AIBU to not have bought any sweets for trick or treaters?

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

Even though my kids are older and not bothered by all that anymore, pre-COVID I did used to buy lots of sweets and put a pumpkin out for any other children.

Now I just imagine the bowl sweets as COVID soup waiting to happen. Not to mention numerous hands ringing the doorbell. So my plan was to leave the front of the house in darkness and sit in our main living room ignoring anyone who might ring the bell. 😬

But I’m not sure if I’m being a Halloween Grinch (whatever the equivalent would be for Halloween, I guess the Grinch would be a Halloween lover not a hater).

YANBU - too risky and there won’t be many kids coming knocking anyway

YABU - the kids have missed out last year, let them have their fun this year, the risk is low etc

Well if you haven't decorated and don't put a pumpkin out then you shouldn't get any trick or treaters anyway.

Yanbu

Round here if you don’t put a pumpkin out people don’t knock.
Yanbu nobody is obliged to take part

You are not alone. In 2019 I had nearly 100 children call at my door and I got through a fuckton of sweets, apples and babybels (the latter two surprisingly popular). Tonight I am in darkness. Next year I hope to make up for it.

There's virtually no chance of am airborne virus being transmitted via doorbell or a packet of haribos but don't do it if you don't want to for whatever reason. Kids will just move on to a house with a pumpkin, no drama.

I always tell mine to only go to houses with pumpkins/decorations so if most people also follow that rule you shouldn’t really get anyone bothering you. I definitely think it’s fair enough not to bother. Not everyone wants to celebrate Halloween and that should always be respected, for whatever reason.

We only knock at decorated houses so it wouldn't matter to us if you'd bought sweets or not.

Up to you whether you participate or not but on a Covid front YABU, there are numerous studies now on how surface transmission is almost non existent. People won't catch Covid from sweet wrappers or the doorbell.

YABU for using covid as an excuse.

YANBU for not getting involved though, trick or treating isn't for everyone. We don't knock on non decorated houses.

YANBU. I never allowed mine out trick or treating, but the first year I agreed to open the door at least I was greeted by a group of 15 year olds. never again.

Few years later, different house in a different town and a bloke knocked on with two little kids, I’d say about 4/5, Lights were off but as he knocked he shouted “open the fucking door.” And when I didn’t he screamed “miserable fucking cunt!” Through the letterbox.

I don’t decorate the house so as far as I’m concerned I am perfectly within my rights to close the curtains, switch off the lights, and not answer the door.

My little grandson lives at my house with his mum. He is 3.
This year he wants to stay at home and see people at the door instead of going out trick or treating with his mum.

We have parked my car at the top of the drive and it has a spider on the roof and there are lights and bunting on it. There is a massive cobweb on my hedge and bunting on the door

There will be lanterns and a pumpkin in the doorway and a large cat with green eyes. My hallway has Halloween lights in.

I love children. I always made a fuss at Halloween and then my son died in 2017.

After that I turned all the lights off and sat in the dark. I couldn't bear it.

Enough.

This year we will have fun and really - isn't that what it is all about ?

If you don't want to it's fine, don't worry about it.

I don't think YABU to not do Halloween but blaming it on Covid is a bit OTT really.

I did it last year - spread a few sweets out on a tray on a table for them to take. No rummaging, minimal contact, no need to knock. I topped it up every so often. I plan on doing the same this year.

Local children all follow the "no pumpkin, no knocking" rule though.

@Anordinarymum
I've also been in the same situation as you. This Halloween our house is decorated I have a large bucket load of goodies and cupcakes ready for all the kids coming to the door. Dd2 is beyond excited.
Hope your Grandson has the best time.

They tend to follow the “no pumpkin no knocking” rule round here too.

I probably am using COVID as an excuse I guess, because I can no longer be bothered with it. There probably is no real risk. Hypocritical attitude as my own kids enjoyed trick or treating when young. But then most of our neighbourhood had young kids too. Now a lot of them are teenagers anyway so don’t bother. I can only think of one house in our street which has young kids so not sure many other people will be joining in this year.

I did get loads of sweets in one year cos we’d been swamped by massive groups the previous year and Sod’s law only 2 lots of kids knocked. It pissed me right off as we’re not big sweet eaters in our house.

Nobody is obligated to participate, regardless of covid.

I wouldn’t be overly concerned about the covid risks to you from other people trick or treating though. You’re not eating the sweets and it’s easy to wipe down your doorbell tomorrow morning if you’re bothered. Most of the kids will be mixing in local schools/activities/playgrounds anyway

and a bloke knocked on with two little kids, I’d say about 4/5, Lights were off but as he knocked he shouted “open the fucking door.” And when I didn’t he screamed “miserable fucking cunt!” Through the letterbox.

You don’t have to. Lots of people don’t. Nobody is going to tell you off.

I dont decorate my house for halloween which doesnt invite trick or treaters.

I think you either invite it in and embrace it, or dont. Either way is fine.

[quote ParkheadParadise]**@Anordinarymum
I've also been in the same situation as you. This Halloween our house is decorated I have a large bucket load of goodies and cupcakes ready for all the kids coming to the door. Dd2 is beyond excited.
Hope your Grandson has the best time.[/quote]
Thank you. He is already eating the sweets as we speak !

To those posters who don't like teenagers coming around think of it like this........... this is the only time you will speak to these kids and they will remember you forever !

@Anordinarymum

I hope you and your grandson have fun seeing all the different costumes. When I was more into it I used to dress up too and play spooky music whenever I answered the door. When my kids were younger teens but too old for trick or treating they liked to dress up and answer the door and scare the little ones (not too much). Used to make the kids and parents laugh.

I just can’t get into it this year for some reason.

Just do what you want. Most people just do what they want and leave people without pumpkins and stuff alone. I'm just putting a box of sweets out this year and they can help themselves.

I like that covid took the pressure off answering the door last year so I'm carrying on with my socially distanced can't be arsed to open the door approach.

YANBU
Kids should go to houses decorated with pumpkins and leave everybody else to enjoy their evening free of interruption.
It's a PITA to have constant door knocking from other peoples kids.