Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
ConspiciouslyDifferent · 27/10/2023 22:08

My kid is terrified of it and won't leave the house for two weeks before. It's a real shame. I wish people would just stick up decorations on the day.

EveryKneeShallBow · 27/10/2023 22:14

I absolutely hate Halloween with a total passion. I cba to give my reasons. But others love it, so they can crack on. I just ignore them.

NuffSaidSam · 27/10/2023 22:14

YANBU, like what you like.

But you'd maybe enjoy it more if you embrace it? They're knocking anyway so might be more fun than quietly seething all night. A sort of fake it till you make it approach.

mathanxiety · 27/10/2023 22:15

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

The so called 'Americanisation' is a direct descendant of the many customs of Ireland and Scotland associated with Halloween. Ireland and Scotland are the places where the ancient feast of Samhain was observed. The guising and begging from door-to-door are innate to Halloween and are age old traditions.

mondaytosunday · 27/10/2023 22:23

I love it, but really everyone knows you only go to houses with decorations or a pumpkin outside! Leave everyone else in peace - you shouldn't feel you need to hide with the lights off.

Ylvamoon · 27/10/2023 22:26

I hear you OP! I hate it too.
I have nothing against the deep routed traditions of Samhain, although they mean nothing to me - I am not Scottish or Irish.
Sadly Halloween with Christmas & Easter has turned into a retail feast!

I'm glad DC are to old for trick or treating ... but when they were little, I would obviously have the obligatory pumpkin and a bowl of sweets at the ready!
Nowadays it's dooe shut & lights out!

Toddlerteaplease · 27/10/2023 22:28

Hate it. Also hate that Christmas decorations are up in shops.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 27/10/2023 22:30

I like Halloween now. I never used to and I get you. We only trick or treat at the houses with decs/pumpkins

Heatherjayne1972 · 27/10/2023 22:39

No it’s not for me
Don’t own any Halloween decorations, never have Never been trick or treating - or taken my kids
but still the crowds of local kids knock - every year

one memorable Halloween was when a parent got very angry because I ‘wouldn’t Give sweets to her child’ - I had no sweets ( obvs, I don’t buy them ) the house was undecorated and in darkness
She wasn’t impressed.

TeenLifeMum · 27/10/2023 22:51

I love it. The atmosphere in our cul de sac with all the children going house to house is so lovely and friendly.

I’ve told my dd1 this is her last year trick or treating and she must let her younger sisters be at the front because she’s 15 and 5’7” tall and could look scary (she’s not scary at all but she’s a tall teen and I know how people feel).

Mydogmybestfriend · 27/10/2023 22:55

I love Halloween always go to a party and dress up wish it was more like America here

Doingmybest12 · 27/10/2023 22:58

I was looking at decorations today. Much more horror related now , I'm a bit squeamish and don't like this development much.

MermaidMummy06 · 27/10/2023 23:00

It's only new here. I hate it only because it's another thing my kids want me to spend money on, organise & facilitate.

Then it's straight onto Christmas. It just seems like one commercial occasion after another with no break and nothing in it for me except work.

We're also trying to be more environmentally aware and the mountain of plastic decorations, including fake spider webs which kill wildlife (so we're being warned this year) and indivuallly wrapped lollies make me a bit ragey.

Mariposista · 27/10/2023 23:00

I have hated it since I was a child. Just wanted it over so that the Christmas countdown could start.

GrimGrinningGhosts · 27/10/2023 23:04

My favourite time of year, and a lot of my Halloween bits stay out all year round too.
I was a kid in the 70s and have fond memories of plastic neon witch masks, a bin bag and a broom that I’d be able to go to pre approved neighbours with for a few bags of sweets.
I tend to put some decorations out mid October but only give out sweets on the night.

MummyJ36 · 27/10/2023 23:08

I didn’t enjoy Halloween until I had kids. I think of it as a bit of fun for them rather than something I’d be actively enjoying in my adult time. Pre kids I didn’t used to answer the door to trick or treaters, these days it’s very much understood that if there’s no
punpkin in the doorway/window then the house owner doesn’t want trick or treaters. I find it quite fun now that DC1 enjoys a little trick or treating. But I do understand the adult annoyance with the whole “season”.

BellaAndDave · 27/10/2023 23:21

Halloween means different things to everyone. For me it’s a tradition but I live in Scotland and we are very rural so never get guisers. If people want to follow the pumpkin at the door thing and handing out sweets then that’s their preference. I’ve never lived in an estate and don’t really know what it’s like to go round houses, likewise watching scary films, we never did that either. Scottish and Irish emigration brought our Celtic traditions to the States, where they gradually evolved into the huge Halloween celebrations that are now common. There’s really no point in being annoyed about it.

Emeraldrings · 27/10/2023 23:26

I hate it. Trick or treating wasn't even a thing when I was growing up. Wasn't it brought over here by the film ET?
DH does carve pumpkins with our DDs and we give out sweets but I love it when it's over.
We're doing a Halloween party for the kids at work but I don't agree with it, although I'm not going to stop my DS attending.

MissMarianHalcombe · 27/10/2023 23:30

I’ve never embraced it. My eldest didn’t enjoy it & he was quite reserved, my youngest was extremely keen to go trick or treating with his friends, all us mums accompanied them. We went to the first house, he hated it & we went home. After that had our only little party but that’s it. They’re both grown up now so I don’t have to pretend to enjoy it anymore

GrimGrinningGhosts · 27/10/2023 23:38

Emeraldrings · 27/10/2023 23:26

I hate it. Trick or treating wasn't even a thing when I was growing up. Wasn't it brought over here by the film ET?
DH does carve pumpkins with our DDs and we give out sweets but I love it when it's over.
We're doing a Halloween party for the kids at work but I don't agree with it, although I'm not going to stop my DS attending.

I was trick or treating in the midlands long before ET 😂

Catsmere · 27/10/2023 23:40

I hate Halloween because it is not an Australian tradition, it's just a commercial money grab. The one Halloween I enjoyed was when I was visiting the US years ago, and in the small town (almost a village) I stayed in, it was a real community thing - pumpkin carving contests, baking, all a pretty home-made vibe. Very different from the plastic tat that's everywhere here.

PrancerandDancer · 27/10/2023 23:45

Not my favourite.... Love Autumn and Pumpkins but not all the scary stuff.

Used to enjoy it as a kid, as PP said with my wicker broom and bin bag witch outfit.

I try and embrace for my DD but as soon as it turns 1st Nov... I'm all about Christmas 🤣 which is another bone of contention I'm sure 🤦

Bouncyball23 · 27/10/2023 23:47

I know loads of people my mum and nan included that don't decorate for halloween have curtains closed and sit in back room because that's what they do every night, but you bet they buy sweets and answer the door to everyone that knocks, it's one bloody night! they do it because well there now adult children where once the children knocking on doors!!!

WeWereInParis · 27/10/2023 23:56

I also hate Halloween. I am not generally a grinch about things but I don't do Halloween. Thankfully we live at the end of a quiet cul de sac, and there's no road in front of our house, you have to walk down a path. So no one comes to us.
DD1 is 4 and seems unaware of it still (or at least, she's not mentioned it at all) and I'm not looking forward to her realising it's a thing.

Sodie · 28/10/2023 00:00

Hate it. We are off somewhere for the evening, thank goodness because everytime anyone knocks my door my chihuahua barks for ages. We have only ever knocked on doors with pumpkins/decoration in the past. Also never past 7.30. My daughter has ME and sleeps a lot. Last year we put a note up saying please don't knock because our child is unwell asleep. Parents still knocked with children past nine!