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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ignore the door to trick or treaters

84 replies

Burrit · 31/10/2020 17:17

It's been advised in our area trick or treating is not allowed, we are in tier 3 and I believe you get fined if caught doing so, I'm normally the sort to buys loads of sweets love answering the door to trick or treaters as it's something I never did as a child, but this year I've bought nothing nor have I put any decorations up due to current restrictions and am not taking dc trick or treating, however my neighbours have a Facebook group and someone had posted today saying they are still trick or treating as all the kids play out together anyway, almost everyone agreed, but I haven't bought any sweets for the kids! AIBU to ignore the door if they knock on?

OP posts:
Aragog · 31/10/2020 17:40

We are tier 3 and its been advised against.

We normally have a lot of T&T callers to the house - literally int he hundreds. We normally participate in that we have pumpkins out and have sweets to hand out.

Not this year though. To be fair we haven't had anyone knock so far, though I have just seen a small group of children with a parent knocking on some doors down the road. It surprised me - tbh I had pretty much forgotten it was Halloween today!

WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 31/10/2020 17:41

House is in darkness (at the front)
Nothing Halloween 🎃 out
So hope they take the hint. If they don't I'll ignore it because it'll be the groups of older teenagers. I don't mind them
normally, but this year they should know better.

cardswapping · 31/10/2020 17:41

our council gave us a poster for this purpose. Cannot find the link now, but there are other options online: posters on Racheldevine.com

Vivana · 31/10/2020 17:42

I'm in a tier 1 area and already had 3 lots. There is a notice on my door saying no trick or treaters but still being ignored.

SlopesOff · 31/10/2020 17:45

Several groups of people with younger children have been passing the house, can hear them shouting and screaming, more so than usual. There is usually something set up on the 'open space' otherwise known as the gardens as it is too small to be an open space and right by the traffic, so assume they have been there or to some other gathering.

No-one at the door whereas in previous years I have had to black the windows with bin liners and turn the lights off, and then the doorbell because they still tried it. They were shipped in on buses to scrounge as much as they could. Not pleasant to deal with. Because of them I was never able to take part and I would have done.

TiptopJ · 31/10/2020 17:46

I've just put a bucket of sweets out so any families that want to can help themselves

ghostyslovesheets · 31/10/2020 17:49

We are isolating as I have Covid so no the door will not be answered (kids happy as I had purchased a shed load of sweets before getting I’ll)

diddl · 31/10/2020 17:57

We forgot to get any sweets this year & it's a holiday today so shops closed.

Was going to put a few bags on the fence for kids to help themselves to but I think that they're not supposed to go t&t anyway.

So, no pumpkin lantern outside & any knocks will be ignored.

BMW6 · 31/10/2020 17:57

Funnily enough I have had a knock two minutes ago! We normally put a lit-up ghost thing in the window to show we're playing and most years have over 40 children knocking.

No ghost in the window this year Sad and not playing. I took the dog out earlier and no pumpkins etc in any window around here.

I explained to the two girls who knocked just now and they were fine. (But they weren't even dressed up at all) doubt they'll get much response tbh

mrshonda · 31/10/2020 17:58

Hope you have a speedy recovery, ghosty

BanditoShipman · 31/10/2020 18:00

@SlopesOff

Several groups of people with younger children have been passing the house, can hear them shouting and screaming, more so than usual. There is usually something set up on the 'open space' otherwise known as the gardens as it is too small to be an open space and right by the traffic, so assume they have been there or to some other gathering.

No-one at the door whereas in previous years I have had to black the windows with bin liners and turn the lights off, and then the doorbell because they still tried it. They were shipped in on buses to scrounge as much as they could. Not pleasant to deal with. Because of them I was never able to take part and I would have done.

What do you mean? Buses in from where?
AriesTheRam · 31/10/2020 18:02

We're tier 3.ive left some sweets in a tub for kids to help themselves

Ginfordinner · 31/10/2020 18:03

We are in tier 3 as well, and the police have issued posts on Facebook saying no trick or treating. We are tucked away so don't get more than one or two in normal times. If anyone calls tonight I will open the window and tell them we have covid (evil Grin)

spiderlight · 31/10/2020 18:03

We're in Wales, so in proper lockdown and it's not allowed (although the numpties on our local FB group were trying to get a list together yesterday of houses that would participate anyway Hmm) We've put a pumpkin (well, a watermelon - we couldn't get a pumpkin) out for the local pumpkin trail but nobody has knocked - there would usually have been a dozen at least by now because our street tends to really go for it with decorating. We've decorated indoors and DS is at a Zoom Hallowe'en party at the moment. He's gutted though - he loves Hallowe'en as much as Christmas and he and his friends always start planning their costumes as soon as they go back to school in September, but he might be too old to want to go next year.

Original poster
Burrit · 31/10/2020 18:08

We've not had any so far! Heard a few groups of children passing but no one knocked on!

OP posts:
Oldraver · 31/10/2020 18:11

We have never really had any Trick or Treaters down our close in the 20 years Ive been here, even when I've had a pumpkin out. We're not bothering going out this year.

But yes the unwritten rule round here is dont knock if no decorations or pumpkins out. New next door neighbours have decorated their door but not sure if they realise our road is passed by. Have put some sweets out for them

Aridane · 31/10/2020 18:13

I always ignore the feral fuckers that come round and do low level criminal damage if you don’t answer (have to switch off lights so it looks like I’m not in). I had been hoping covid would keep them indoors

Orkneys · 31/10/2020 18:14

Ignore. No law saying you have to open the door to anyone especially not during in a pendemic to beggers.

Brighterthansunflowers · 31/10/2020 18:15

Even in a normal year it’s not unreasonable to ignore trick or treaters. This year the parents letting their little darlings knock on strangers doors are the unreasonable ones.

Westiegirl3 · 31/10/2020 18:15

I'm exactly like you op, outdoor decorations, a carved pumpkin by the door and a bowl full of sweets, I love halloween. We're in the West Midlands and I haven't don't anything outdoor this year to encourage the trick or treaters I really don't fancy a bunch of strangers at my dorm.. however my door bell has gone off so many times this evening already, it's now unplugged

Aridane · 31/10/2020 18:16

@Orkneys

Ignore. No law saying you have to open the door to anyone especially not during in a pendemic to beggers.
Indeed, it is the Mumsnet Law that you don’t open the door unless pre-arranged
DinkBoo · 31/10/2020 18:17

I just accidentally ignored a delivery as I thought it was trick or treaters knocking. Blush

We normally get quite a lot of kids round, and we really enjoy it. Shutting the curtains and not having any sweets in doesn't feel right.

Ginfordinner · 31/10/2020 18:17

Indeed, it is the Mumsnet Law that you don’t open the door unless pre-arranged

By written appointment Grin

seven201 · 31/10/2020 18:19

I've put pumpkins on display but along with a sign saying we're not doing trick or treating this year. We're just back from trick or treating with my dd. Every time she spotted a pumpkin we put a chocolate coin in her bucket. Didn't go near anyone and had a great time. Probably about 70% the amount of decorated houses compared to last year.

SoupDragon · 31/10/2020 18:19

I've left it set up on the doorstep. I had the sweets and stuff anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️

I certainly wouldn't answer the door in a tier 3 area.

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