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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hate Halloween

99 replies

TheBoxontopofthewardrobe · 27/10/2023 18:31

I hate Halloween and especially trick or treating. I’m not especially grumpy or grinchy and quite a nice sociable person normally but this event, that is now being thrown out of all proportion, makes me really cross.

I don’t have a single Halloween decoration and the lights are off but still the local kids knock!

Grrrrr tips needed to get over myself!

OP posts:
cakepip · 27/10/2023 18:41

I love Halloween but don't blame you one bit, it is shit they are ignoring the fact you are clearly not participating. The etiquette should be widely established by now.

Aroma220 · 27/10/2023 18:46

YANBU IMO. I love Halloween but know lots of people hate it. I wouldn’t push my opinion of those people and vice versa.

I personally don’t like it when older teenagers go trick or treating. It’s not quite the same vibe!

We put pumpkins out and a sign so kids know we are ok with trick or treaters but my neighbours just turn the lights off at the front of their house and leave a note politely asking kids not to knock. Could you do something similar? We are lucky that in our area nearly all the kids are accompanied by parents, all polite etc.

Book yourself a holiday away next year so you don’t get this problem!! Good luck

EnjoyingTheSilence · 27/10/2023 18:48

I love Halloween but if you don’t put out decorations, you shouldn’t get trick or treaters, that’s not on

Goodornot · 27/10/2023 18:49

So many houses in the area have put fake cobwebs all across the front of the house and gates. It look so stupid. Hate it.

Unsure754 · 27/10/2023 18:49

Bloody hate it.

My kids love it and I do take them trick or treating but only to houses I know they are welcome.

Dont like the costumes and I don’t like the creepiness, so glad when it’s done.

Holly60 · 27/10/2023 18:50

I love Halloween and participate fully but yes the etiquette is so clear that if your lights are off and you aren't decorated you should be left alone!

LeftyLou · 27/10/2023 18:55

I love Halloween but you are not being unreasonable at all! We all have our likes and dislikes. What would annoy me is parents allowing their children to knock on doors of houses like yourself who don't have a pumpkin or lights on. That is rude!
Hopefully you'll enjoy a relaxing Tuesday without any interruptions.

Universalsnail · 27/10/2023 18:57

I think you are reasonable to not like Halloween but I feel like being cross about it is ott. Round where I live loads of houses for all out and if has a lovely sense of community and fun. I get if you live in area that doesn't put effort in the sense of community wouldn't be there, but it's just a bit of fun for children. Like fully can't get my head round being cross about having to open the door a few times, say "oh you look so scary" and hold put a bucket of sweets. You said tips needed to get over yourself, why not just get some sweets and pop a pumpkin outside and get over yourself? 😅

pigsDOfly · 27/10/2023 18:58

My house isn't decorated in any way and the lights are out at the front yet last year I still had children with their parents knocking on my door for trick and treat.

My house is undecorated, I have nothing to offer them in the way of sweets so there's absolutely no point in knocking.

Sparklesocks · 27/10/2023 19:00

Understandable! I love Halloween but it’s not for everyone - and I understand not wanting to be bothered at home. YANBU to turn the living room lights off and hide 😄

VickyEadieofThigh · 27/10/2023 19:01

Universalsnail · 27/10/2023 18:57

I think you are reasonable to not like Halloween but I feel like being cross about it is ott. Round where I live loads of houses for all out and if has a lovely sense of community and fun. I get if you live in area that doesn't put effort in the sense of community wouldn't be there, but it's just a bit of fun for children. Like fully can't get my head round being cross about having to open the door a few times, say "oh you look so scary" and hold put a bucket of sweets. You said tips needed to get over yourself, why not just get some sweets and pop a pumpkin outside and get over yourself? 😅

Because (a) I don't want to have to answer my door every 5 minutes when it's dark and (b) it makes my nervous dog bark the fucking house down.

I'm under no obligation to hand out sweets to kids I don't know, so I DON'T.

MrsTerryPratchett · 27/10/2023 19:04

I love meeting my neighbour's kids. The fake spider's web is crap though, bad for birds.

CheerfulBunny · 27/10/2023 19:04

I'm fascinated by the 'real' reason behind it - Samhain, day of the dead, seasons changing and the thining of the veil between the living and the dead* - but all the plastic tat and Americanisation can bugger off. When I was a kid, there was a scary film on late and nothing else. Bonfire night and penny for the guy was a much, much bigger deal.

*if you're a believer of that sort of thing

pigsDOfly · 27/10/2023 19:04

Universalsnail · 27/10/2023 18:57

I think you are reasonable to not like Halloween but I feel like being cross about it is ott. Round where I live loads of houses for all out and if has a lovely sense of community and fun. I get if you live in area that doesn't put effort in the sense of community wouldn't be there, but it's just a bit of fun for children. Like fully can't get my head round being cross about having to open the door a few times, say "oh you look so scary" and hold put a bucket of sweets. You said tips needed to get over yourself, why not just get some sweets and pop a pumpkin outside and get over yourself? 😅

Why should those of us who don't wish to participate 'get over ourselves'?

I also don't like fireworks. By your thinking should I also feel obliged to set fire to a few horrible loud things in my garden in order to amuse other people and their children and 'get over myself'?

Ihaveawonderfulpartner · 27/10/2023 19:29

The trick or treating is the best bit. I love the joy of taking my kids out for it but love it even more when we get home and see all the little ones chuffed when you answer the door and give them some sweets. Embrace it.

TwigletAddict10 · 27/10/2023 19:33

I also love Halloween but you are not being unreasonable. It's quite clear which houses are participating with the new trend for decorating houses.

A bit of an aside but the English Heritage sites are apparently resurrecting an old English tradition of giving out 'soul cakes'. I hadn't heard of it but they are simple to bake and it's nice bringing it back to our heritage a bit more. I'll still be handing out sweets though!

Nopenopenopenopenopenope · 27/10/2023 19:35

Buy a giant inflatable decoration with fun lights, and some sweets, and answer the door until you run out.

Honestly I was the same and the knocking really activates my anxiety/PTSD, but I wanted this daft decoration on my lawn so I had to pay the price of giving kids sweets and stickers. It wasn't so bad :)

AmazingBouncingFerret · 27/10/2023 19:37

Do what we did, buy a big fucking house down a long drive that nobody dares walk down in the dark! Grin

HikingforScenery · 27/10/2023 19:38

I truly hate halloween too. I turned off all the light last year, still got knockers, but ignored them.
People have had decorations up for over a week already.
The house opposite ours have some truly horrific masks in their window, which made me jump the first few times.

I used to get DC hand over sweets as they wanted to do so but they don’t want anything to do with the celebration now, which i’m very pleased about.

AllTheWatersTurnedToClouds · 27/10/2023 19:39

we unplug the doorbell. It all frightens the living daylights out of the cats, and we’ve no kids 🤷‍♀️

BashfulClam · 27/10/2023 19:58

I love Halloween and have done my whole life. I love the wee guisers when they forget their jokes. Anyone who calls it ‘trick or treating’ gets swiftly reminded it’s ‘guising’’

Original poster
TheBoxontopofthewardrobe · 27/10/2023 21:24

It’ll be all over soon and we can start to enjoy the build up to Christmas or not!!

OP posts:
SpudleyLass · 27/10/2023 21:29

I'm voting YABU simply because I think it was a much bigger deal and done thing, when I was growing up in the 90s.

I can understand not liking trick or treaters and what not, however.

I'm a Spooktober baby anyway so I've always loved this time of year and to be allowed to be a creepy weirdo.

Needeyebrows · 27/10/2023 21:49

Absolutely hate Halloween.

Girasoli · 27/10/2023 21:53

I really like it and go trick or treating every year, but only to houses that are decorated.

Every year I think 'I am going to make bone biscuits' but then I look at the recipe and decide against it.