To not let my children go trick or treating

[Nolikeythespookey]

I really dislike trick or treating. It is not a British thing - it is a new thing from America and I think it's greedy and intrusive. I don't want my kids going to strangers doors and essentially saying 'give us sweets or we'll do something bad to you'. I think it's horrible manners and not even necessarily safe. I don't think children need a big bucket of 'candy' either.

My kids have been young enough to discourage this so far, but this year one has been invited out trick or treating with friends. I've said we have other plans. He's 6. When they get a bit older and are more aware of the whole thing I won't let them feel left out and will grudgingly allow them to go (with an adult) but I really, really hate this stupid non tradition.

We did used to have 'guising' on hallowe'en in the UK, where kids/guisers had to do a 'party piece/turn' to earn their treat, and I think that's a much nicer thing - bit of give and take and no demanding/threatening from the kids, plus the treat could easily be 20p or an apple.

[squoosh]

God but this thread is creaking with miserable gits!

Absolute bah humbug, moany arsed, disapproving vinegar faces.

[usualsuspect]

Miserable sods.

[usualsuspect]

I think I might have written 'miserable sods' on every trick or treating thread on MN for the last 7 years.

[ThePuffyShirt]

I have never experienced or heard of anyone being 'tricked' apart from on TV where I once heard people have eggs thrown at their houses.

I do live in a naice area, though.

[RegTheMonkey]

My memory goes back at least 55 years to when I was small in Scotland and Hallowe'en was celebrated with indoor games like Ducking For Apples, trying to eat a treacle scone with your hands behind your back, and then dressing out and going round door to door 'guising', meaning dressed up in fancy dress. But it wasn't trick or treat - you had to sing or dance or recite a poem before you got any sweeties, but mostly you got monkey nuts or tangerines. My relatives in England at the time never did any door to door stuff, nor celebrated it much. My mother who was born in 1918 remembers going round guising at Hallowe'en. I think the spate of US movies featuring Hallowe'en and their Trick of Treat customs imported it into England.

[Trigglesx]

I'm not a miserable sod. I don't necessarily disapprove. It's just not something we do now, for various reasons. If others want to, then I'm not fussed one way or another. I'd be quite happy to hand out sweets, if DS1 didn't have a meltdown every time someone came to the door. He's got SNs and can't cope with all the extra foot traffic to the door. So we turn off the lights and relax for the evening.

As I said previously, even though I didn't allow DD to go, she was quite happy to dress up, "Halloween"-up the house, and pass out sweets to people that came to the door in years past.

I will admit to being growly when people have, in the past, decided that they're going to go trick or treating on another night because Halloween is on a Sunday. What's that about? Go on the day, that's it. None of this "choosing a different night" malarkey.

[squoosh]

I think Halloween in America looks brilliant fun! they really get into the spirit.

[skyeskyeskye]

I never did it as a child as grew up on a farm. I have never taken 5yo DD trick or treating. Due to her age I managed to avoid it so far. last year we were on holiday at half term and she dressed as a witch at the Halloween party. We will be doing the same again this year.

If I am at home, I put a polite sign on the door saying no Trick or Treating (originally because DD was a baby and asleep, but have done it every year since). The neighbours children all come over to show me their outfits and get a sweet, but then that is it.

Each to their own. i just don't want my DD doing it or kids knocking on my door all night when I have better things to do.

[usualsuspect]

We never did it as kids, we sat outside the local shop doing 'penny for the guy'

Then the guys all got chucked on the bonfires on the local reccy.

[usualsuspect]

My kids all went trick or treating though,they loved it.

[SelectAUserName]

lizzzyliveson I'd forgotten that rhyme until you mentioned it - blast from the past!

Maryz I'm early 40s so did my guising in the late 70s/very early 80s.

[gordyslovesheep]

Usual we had the same childhood!

I TOT with my kids - we stay on our estate and we ONLY ever knock on doors with Halloween decorations - all the kids do it - it's a great way to scare meet your neighbours

[YouHaveAGoodPoint]

We have houses locally that welcome trick or treaters. They have decorations and the same houses do. It year after year. It's great fun for everyone. It's not on to go to undecorated houses.

My kids were bought up in Canada and all loved trick or treat. It was their favourite holiday. It was lots of fun for everyone and a really family friendly celebration that was a great way to meet all your nieghbours.
No one knocked at 'unlit' houses.

[usualsuspect]

We knocked on doors collecting old furniture to be burnt on the bonfires


There was always a gang of kids lugging old tables and chairs up to the reccy in the first week of November.

[Trigglesx]

Yes, we did get rather frustrated last year with parents bringing their children up to our front door. No lights on at the front of the house at all, no lights outside the door, nothing. Very very dark. And still the parents encouraged the children to knock. I ignored it, as I then had to calm down DS1, however, I do not understand parents that don't get "if the lights are not on, do not knock." It's pretty straight forward, I would have thought.

[BlingBang]

Jings, has the last year gone so fast, just seems like yesterday that we had THIS SAME BLOODY DISCUSSION. Year after bloody year!

[Teapigging]

We called it 'going round the houses', or 'going on the pookey' when I was little in Ireland in the 70s, carried a lighted turnip, and we practiced our songs, poems etc assiduously. Not sure how enthusiastic our elderly neighbours were about a bunch of small witches singing 'Annie's Song'...

[BlingBang]

Usual,

at least you knocked! Round our way folk used to just commandeer stuff. Whole fences and garden benches etc used to disappear over night.

[mmmdonuts]

It's not a new thing but what is new is the lost sense of community spirit which means it's seen as annoying and beggarly now instead of a bit of fun.

[Greydog]

Hate it. Hate the rudeness of folk who bring their kids round and expect you to give them sweets. I have no idea where some of the people that called on me come from. If anyone knocks now (and we have no decorations, and leave the outside light off) then I tell them that I dont "celebrate" this, and so have nothing for them. I like being a miserable old sod.

[BlingBang]

We loved it as kids, Halloween - so exciting. We recently moved to a nice estate and last year loads of houses were all done up, lots of kids running round and many happy faces. My kids love it.

[pixwix]

slightly off topic - but does anyone else remember 'mischievous night' usually on 4th nov?

[weewhile]

Ist of November was Celtic new year and was called Samhuinn in Gaelic - pronounced 'soween', I think. Don't think it's new or from America.
Scots call trick or treat 'Guising' and the tradition goes back years. As children we went door to door, sometimes dressed up and we had to perform a poem, joke or song to deserve our treats.
It wasn't seen as begging as everyone joined in.
We will be inviting friends over to celebrate our paganism. Any excuse for a party.
Don't see the harm in it myself.