopping the kids being out at all which would you suggest might be fairer?

You put a stop to it by dealing with the asbo-fodder that are presumably a problem any night of the year.

How? when the police arent interseted how?

well maybe you live in a lovely place SGB where the police patrol the street every day, and feel safe 24/7 some of us arn't so lucky.

I don't know. That is a different issue.

But the problem isn't Halloween (or presumably fireworks night or NY) but the people with the crap attitude.

i live on one of the roughest council estates this side of Liverpool, Halloween isnt the problem and banning it wouldnt solve the problem

Actually last night went very smoothy and all the kids who knocked here were very well behaved maybe the asbo's were having a night off

get tough, buy a shot gun, shoot the fuckers with the fireworks and the eggs

You willing to shoot the fucker round here for me vinny? Reindeer harming, glass smashing car vanidalising bastards that they are.

You have raindeers where you live?

Yep sometimes

Went into our local town this morning (9am) and you could see there had been a bit of carnage the night before.
Saw three boarded up windows, a couple of cracked ones and all the shopkeepers were out cleaning the front of their shops and having to sweep down the street.

Spoke to one of them and they said that eggs and flour were thrown at almost every single shop and they were the lucky ones.

And this is a very small market town, it's always just a couple of local families that do this and they get their friends in from the city to have some mayhem

2Shoes: I live in an average sort of place (Croydon) with its fair share of trouble all year round.

THough I do agree with those who mentioned that the official No Trick Or Treat signs are fucking idiotically designed - they really do look like pro-Halloween decorations from a distance. All you need is NO TRICK OR TREAT in big letters FFS, no need to draw pumpkins around it.

We used to hide in our old house but that's because we had trouble with gangs and stuff there anyway and we knew those did come round so pretended we were out. Still got egged but better than having to face them! I've never gone trick or treating yet but dh has taken ds1 for the last 2 years (this year included ds2) and they ONLY went to houses that had a pumpkin/decorations and looked like they were happy to take part. Others were left alone as we think it's rude to disturb people like that (I was really p'd off last night when a group of teenagers arrived after 8pm and I was trying to read a bedtime story. I was trying to politely tell them we were busy but they were SO noisy that I had to say it 4 times and I'm afraid on the 4th time I was VERY loud when shouting 'EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME' from my upstairs window!! They were apologetic about it and polite so no problem but god the noise of that big group was annoying. They just got too excited I guess but it IS annoying and I think it's fairer to stick with places that look like they're into it.

Skeleton: but lots of 'carol singers' are just after money for themselves. Loads of kids and teens bang on doors, bawl 'We wish you a merry CHRUSMUSS!' and hold their hands out. Yes, there are organised groups with charitable intent who are as harmless as the under 10s trotting around for sweeties but there are thugs too.

If children were to knock and sing proper carols and really make an effort would you mind giving them money then or perhaps sweets instead? What if it was to raise money for their school, brownies, football team or maybe to raise money for buying presents for their family?