AIBU to ask what you think of this year's Halloween?

[Deyes999]

I normally take my children trick or treating around our neighbourhood, they get all excited to get dressed up and usually really enjoy it. This year however I am not sure if its the right thing to be doing. I have asked some friends if they plan to still do it and had mixed responses, some saying yes and others saying absolutely no way. I would like to know what others think.

We are having a Halloween party at home and will go to trick or treat both sets of grandparents

I think this thread is bringing out the usual Halloween joysponges dislikers, but anyway....

Indeed 30 people saying "no way", but of course those are the same 30 people who would not do it anyway, believe it's 100% a recent american import and deny the memories of everyone who did it before 2010.

As to if it will happen here, we'll have to wait and see, it's simply way too early to say, there is nothing in the guidelines which would stop it, let alone the law, it is a remarkably low covid risk activity - the very,very low risk of the kids mistakenly being given drugs is likely a bigger actual risk.

Definitely doing it. No reason why it can't be done safely.

Masks? Full face Halloween costume masks!

Social distance? I don't exactly hug people on the door step when they knock.

Handling sweets? I tend to buy masses of the little haribo packets, so they aren't touching unwrapped food anyway. Can easily do tongs or the fab washing line idea.

Unwanted knocking? Round here, you only knock if there's a pumpkin out (or other decoration). Our estate has a lot of people who do it so there's no need to knock on anyone's door who doesn't want it. This year it would be easy to avoid unwanted knocking anyway - put a sign up saying "Covid symptoms - isolating" and no-one is going to bother you!

[quote CitizenFame]@Joeblack066 Perhaps isolation was the wrong word to use. However the government website clearly states that visits to households should be kept to a minimum when possible and I don’t think that traipsing around from household to household in order to get free treats is acceptable. Not to mention really selfish to subject other people to that.[/quote]
It’s the use of wrong words that confuses people IMO, so thank you for clarifying. You are right that visits should be kept to a minimum. I think we may well be dressing up and walking around (as the grandkids live it!) but not knocking on doors. Just looking at the decorations.

@LibrariesGiveUsPower

Whole lot of nope.

But I find encouraging kids to take sweets off strangers odd anyway tbh.

This!!

I'm going to put up a sign saying "self isolating, we have covid". That should keep the little sods away.

Exactly, half of our Halloween celebrations don’t affect anyone else at all. We watch all the scary films, wear our Halloween clothes (not fancy dress) all month, play games, have themed food, make cakes and lanterns and pumpkins and corn dolly’s, and then dress up on the night and trick or treat at our friends houses. It’s not strangers houses at all

I love the washing line idea! We usually get handed an individual treat like a mini roll or something on a tray so there’s no touching so when we stay in this year I will do something like that. I could put hand gel at the door if people are nervous. Ours is more of a walk past experience anyway, the door is autumn themed throughout September anyway.

I don’t worry about Halloween killjoys. I love what we do

We're organising for a few friends and family who live locally (3-4 houses) to be expecting the kids round and be prepared with wrapped treats for them (for older family members I'm giving them a wee package they can give out to the kids) and then we'll drive them round to those houses so they can do their guising party piece and get a wee treat to take home. DH is taking them and I'm staying home so my nephews can come to our door and do the same. TBH I find the hitting dozens of houses to just collect bags of shite a bit distasteful so this is generally how we do it anyway, it's the way I did it when I was a kid as we lived so rurally my dad had to drive us round and the houses we went to had to know to expect us.

We always love Halloween and have had big parties and I take my own dc and heir friends out T&T. I still decorate the house and give out sweets. I was thinking of just the bucket out but love the clothes line idea so think I will do that. I have some little conifers in the front garden so may decorate with lights and hang the line from them.

I love Halloween and we get through a huge amount of candy normally but won’t be participating this year sadly. Too much risk. Might do the washing line idea though.

Given most seem to have given up on SD and are mixing freely now rather than sticking to the guidelines it seems madness to invite them all to knock on and get close enough to hand sweets out.

My kids love trick or treating but I doubt they’ll be going out this year which will be disappointing for them. It’s pretty shit as no trick or treating at Halloween, no fireworks on 5th November and everything we usually do in the run up to Christmas has already be cancelled or most likely will be. Here’s hoping 2021 is a better year 🤞

no fireworks on 5th November

There is a section of the country that will be pleased with that.

I really like Halloween and even though we don't have DC we're happy to entertain trick or treaters and put up some decorations etc. but I can't believe anyone is actually thinking of trick or treating this year. Madness.

(As someone with Sussex connections I'm more gutted about Bonfire)

@PhilCornwall1

no fireworks on 5th November

There is a section of the country that will be pleased with that.

I'd be delighted.

Ds loves Halloween so we normally go all out with decorating the house and garden but this year we are having a private party for ds and his best friend and his siblings(so 4 dc and 2 adults).
We won't be answering the door or going out ourselves

our street goes crazy for halloween almost all 70houses fully decorate, its great fun...
However, this year, we are'nt doing it.
We are having a little party for the 6 kids at my brothers house, who lives out from the village.

We normally trick or treat with neighbours. That said, it’s probably not going to happen this year. I like the clothes line idea a pp had. Might have a Halloween party at home .

I was thinking if doing a little Halloween party instead. My youngest loves Halloween,often randomly asks how long u til Halloween. Id only invite a couple friends who she will be mixing with in class anyway, but then she won't have to miss it

How on earth can anyone decide what they will be doing in 8 weeks ?
We are barely into September
I don't plan that far in advance when the world isn't mad
We have no idea what things will be like by then

“Of course it’s not the right thing to be doing. We are still meant to be isolating”

Are we? Shops are open. Schools are open. Playgrounds are open. Restaurants have queues outside. Unless you’re in an area with specific restrictions, the rest of the country is very much back to normal.

I think it'll be fine, mostly outdoors, treats tend to be wrapped. Wash hands when you get home and before eating anything.

@Kljnmw3459

I think it'll be fine, mostly outdoors, treats tend to be wrapped. Wash hands when you get home and before eating anything.

Exactly!! No need for all the drama.

@Kljnmw3459

I think it'll be fine, mostly outdoors, treats tend to be wrapped. Wash hands when you get home and before eating anything.

It's a good reason for people to ignore the knock on the door though.

We'll give it a miss for the first time. A pumpkin in the mantlepiece and maybe a film.

I was thinking about this too. Our village is normally excellent for Halloween, people go all out and we have a system to ensure no onw knocks on houses unless they've chosen to participate. I can't really see a way of making it totally hygeinic but then probably no worse than hundreds of kids at the playground touching the same equipment.