To think trick or treating is a complete no no!

[marmite79]

Hi all, I love Halloween. I love taking dc trick or treating in our village. People are great here and it's always a big thing.

But.. I've already told dc it won't be happening this year due to obvious reasons. Can't see how it's safe and I assumed everyone would feel the same. So many children around here in a small place. People even travel here from surrounding areas. Too many to promise full social distancing. And giving our sweets with close contact isn't ideal. People have mentioned leaving in bowls outside but multiple hands in a bowl sounds hideous.

So yeah I've already told dc that it won't be happening assuming everything will think the same. Of course everyone can make their own decisions what they want to do.

The local village Facebook group has a new post about how so many kids still want to do and how to make it safe.

Maybe there is a way 🤷‍♀️

But aibu to think that it's probably not the best idea at all? And people should make fun in other ways.

We are planning decorations, sweets and chocolate at home, costumes and sweets at home plus Halloween movies. Maybe a take away in the evening.

I really don't want multiple children knocking on the door because I don't really want to answer over and over again! I usually love it but this year sounds like a nightmare!

Usually we would use a pumpkin to signify that we have sweets for trick or treaters (we get literally non stop kids all that evening). I worry that if i put a pumpkin up for the pumpkin trail, people will knock?

I think we will look at having a trick or treat circle in my family eg. Kids will go knock at their local aunt, nan etc so will still go to a handful of houses.

I will be making my garage/ car port into a Halloween grotto with individually wrapped treats hung on the washing line for the local children (small village) a couple of days before and put a post on our village Facebook page saying that I will not be greeting visitors but they are more than welcome to visit and choose a treat but mustn’t touch anything else.
We are also going to do a pumpkin trail challenge for the local charity with the justgiving link on the sheet which will be emailed out, as the fundraising has not been able to happen this year.

We are doing T and T in the village

It is agreed that a decorated house means we can knock.

@gatr I did wonder about that but will still decorate including lit pumpkins for the pumpkin trail. I'll have some sweets in separate containers in case anyone mistakes it for us participating and just sanitise the door if we do get the odd knocker

For one year I'm sure people can miss trick or treating. Pumpkin trails sound a good idea and doing activities at home. I won't be answering the door to anyone. I'll be doing things at home with the kids.

@nosswith

Absolutely not- anyone who tries that at my house will be told to go home straight away or the police will be called. And if I knew where the person worked and they were not wfh i would advise their employer as a Covid 19 risk.

There is enough time for the government to pass legislation banning the sale of Halloween merchandise.

You are being sarcastic right?

@DdraigGoch, children aren't superspreaders, so they aren't one and the same.

@nosswith, Halloween stuff is already in the shops. I've added to my usual decorations. You need to read the research on outdoor transmission. If everyone is practising handwashing, there's no risk. The children are wearing masks anyway. Their costumes haven't been worn in school.

My GC are going to their usual soft play Halloween party. I'll be decorating and will have sweets, in. I've got 30 Halloween sweet bags, so will make them up a few days before. Then the rest of leftover stuff will be eaten over Christmas, or put in food donations.

If Adults, can't give up throwing ale down their necks in grotty pubs, or flying off on booze weekends, then I don't see why children are expected to give up less risky cultural, century old traditions.

@GarlicMcAtackney

Can’t believe anyone is actually sad about the prospect of their germ encrusted offspring not getting free junk food off strangers 😄 get a grip, keep your little darlings inside your own house and hide junk food for them, or whatever it is parents find entertaining. No one wants them out touching our doors, thanks.

So do you plan on never leaving the house again? Never touching anything again? Living on fresh air?

The world is full of bacteria and viruses its never been 'safe' it never will.
Most things you touch will have been previously touched by someone else.

Kids are no more "germ encrusted" than you are.

But i bet they know not to come anywhere near your house anyway.

@SingingWaffleDoggy

I will be making my garage/ car port into a Halloween grotto with individually wrapped treats hung on the washing line for the local children (small village) a couple of days before and put a post on our village Facebook page saying that I will not be greeting visitors but they are more than welcome to visit and choose a treat but mustn’t touch anything else. We are also going to do a pumpkin trail challenge for the local charity with the justgiving link on the sheet which will be emailed out, as the fundraising has not been able to happen this year.

This sounds like a lovely idea!!

I was wracking my brains to do something fun with DD as obviously the Easter egg hunt I normally do for our whole family was cancelled and feels like we've barely been out of the house/done anything different for months

We don't get a lot of trick or treaters our way but i can't see an issue with individually wrapped sweets

I hate Halloween, I keep the lights off, and put up a note but still get children knocking every year.

Hopefully this will be the year it finally stops.

Parents can do a spooky treasure hunt, or film night in their homes for kids who want to do something.

The best thing to come from Covid. No door knockers asking for free stuff.

@GarlicMcAtackney

Can’t believe anyone is actually sad about the prospect of their germ encrusted offspring not getting free junk food off strangers 😄 get a grip, keep your little darlings inside your own house and hide junk food for them, or whatever it is parents find entertaining. No one wants them out touching our doors, thanks.

Someone is a fun sponge aren't they! 🧽 🤣

We were also toying with the idea of bagged sweets given out using gloves/skeleton hand!

And I think we will also go with the Easter style Halloween hunt in the garden.

Our door bell broke last week - I think I'll wait until November to get it fixed

I do think the pumpkin trails sound lovely. we did one a few years back in a local village with scarecrows. We had a trail sheet and had to write down the letters on each picture that when combined spelt out a phrase. DS loved it and any one who was home waved as we passed - was really lovely

Judging by local fb page's I think its going ahead as normal on our estate. There's alot of "It's against my kids human rights for trick or treating to be banned" kind of posts.
Some poor lady tried to suggest ready made bag to be placed outside but then was told they'd probably all go in one swoop. Lots of people, even older ones saying they'll be doing a huge bowl of pic and mix as usual because Rona isn't going to ruin Halloween. Someone commented it would be a corona lucky dip but got told to fuck off!

I usually do a bowl of sweets but I won't be doing anything this year. All my kids are off at uni and they used to dress up and play along with the little kids at our door. I've kind of list mojo and don't want to open my door to such horrible sounding people.

I love the idea of a pumpkin trail but think it's beyond the mental capacity of the nutjobs I find myself living amongst.

And round here the only doors we and dc used to knock were those with decorations up, isn’t it like that everywhere?

I'm going to be generous and assume the real misery posters must have had bad experiences with trick or treaters, I know we're really lucky in our estate and it's only small children with their parents. They are always really polite and lovely and it's so nice to see them. Even a sense of excitement and anticipation getting the pumpkins out at dark and sweets ready as you start to hear all the children coming

Last year was the first year my DD was walking and she loved it and giggled the whole way round

Nothing miserable about being concerned about Covid btw or saying it's inappropriate this year, more the comments about germy offspring and begging etc are just so mean

I normally don't mind trick or treaters ,and usually get sweets in for them ,but I'm hoping most parents agree it's probably not a good idea this year .

The problem with trick or treating is that the small children who go out with their parents in cute costumes are the opening wedge for the older ones who chuck eggs and flour over everything, and the even older ones who demand £££.

Someone in my area suggested a pumpkin trail and some parks are putting on walks that have to be pre-booked and socially distanced.

We're not doing any trick or treating and won't be answering the door either this year

@nosswith

Absolutely not- anyone who tries that at my house will be told to go home straight away or the police will be called. And if I knew where the person worked and they were not wfh i would advise their employer as a Covid 19 risk.

There is enough time for the government to pass legislation banning the sale of Halloween merchandise.

Jesus Christ

Our area is doing a pumpkin trail where you decorate your pumpkin wildly and the kids go spotting them

We are the same here. The whole community gets involved plus kids are bussed in from surrounding areas because the village really makes an effort.

I am going to decorate inside the house this year instead of out.

We will do the local pumpkin trail, do a hunt round the house, hiding sweets in slime or "mystery boxes" and have a halloween buffet then watch a film and eat the sweets.

Tape small bags of sweets on to skewers then push them into the front lawn

The all the teenagers come and nick em! 😆