Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Hallowe’en advice?

13 replies

Lizthelettuce · 22/10/2022 08:42

Strange as it sounds, I have never been visited by trick-or-treaters. As I child I lived out in the sticks, and as an adult always in flats with no children around.

Now for the first time, I live on a housing estate where there are lots of children. So! As a newbie to the road, I don’t want to be the one to let the side down.

What does one do? Give them a bowl or selection to choose from? give out little packets? Are unwrapped sweets OK? How many each? should there be a ‘healthy’ option?! Are there any ‘no-no’ sweets eg I’m guessing ones with nuts? Do I need to put a sign out to signal they’re welcome to call?

OP posts:
Isaidnoalready · 22/10/2022 08:44

Pumpkin lit for visitors bowl of wrapped sweets have a sign ready for when you run out and wack it up quick

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 22/10/2022 08:44

In our area kids only visit houses that have a lit pumpkin outside - an unlit pumpkin signals we're out of treats, no pumpkin means leave us alone please! Pretty much everyone respects this, and it seems to make for a fun evening

Bemyclementine · 22/10/2022 08:46

As above, pumpkin/other Halloween Dec's up. Wrapped sweets.

takealettermsjones · 22/10/2022 08:47

Normal rules are that kids only go to houses that have Halloween decorations up. So you could leave a porch/hallway light on and some pumpkins etc. I'd avoid unwrapped sweets but have a bowl or bucket full of wrapped items (like mini bags of Haribo, Maoam chews, Parma violets etc). I wouldn't bother with a healthy option!

DesignerRecliner · 22/10/2022 08:48

We have a bowl with haribo and bags of chocolate buttons. We put pumpkins out to signify we're happy for trick or treaters.

If someone grabs a handful - say no thank you and ask them to leave some for other people

InsertPunHere · 22/10/2022 08:49

Never unwrapped sweets - unhygienic!

Lit pumpkin on the step or in the window to show you’re taking part.
Usual stuff is the mini bags of Haribo, the fun-sized mixed sack of mini-chocolate bars and the like, one per child.

Original poster
Lizthelettuce · 22/10/2022 08:51

Great, thanks! I’ll get myself a pumpkin 😃 Do I need to tell them ‘choose three’ or something along those lines?

You see them in american films and TV shows with literal sacks of candy so I’m not sure how much they’d be expecting to get over here!

OP posts:
BlackberryCat · 22/10/2022 08:55

Also, don’t use candles in your Jack-o’-lanterns as a lot of costumes are pretty flammable. Use LED lights instead. Get sweets you like just in case no one visits.

livingthegoodlife · 22/10/2022 08:58

Each kid just get one sweet. They'll go to loads of houses so don't worry about them not filling up their little bags!

Dotcheck · 22/10/2022 09:01

Op
Go to Tescos and buy a few bags of the fun sized treats. Let them choose one.
Put a pumpkin ( real or not) outside and keep a light on.
When you are out of treats/ fed up, bring the pumpkin in and turn the light off.

ineedakickupthe · 22/10/2022 09:06

I don't get that many but the ones that have come up with parents have always been super polite and taken one and been encouraged to take more as I know I'll be eating what's left. There's been a couple with no manners barging through other kids in front and ramming their hands in the bowl parents not with them or chatting back in the street. That was a bit of a shock after the nice kids. Might be why the only time I took my kids round I had a woman say to them very firmly when she opened the door to take one sweet only. I think they were a bit taken aback at the presumption they would do any different.

Some people put a bowl on the doorstep if they are going out, again most people are appreciative of the gesture take something and move on but there might be that one who tips out the whole bowl.

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 22/10/2022 09:08

Some kids are grabby especially the older ones who do know better and the very little ones who don't so just be ready to say 'just take one please' in a kindly voice for the littles and a slightly sterner voice for the 14 year old in jeans, hoodies and a poundshop mask.

hesaysimterrible · 22/10/2022 09:23

As someone who receives more than 100 trick or treaters at my door each year I will give this advice:

  • Lit pumpkins at the door or front of the house or other Halloween decorations. Ideally a light on at the front of the house as well
  • Have enough sweets that you're comfortable with. Talk to your neighbours and find out how much you should buy. Perhaps you'll get 10 or 100+. Decide on an amount so you're not caught off guard and when you run out turn the lights off / remove the decorations.
  • NO unwrapped sweets!! I have lived in America and that would have been a massive no no. Both for hygiene reasons but also safety. They're quite paranoid there about things like finding pins in chocolate bars, etc so parents always check the children's candy after they get home. Nothing bad really ever happens but this is also an opportunity for parents to sneak a piece or two 😂
  • DO NOT freely display the bowl to them. I've found this causes problems because you either get some children standing at the door indecisively trying to sifting through the entire bowl trying to decide that they want, or taking more than 1. When you get 100+ children at the door this can really slow things down.
  • Enjoy it! I love seeing the children in their costumes. Most are very polite saying please and thank you. Parents are also generally very appreciative of your participation and any fantastic decoration displays
New posts on this thread. Refresh page