To think that if you have decorated your house, then its fair to assume you are happy to help trick or treaters knocking?

[BasinHaircut]

House down my road, went all-out with the decorations. Looked really good and as I walked past it on the way home I wondered whether DS would even want to knock there as it looked quite scary.

Anyway as we went out to knock on the few houses on my road that were decorated/had pumpkins out, I noticed that a bunch of kids were knocking at spooky house but getting no answer. A minute or two later we approached the house again and other kids were knocking there so we skipped it but they again didn’t answer. Then another few minutes later we returned and DS knocked and you guessed it, they didn’t answer. The TV was on inside and I could hear people inside.

AIBU to think it’s weird to put so much effort into decorating your house for Halloween but then not get involved?

Newish to my area so got a box of Celebrations in ready for the hordes. Knew there was a Halloween parade nearby so assumed would get DC returning home knocking. Nothing! Even when I put the rubbish out and some ghouls were walking past, smiled and said hello but their Mums kept them walking.

Their loss, the chocs slid down very easily whilst watching the final of Bake Off.

Did they have a lit pumpkin? I started decorating my house yesterday morning. Lots of decorations so took time. Round our way you don’t knock unless there is a lit pumpkin or similar lit decoration. I’m not ready for ToTers until those lights are lit. I wasn’t impressed by a knock at the door at 5pm (which is a tad too early imho) - I’d just got out of shower and son was finishing his dinner.

Once all the sweets were finished we switched off all the lights and brought the pumpkin etc inside. Kids still knocked though and by 9pm it was getting really annoying so I had to go and take in every single decoration.

Semonina Those kids were obviously out- treated. (or their dms thought they were) I know how they felt .

“ If I hadn’t heard people moving about inside I’d have been worried something was wrong.”

Aaaaand here is where you stray into very odd territory.

“SaucyJack

Nah, I don't think it's weird to decorate your own house how you like.

I would have thought them out of order tho if they'd told ToTers to fuck off. Pumpkins on the doorstep are like pampas grass in Surbiton. You weren't wrong to assume they wanted to play.

But not answering the door? Meh.”

Totally agree.

Why do people think it's funny to see other homes get egged?

Yes, of you decorate you are invitinglnockers. That's the point if decorating.

We have one house in the road who every year is decorated with a sign saying happy Halloween and without fail never answer the door even though the light and tv are on. I have no idea why they decorate when they don’t join in, seems abit pointless

sprinklesandicecream

A wink emoji is used to show someone is joking.

I didn’t answer my door after a while, I bought loads of sweets and we had been cleared out! I didn’t bring in all the decorations as it was to dark and my street is like the black abyss

We had a few like this too, I'm assuming they were eating or had popped out.
While we were out, we left a big bucket outside for people to help themselves.
Lots of people also did this even though they were visibly home - it's a win win. Kids got sweets but they didn't get disturbed by the fecking door all evening

I think some like to celebrate by decorating their home, have a few friends round, watch a scary film. That doesn't necessarily mean they're into trick or treaters.

It's no biggie to knock at a door and get no answer. I usually assume run out of treats/ didn't hear/ in the toilet/ parent popped out and child not to open up etc.

This reminds me of a house where GD and I went last year. It was all in darkness but there was a pumpkin by the door. She knocked and the door opened ON IT'S OWN with a creeeeeek sound effect . She screamed so loudly and ran away as fast as she could!!!! A good way for the house owner to save on the treats!!!!

ppeat that's awesome!

The convention these days is mostly that decorations = trick or treaters welcome. I used to get a bit stressed when DS was too young to go round by himself as I was always trying to work out the timings so we could do our run and yet be back in time for others to knock at ours. But I was always aware that it would be the same for some of the other local families, so if we didn't get an answer we would just move on.
Mind you I have seen posters saying that they CBA to decorate and wonder why no-one knocks - my tip would be to go and buy a plastic pumpkin in the pound shop sale and stick that in the window next year (if carving one is not your thing.) Because there's a lot more emphasis now on not disturbing households where there is no sign of interest or enthusiasm that people will generally not knock if they don't see anything relevant.

They'd probably just gone out trick or treating themselves. We decorated a bit, then went out so anyone else would find a decorated house and no one replying. We did leave a bowl of sweets outside though.

I tried not to laugh but it was very clever! Merry

Minerva, just because there's an emoji attached at the end, doesn't minimise the negative effect this act has on people at Halloween or any statement with any suggestions of vandalism/ criminal damage.

It's an act that thoroughly takes the fun out of Halloween and it shouldn't be downplayed as a joke especially as there are pp's who've said that they've been egged and aren't best pleased.

Maybe they decorated if for their kids qho were our trick or treating when you knocked and whoever was in didnt want to answer. My kids only knocked on the doors of people we knew (other kids) and quite a lot were inevitably out themselves.

We knocked at a door that was decorated but no answer. Just as we walked alway a lady ran up the road and said "wait! I decorated it this morning and only just came back from work with the sweets!" Maybe they were waiting for someone to get back from the shop?

The decorations out is a new thing. I used to trick or treat 15-20 years ago and hardly anyone had decorations, but many had sweets ready. If it was pitch black we didn't knock. If we knocked and no answer we would move quickly on.

Now I put decorations and candles in the window - but couldn't get a pumpkin anywhere! Still got lots knocking.

I love trick or treaters. I appreciated people so much when I was young going to the effort, I now do my bit to make their night good too. (Not saying everyone has to though).

I was sooo irritated last night, about 7:30pm toddler got tired and I went up to bed with them. I blew out the pumpkin and left out sweets, pretty fucking obvious?

Noooo, young kids and parents hammering over and over and over. Then took ALL the sweets except a few they scattered. I knew who they were, 6/7 yr olds and with their parents watching. They were shouting at the door to open and booting it!!

OP I was going to write exactly this post last night (then I forgot and went to bed!). House on our street, easily the most decorated for Halloween. Loads of kids knocking and no one answering. They also had the TV on and candles/lights lit. At first I thought that maybe no one was home and they were out trick or treating but walking back later, I saw a man come out and put something outside. It's just weird really.

It was the same last year.

The convention these days is mostly that decorations = trick or treaters welcome.

You say that but so many people don't observe that. We don't celebrate and have no decorations and had several groups knocking at the door. MIL had around 20 groups and she has no decorations. She lives on quite a large estate so I guess lots of dc there.