To think that trick or treaters say "thank you" and move on

[golfbuggy]

We're on a main thoroughfare so get loads of trick or treaters.
Tonight it feels as though roughly in 1 or 3 of them have said "don't like that" or "can I have something else". I have grumpily refused every time. (It's generally been the 5-9 year olds I'd say - the younger ones just look wide eyed and the older ones just take what they are given!)

AIBU to think that if someone is giving you sweets for nothing your correct response is "thank you".

teeny I don't think you are in our area, but one of the people in the flats near us did this, decorated the whole hallway and even made multi-coloured spaghetti worms for you to dip your hands in. It was an epic effort. The children love it. I do too!

I think we probably ended up with around 50. DS had a fairly good haul. The dad of one of DH's pupils had forgotten to get sweets in so he gave DS the contents of his 'shrapnel' (1p, 2p, 5p) coins instead. There must be at least a tenner in there!!!

MrNC was working when I took the kids out, but as we'd decorated the door a few people knocked even before he gave up and put the pumpkin out. Went to about 20 houses locally, only ones with decorations. Queues at some doors where two groups were there already, but all very polite.

We got about 10 lots of kids, mostly up to age 8, then a lone teen and pair of teens. No-one after 8.30, even though we forgot to bring the pumpkin in. All very civilised.

I've never had this but I make up a goodie bag and they are all the same. But I have never had a child turn round and say that too me in all the years I have been doing it. Think it's very rude of them and would say so to them. Manners cost nothing

I came home to find my door had been egged and the dustbin pulled over. How dare I be at work til 7pm with no lantern out and no decs?? Hate this holiday anyway and that just finished me off. Cheeky fuckers.

That's awful trinity, we had no issues last night except a parking one, and if I hadn't been so busy Trying to feed 10 people and get out the door to trick n treat mumsnetters would have loved it (she even called the police on me for blocking her in when she parked on my drive! And left my visitors nowhere to park) We had a few cheeky kids from a few houses down who were refused sweets when they called early on as they weren't dressed up and I knew would be calling later so they were sent on their way. No one grumbled about what they had either - my dd(2) gave them out directly into their loot bags so it was pot luck what they got and she was so cute about it they couldn't ask for something else!

Despite A LOT of coaching I was mortified when my 5 yo turned around, pinching a 20pence piece between finger and thumb and said 'oh it's just money

I had the opposite with ds2 last year (when he was 5). We went out and they were fully expecting sweets, as they'd got other years...and the first FOUR houses they knocked ALL gave them money. The first two gave 50p each, the third gave them a quid each and the fourth gave them a handful of coppers (which they were more excited about that the pound).

Then the next house gave them sweets and ds2 piped up with 'Oh, thank you...but...don't you have any money?'

My kids usually tell a joke if asked. They say thank you after receiving sweet/fruit/balloon/money

Slightly OT but I also have a nice story that made me think twice about judging people.

When we were out last night, a group of four lads went past us on scooters...looked about 12 or 13, they were being a bit rowdy and silly and had masks on. I'm not a huge fan of that age kid tbh (although I keep it to myself!) as I generally find them irritating so I just ignored them as they went by. Ds1 shouted 'Happy Halloween!' at them which they seemed to ignore too.

Anyway, they went past and then about 30 seconds later one of them scooted back and went straight up to the ds's and said 'boys hold your buckets out' which they both did automatically. I was a few feet away and immediately went on the alert because my instant thought was that this kid was going to snatch and run or similar. What he actually did was put a quid in each bucket, said 'Happy Halloween' back and then scooted back to join his mates.

I've honestly never experienced a random 13 year old boy make such a nice gesture spontaneously. I was gutted that I didn't get chance to thank him because he was so quick and that I don't know who his parents are because i'd definitely tell them if I could. Anyway, it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling on Halloween which was nice!

Aww my that's lovely !!

All kids very polite here to win had quite a few knock and ds handed out the sweets for the first time which he was very excited about ! He remember his thankyous at every house too and only took the one sweet and had to be persuaded to take anymore ! We only visited decorated houses to people had gone to a lot of effort it was a really nice night actually nice community feel

Aww, we had about 40 callers. They were utterly adorable and some had gone to a lot of trouble with their appearance. I think they only called to houses which were decorated and obviously 'doing' hallowe'en. I was glad they had somewhere to go as not a lot of houses on my street don't take part.

I had the most gorgeous pumpkin call to my door. I think she had only just started to walk.

I am also relieved the tin of swizzles is practically gone as I wouldn't be able to resist. I handed out 'roses' as well. I didn't think about the nut issue. Growing up, we always had nuts at hallowe'en.

I enjoyed the children all excited and happy being dressed up. It is nice to have a bit of fun as the days get gloomier.

oh. Not a lot of houses take part. Or a lot of houses don't take part.

We had about 75 trick or treaters call we live on a estate with lots of families on it. I do find it a bit much when you get about 10 children at the door at one time but most were polite. One boy aged about 9 said rudely we rang your doorbell earlier why didn't you answer - that put me off - told him I'd been out taking my daughter trick or treating. Two boys aged about 9 came to my house twice within 5 minutes and i did comment on that to them. Mostly it has a nice community feel about the night though

My DS age 7 sounded rude and upset a few times while trick or treating. He has autism - I spoke to him a about how he should behave but he finds it difficult. I always worry about people thinking he's just rude and that I'm not parenting him properly.

Whenever my nearly 4yo DS went to a house where the person who answered the door was dressed up he loudly piped up with, 'I love your outfit, it's brill-ee-yant, I reeaallly do like it.' Everyone was in fits of giggles at him.

have you got anything else?? yes come on in do you want me to set you out a place at the dinner table???? cheeky shit!!
I told a group of older lads they wernt having anything because they weren't even dressed up, just had their hoods up and tagged along with some girls who had made a massive effort... the girls giggled the boys looked embarrassed!!

We had over 170 callers, and they were all very polite, no grabbing, and lots of thank yous.

A few years ago, before I had the kids, I'd forgotten it was Halloween, and there was a knock on the door, which I answered to find a 5 year old skeleton saying 'Trick or Treat'. I had nothing to give him, not even a biscuit, so I apologised and said it was going to have to be trick.

So he produced from behind his back a jar filled with green goo and plastic spiders, which I had to put my hand in! He was my favourite Halloween caller ever!

My DC was really funny. She went to one door came away and then stated that she had mistakenly taken 2 sweets so went back and put one back!

We don't have a 'help yourself' approach, as we fill lots of little bags with sweets. (My DH enjoys filling them). Then they just take one. Saves a lot of fuss, greed etc. Although, occasionally, someone takes 2 bags. Once we run out, we stop answering the door!

FlyingElbows that's a good idea . Think I might do that for next year as didn't get a huge amount of trick or treaters .

All were gracious, took one sweet and said thank you and went along their way , apart from two who were putting their whole hands in . Told them it is ONE or NONE , so they took one each .

170 ??! That's up and down a lot of times . Still it sounds like you get into the spirit of it so good for you .
I never had a huge amount in hence the One or None approach I took

Wow, of course, manners are part of Halloween, otherwise they are literally asking strangers for sweeties!

We took DS and friend for the first time ever, and I was often to be found standing on the path calling 'what do you say?!' if they were too quiet saying thank you and happy Halloween!

Mind you, DS often says thank you to his shoes, and then looks rude as only the shoes heard it.

Sometimes they forgot to say anything at all when the door opened, or got mixed up and said thank you first, before the trick or treat bit... They're 6yrs old so not very tiny anymore, but over whelmed by the whole thing. It was rather sweet :)

(Confession: it was MY first time trick or treating too, as my mother thought it was awful and we werent ever vallowed to do it. We also had to turn the lights off and hide of anyone knocked, so didn't even get the fun of handing out sweets. So me and DS were both new to the whole thing )

We had about 20 groups, live on a largish estate with plenty of kids. All very polite, lots of effort made on the costumes too. Had the sweetest little lad dressed as a pumpkin, it was obviously his first Halloween and he was so excited, it was adorable!