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Original poster

Halloween presents

115 replies

RosieLemonade · 19/10/2021 12:35

I have got DD a costume and some baking bits. I was planning to pick up some Halloween craft bits too. I've also got her a new ghost book. She is 4.

A few people have posted on instagram (some I know in real life and some I just follow) about halloween presents and Halloween gift baskets. Is this a real thing?

OP posts:
Lesserspottedmama · 19/10/2021 13:53

I think it’s lovely to happen across some outlandish clothes in a charity shop or buy a classic atmospheric spooky book and tuck it away for Halloween but buying a load of tat is chavvy and cringe.

ToykotoLosAngeles · 19/10/2021 13:57

@bridepanic

Some of the responses on here are miserable! What's the problem with some gifts? As long as someone isn't going into debt to do so, why begrudge a child a nice time?

(Genuinely quite confused!)

Because said parents post a massive pile of gifts online, to show what good parents they are. And then their friends and followers who can't afford it start seeing other people's kids getting £50 of tat at Halloween, a gift every day in December as an "advent calendar", a Christmas Eve box, and a games console at Easter and they do get into debt to keep up. We don't need another Christmas.
ViceLikeBlip · 19/10/2021 13:58

There doesn't seem much point in doing Halloween presents this year, because the kids will already be getting their normal Sunday gift hampers anyway... 🙄

LaikO · 19/10/2021 13:59

You don't need presents to have a nice time, ours get overwhelmed at birthdays and Christmas, never mind adding Halloween into the mix. They do get presents at other times, but they're enjoying doing seasonal activities and events instead of getting plastic tat they'll get bored of within days (followed by us having to do yet another toy clear out 😁).

bridepanic · 19/10/2021 14:08

@ToykotoLosAngeles

But surely that's people's own prerogative to choose to do that - in the same way that when I follow someone on instagram who has bought a designer handbag, it's my choice to buy one as well, even if I feel some nebulous peer pressure? I just don't see why that's a reason for one person to decide not to do something they think will be nice for their child, because someone else might end up going into debt to copy?

I'm not a massive fan of posting things like that on facebook either to be honest and wouldn't do it myself (like I woudn't post my birthday presents - just think it's quite gauche!) but I don't understand why that should preclude giving presents at all.

BaggyBloomers · 19/10/2021 14:08

Halloween gifting... Not something I have ever done. We always do a load of Halloween crafts, pumpkin carving, costume making & spooky baking. My kids (grown up now) really enjoyed it, and this year I am really looking forward to getting stuck in to Halloween with my DGS (2yrs). I have never felt gifts were necessary, but each to their own.

londonrach · 19/10/2021 14:10

No, I know one doing presents...some spooky arts etc but no presents

dementedma · 19/10/2021 14:11

Look at the Halloween "gift" aisles. A sea of plastic tat.

DPotter · 19/10/2021 14:11

It's not a thing at all. Don't get sucked into to this pervasive spending loop. A costume and a book is more than enough and the costume can last a couple of years.

Bottleup · 19/10/2021 14:12

Not each to their own - we all have to share the planet. Kids shouldn't be scared of ghosts and ghouls - they should be scared of adults who are too stupid to see when they're destroying the planet buying tat they don't need to look good on Instagram.

Biancadelrioisback · 19/10/2021 14:13

Nope!
A costume (shop bought if not homemade) and some bits for some of the halloween games we've played in the past if we haven't gone to a little party or such.
The

Mommabear20 · 19/10/2021 14:13

We only do birthday and Christmas presents. DC and DH each get 1 Easter egg and we will carve pumpkins once DC are a little older but that's it!

22Giraffes · 19/10/2021 14:16

No it's not thing in my family, we go out trick or treating with school friends and get some sweets but that's it. Ds did get a new costume this year because he's outgrown old ones but it's general dress up costume so will be used at other times of the year.

Youdoyoutoday · 19/10/2021 14:20

Nope just an excuse for people to look oh so fabulous but in actual fact, just filling their house with useless toot that will we most likely end up in landfill

Marmite27 · 19/10/2021 14:23

Mine get tonnes of sweets from other people, so I’ve got them both a new reading book (Christopher Pumpkin and Supertato and the Night of the Living Veg both by Sue Hendra) and a Halloween activity book from Home Bargains for 79p each,

Oh and a pack of spiders for a quid!

upinaballoon · 19/10/2021 14:24

What's Hallowe'en about?

Doomscrolling · 19/10/2021 14:28

Hell no!

You can have a wonderful time with your child without making everything a present occasion. I don’t think it teaches them anything healthy to grow up expecting every occasion to be accompanied by gifts.

Bake Hallowe’en themed cookies, decorate your house and dress up, fill your boots with as much Hallowe’en celebration as you like. But FFS, no presents, especially not the environmentally irresponsible plastic tat currently on sale.

samwitwicky · 19/10/2021 14:29

FFS. No we do not need this to become a thing.

Angel2702 · 19/10/2021 14:30

Surely it’s no different to what you have bought just presented differently?

I know some aren’t going trick or treating this year so are making up a box / basket of treats for a night in instead.

We have little Halloween treats / gifts during half term similar to what you describe, a new dvd, a book, craft or baking bits.

Unless you mean general gifts not related to Halloween at all? Have never heard of that.

HappyTimeTunnelDinosaur · 19/10/2021 14:32

If people want to buy into it all then that's up to them, different people find pleasure in different ways. I'm a bad mother though, my child doesn't even get a Christmas Eve box or an Elf on the shelf and I'm also against trick or treating so truly am a terrible person!

upinaballoon · 19/10/2021 14:32

Actually, Mr. Kipling sometimes makes incredibly creepy orange and black fondant fancies, but I don't give them away to anyone.

Siameasy · 19/10/2021 14:35

Nope. Home made stuff only if you must. Too much plastic tat

degsydoodoos · 19/10/2021 14:36

Nope, I have never heard of this.
Yet more consumerism, and trying to make Halloween into another Christmas instead of just the fun evening it's always been.
On a similar note, I've noticed this year, and possibly the previous 2 years, that some houses round here put loads of Halloween decorations up in early to mid October, the same way most people put Christmas decorations up a few weeks before Christmas.
It's a combination of the unstoppable influence of social media (one person does something, posts it on SM, and it becomes a thing) and retailers' marketing making people think they have to have "stuff".
No wonder the planet's in the state it is!

Notaroadrunner · 19/10/2021 14:37

No, definitely not a thing. This Friday school are allowing kids to dress up. Ds is going as himself, so no need for a costume Grin I may stretch to getting a pumpkin for dd to carve.

BananaPB · 19/10/2021 14:38

It's something to post on Instagram - ignore.

I don't understand why you'd buy stuff when you receive sweets while trick or treating.

I would do the craft kits and baking but it's something to do over half term. I would do the same on 1st December but not present it as an Instagram gift basket 😂

There are a lot of small social media based businesses selling this crap which is unnecessary imo but many people have more money than sense.