Mum not coming on Halloween - irked?

[CleverAzureDreamer]

My mum has just let me know she’s having her hair done on Thursday evening next week so she won’t be coming over to ours to go trick or treating and watch a spooky movie with the kids (8, 10, 12). I’m slightly irritated by this as I thought it would have been nice to have a family night dressed up and go round taking the kids trick or treating.
I’ve allowed older DS to bring a friend over to come with us so it won’t be so empty but I just found it a bit selfish for a Nan to not want to spend Halloween with the grandkids! AIBU?

I think your mum has been reasonable to let you know nine days in advance, and if her hairdresser is like my mum's, getting an appointment at under a fortnight's notice is almost impossible.

😂

Try as people might, Halloween will just never be the “thing” here that it is in America. It’s for young children to gorge on sweets, it’s not a family festival 🤣 so yes, you’re absolutely being unreasonable. If this post had been about Christmas or Easter (traditional family events) then no you wouldn’t be unreasonable. But it’s Halloween 🤣 for goodness sake! Leave her be. I can’t think of anything more dull and ridiculous than dressing up as a witch to watch “spooky” children’s films

Are you in England? It's not a big thing where I live. I remember many years ago there being a Halloween party at the cubs to which parents were invited and that was quite fun but not much else. I am not keen on it and certainly wouldn't want to go trick or treating, neither would I have wanted my child to do it but it never arose.

It's an odd thing about which to be irked, frankly.

I’m slightly irritated by this as I thought it would have been nice to have a family night dressed up and go round taking the kids trick or treating.

I can't think of anything worse than trick or treating.

Calm down Hermione. It's called a joke.

I look after my DGC whenever I'm asked, overnights too. I've looked after them, doing the grunt work since they were born. I'd give them my last and walk over coals if they needed it. But if my DD thought at the age of 55 I'd go traipsing round the streets with my good white table cloth over my head interrupting my neighbours tea for a mini pack of haribo...she'd have another think coming.

Maybe your mums getting older and feeling aches and pains when walking about in cold, dark autumn?

By the way, what’s everyone’s feeling on the sweets your kids get from trick or treating? Do you check them all before allowing them to eat. Not sure if I’m being too paranoid these days…

We love Halloween in our house and even though my youngest is 15 she is going to dress up and go trick or treating with a couple of her younger friends. But, their grandparents have never been involved other than perhaps sending them up some sweets. So I think yabu.

Madness! Just because she came once doesn't mean she has a duty to come every year! Probably once was enough 🎃

I'm not sure it's even anything to get irked about. Things change, Halloween can be fun but it's not the be all and end all.

It's not like it's Christmas and she's come round to yours drunk and pissed on your Christmas tree.

I’m close with my parents but the idea of being sad they’re not coming on Halloween seems very odd. Have a good time with your kids!

@ddd4 I am the kind of person that insists on saying Mothering Sunday rather than Mother's day. Mothers Day (they don't usually bother with the apostrophe) was invented as a device to sell cards and gifts.

I accept that Halloween has existed for many centuries but how many people explain that background? I suspect fewer than those who explain Christmas and St Nicolas.

I think she probably doesn’t want to go trick or treating and I am afraid I don’t blame her. I was very happy when I no longer had to do all that with my kids.

No, you’re just in the minority when you think trick or treating then watching a kids' film is an enjoyable way for an older woman to spend time with her family.

I suspect she doesn’t like Halloween, being trailed about in the dark with screaming kids getting high on sugar - great night out - not for all. Don’t push her on it - just see her another time

Christmas and Easter are the antithesis of Halloween, imho.

I celebrate the first two, despise the third.

This must be a joke. As a grandmother I can't think of anything worse than trick or treating. Don't you have any friends?

She's a year older than last year and maybe she's had enough of the nonsense. It's cold and damp and miserable usually so perhaps she wants to stay in.

It’s the background of Halloween that puts me off it.

This reads like a reverse 😂

Yes, YABU to insist anyone has forced fun on Halloween 🎃

Halloween isn't like Christmas!

Are you in England?
I'm Irish and I have some friends who have moved from England and none of them are very bothered about Halloween

What an odd thing to get so worked up about.