To go trick or treating to strangers' houses?

[TickOrTeat]

Just read on another thread that a lot of posters only knock on houses of people they know presumably for safety reasons. Do most people do this? Apart from our neighbours (only a couple of whom are participating) we pretty much only go to stranger's houses. Not on purpose but just because I don't know anyone in walking distance who has young kids or is happy to participate in tnt. We usually get a few trick or treaters too. Always unknown.

I'm slightly worried now. Is it rude to go to people you don't know? Is it unsafe? I think it's very low risk considering we don't enter any houses and most sweets are wrapped (and most people are nice and peaceful) but am I missing something?

Normally we go with friends in their area in a fairly large group but this year it will probably be just me and my two young kids.

“Everyone on this thread has said it's only decorated houses…”

hopefully the wee thugs round my way have gotten the memo.

Ignore mumsnet ,every year there are threads about begging ,it likes to suck the joy out things like trick or treat.

We go to those that are decorated - they're only the streets around us (know some visit whole other areas that are big on Halloween) but we don't know many of the residents.

oh the hilarious ad hominem!
what would MN be without them?

Go to decorated houses! Anyone who doesnt want callers will be in the bqck of the house with no lights on in the front!

Anyone who undertakes this ridiculous American import, which is essentially extortion with menaces, is unreasonable

So don’t take your four year old around the houses dressed as a pumpkin because in ten years she’ll be egging people’s caravans and terrifying 90 year olds?

And anyone who is ignorant enough to be unaware of the origins of Halloween should do a bit of reading.

Clue: not American.

Go to the new housing estates OP, they are always trying to outdo each other and their treats get more ridiculously elaborate every year. They’re decorations are always OTT too but the kids love it.

Anyone who doesn't realise that Scotland, Northern Ireland and the NE of England* exist and and have long been part of the UK is unreasonable. Where do you think America got it from? It was emigrants who took it there.

In other news, Santa Claus isn't an Americanism either.

*And other areas that have long had the tradition.

Or people leave their lights on if they wish and people respect the lack of decoration.

It's a slippery slope that trajectory from mini-Haribos to full-scale criminality.

Halloween's origin is based on All Hallows Eve, English folklore and rituals; yes, I do know that, thank you, so please do not call me ignorant.
However, trick or treating was not part of that - it is very firmly American
We used to place more emphasis on Guy's Fawkes and bonfire night; 'penny for the Guy' etc
But maybe you are too young to remember this country before the American crap began to take over

It really does.
Please don't be so naive.

I'm not sure making a guy out of old clothes and " begging " for money for it was any better then Halloween and " begging " for sweets and yes I am old enough to remember .

How isn't trick or treating begging?
Guising was different - those knocking generally performed a little song, told a joke or some other 'cute' or 'clever' act, and were rewarded with an orange or some chocolate.

We may have asked for a penny, but we didn't threaten to egg someone's door if they didn't pay up!

Frankly, as someone who grew up doing this, I’m more than happy to hand out the mini Haribo packs without listening to a succession of knock-knock jokes or small children dressed as pumpkins doing the Macarena.

Nor do people where I live.

Some idiots might use Halloween as an excuse for their idiotic behaviour but that's not the majority and it's really not a foregone conclusion that if you don't decorate or give out sweets you'll be egged or harassed.

When I was a kid we went to any house that had a pumpkin or decorations.

I think it's safe to assume that any house with decorations is expecting and ready to welcome strangers trick or treating.

Don't worry about it.

Not sure where you live but but nobody has ever egged my door on halloween wether we participated or not and we live in a deprived area.

People leave sweets out on my estate.

But then you kids taking loads. They still knock when the bowls are empty though. Bit cheeky really.

Our area is well known for Trick or Treating, at one point people were driving across town to drop their kids here. People go all out for decorating and few houses even put on a bit of a show/trail. We are in a small cul de sac off the main estate so don't get as many but we get around 15-20 groups each year and some people on the main estate have been known to get around 50!!!
I got fed up of the constant knocking and the dog being upset so I now just put a couple of pumpkins out and a bowl of sweets (that I top up) with a sign asking people not to knock. I used to literally sit by the door between 6 and 8 becasue as soon as I got back tot the sofa someone else would knock.
The rule around here seems to be that no decorations mean you don't knock

We don't decorate and still get people knocking. We don't answer the door. A couple of years ago I came out the following morning to find the front door spray painted with graffiti. It never fully came off and we paid a lot of money to get it repainted.

In 40 years, I have never seen an egged house on Halloween and I grew up in a really rough area.