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.

Why do you teach your children to fear strangers? Your child will likely at some point need help from or to interact with a so called stranger. Painting them all as monsters to be feared is illogical.

That sounds absolutely delightful!

I'm in America (so US-haters can just stop reading now 😄) and it's a big deal in our neighborhood. But everyone understands that you only go to the houses with decorations.

It's a lot of fun and a good opportunity to develop some independence (my kids go out in a group with friends from around the age of nine). We live in a pretty wealthy neighborhood and I even welcome the kids from other areas who come to us because we're rich pickings! How very un-Mumsnetty of me 😂

It is! I know most of the kids who will knock either as they’re from one of the two local primary schools or my job which takes me all over to see clients.
I absolutely adore Halloween, growing up it was a really fun night and the one occasion my brother hated and wouldn’t get over involved, so I still love it now!

You might teach your children to fear strangers but I don't. Stranger Danger is a very outdated notion. Far more likely to be abducted or assaulted by someone familiar to them!

Ok perhaps not fear but how about no need for unrequired interaction with them. Knocking on peoples doors includes this.

Thanks for furthering my argument.

I much preferred the old days of Halloween. Making your own costumes, tell scary stories, doing the traditional games - apple bobbing etc.

The shops have more Halloween crap each year.

You might revisit that idea in a few years time when all your sons school friends are going trick or treating apart from him.....

Lots of people don't take their children begging trick or treating. 🫣

Yes, a particular type of lower-middle-class Tory who is given to expressing displeasure with a little shudder and saying ‘It’s just not very nice is it?’

Eh?

I think your 2nd post, should have been in the opening post.

In your opening post (which is what I voted on), you say
because I don't know anyone in walking distance who has young kids or is happy to participate in tnt.
which I read as you intending to just call on people randomly, which would have made you very unreasonable.

Your 2nd post then clarified that you are only intending to call on people who have decorated their houses, therefore signalling an intent to join in, so that would be fine.

What I can't understand is why any parent would allow their dc to be knocking on doors of people who haven't opted in.

I don’t teach my 2 year old to “fear” strangers.

It isn’t begging when Halloween decorations show that you’re invited.

Like PP have said only decorated homes

I treat decorations as an invitation. We go around the local roads and knock on "strangers" but really they're neighbours and halfnof them are familiar faces we see walking around.

It's a very friendly suburb with lots of schools though so probably depends where you live. We have small kids so go early and they then love to see all the trick or treaters come to ours. We probably had 40 groups of kids last year and didn't know any of them.

I think you should only go to decorated houses or people that you know.
It's wrong to go banging on random doors for sweets and money.
You don't know whose in the house or the circumstances.

We only go to decorated houses. We go in a group with other kids/parents, and we live in a small community where there are lots of people who are known. I've never felt unsafe.

The unwritten rule in our community was that you can call at people's houses who have decorations/illuminated pumpkins in the window.

I think going to houses which are decorated, even if you don't know them is fine. It's kind of the point in fact. It's basically invitation to knock.

We don't decorate or answer the door to trick or treaters and my 2 have never been trick or treating.

I have no issue with it happening as long as people stick to the decorated houses and leave others alone.

However, I've read 4 posts on fb today alone, where grabby parents are asking for the best streets to take their children to where they'll get more treats. If it's just a bit of fun, what's wrong with just knocking on the decorative houses close by to you, why does it need to be planned for the most lucrative route?

However, I've read 4 posts on fb today alone, where grabby parents are asking for the best streets to take their children to where they'll get more treats. If it's just a bit of fun, what's wrong with just knocking on the decorative houses close by to you, why does it need to be planned for the most lucrative route?

I think this shows that these parents demand as many sweets as possible given free as they refuse to spend a couple of quid at B&M for a large bag of sweets. Again as I mentioned in a pp, its begging.

Well I will be taking my nearly 3 year old. It was a big part of my childhood and I'm glad it was. It is one of my most exciting memories. I have grown into an adult that doesn't beg, as have the majority of adults. It's a bit of fun for children. Are you also the type of parent that doesn't have Father Christmas come because it would be lying to your child?

Glad my parents did. Kids should have fun. Warm memories have stayed with me of trick or treating with my friend. That's what it's about.

@Auburngal I forgot about the 1 post yesterday from a dad asking the best place to go TorT - stating that his children were older now and preferred cash to sweets!!!!