Trick or Treat - AIBU

[Doseofreality]

AIBU in believing that it’s an unwritten rule that you do not Trick or Treat houses that have no Halloween decorations up.

We’ve had numerous bangs (and yes they are bangs) on the door over the past hour, and quite frankly, it’s pissing me off!

Agree! This would annoy me too

Agree. They should not be knocking if you don’t have decorations or a pumpkin out.

Think it’s not even an unwritten rule, it’s pretty absolute. Only approach houses that are signalling loud and clear they are joining in.

No decorations = no guisers

Decorated houses only. That’s the rule.

100%. Always told my kids the same on the odd occasion they went. This year I have not done anything. And the lights are all out. Still got kids hammering the door!

My DC don’t knock on any door that isn’t decorated. I thought everyone knew that but obviously not.

And they deserve to be squirted with water pistols, I do not want my evening disturbed by groups of. Holden banging at my door.

That's the unwritten rule.

We've been out trick or treating this evening and it's been very busy with other groups.

This was the logic everyone stuck to.

Although maybe next year put up a note saying "please no knocking" just to make sure.

Not here it wasn't. I used to take my son out trick or treating 15 years ago and everyone only visited houses that were decorated or where you knew people were taking part (relatives, parents from school etc).

They always knock here decorations or not. We're in Ireland though so maybe it's different. Always have the bags of sweets ready just in case.

Only go to the houses with a pumpkin outside.

Tbh, if I wasn't on mumsnet, I wouldn't know that you went to decorated houses only. Up until a few years ago, everyone where I loved knocked on every door.

The unwritten rule is no decorations = not interested.

Some use their porch light to signal. We live in a very busy estate we only had 1 knock all evening but had curtains shut and lights off in hall as have poorly baby. Very impressed with the kids.

It has always been the rule here that kids only go to decorated houses, and to my relief, always respected.

We had pumpkins outside and got loads of trick or treaters. My toddler really isn't well and I finally got him to sleep so after a while we brought the pumpkins in and put a sign to say our baby is sleeping please do not knock.
We still have had so many bangs on the door.
I'll be fuming if they wake him up.

We have nothing out. One group of children started walking up the drive (ring doorbell found alert) but the parent with them called them back.

if people only visit homes making it clear they are partaking then everyone should be happy!

Early 2000s we knocked on every door. Taking my daughter now, it's decorated houses only.

This was the rule when I was younger and that was 20 years ago.

Decorated houses only. I think in general there is also a “rule” now that once the lights are turned off you give it a break. But that might just be my area.

It was always the unwritten rule when my kids were young only to knock on decorated houses and that was 15 years ago when they first started trick or treating (they don’t now obviously!) but Halloween was quite a big deal in my village with loads of decorated houses so really no need at all to knock the doors of I decorated houses. Maybe in areas where there a fewer pumpkins and decorations kids take their chances on all the homes?

It always worked well to put a note out when there were no more sweets left so kids wouldn’t bother knocking. Maybe do that every year instead even if you never had any to start with!