Trick or Treat

[Mountfuckballs]

We are new parents to a 4 year old and he’s desperate to go trick or treating. However, I’m not sure on the etiquette these days? We live in a small town in the north midlands on a quiet street but don’t know our neighbours well, and don’t have friends nearby to just go to their houses.

Would it be weird to post a letter through doors this week that includes a ‘no trick or treaters’ door sign with something like:

Hi Neighbours,

our 4 year old would love to go trick or treating this year but we are very aware that some households on the street would prefer not to have spooky visitors. Included in this envelope is a door hanger that says ‘no spooky visitors please!’ which, if we see on your door on the night, will mean we’ll leave you in peace. It would be great if other parents of trick or treaters could also respect the door hangers, too. If you would like us to avoid your house but don’t want to use a door hanger, please feel free to post a note through our door and we’ll be sure not to knock for you, too.

Thanks and hope to see you on 31st October!

Is that weird?? We have lots of young families on the street but plenty of older and vulnerable people too so I’m not sure how else to navigate it?

Completely unnecessary. Just go to houses that have pumpkins or decorations.

I think you’re massively overcomplicating it to be honest. At least where we are it is just if they have decorations up, lights on, pumpkins out, then it’s okay to knock. It’s quite obvious who is participating and who isn’t I think.

This.

Only knock the houses that put up Halloween related decorations - you will know on the night x

The etiquette round our way is very simple:

If the house is decorated for Halloween, knock.

If it isn’t, leave them alone.

Yes, it’s a little weird and a bit over the top.

The etiquette we go by is if you’re displaying Halloween decs/pumpkins then we knock. No decorations, no knocking. Works well here.

As above, the unwritten rule is that you only knock on doors with decorations.

Op the etiquette is to simply go to houses that are dressed up and have pumpkins outside

We dress our house up and we really enjoy having little visitors !

In our area, people put out decorations if they are happy for trick or treaters. Someone posted a message on the community page that they were leaving some decorative tape at their letterbox, and anyone who wanted to take part was welcome to grab some (or you could do orange balloons or something) as a way to show they were taking part.

Ah! So glad I asked

Thanks all, I had no idea about the house decoration rule so I’m very glad I asked the question!

That would be really weird. Just look for the ones that have a pumpkin or some kind of decorations. If there aren't any in your village then go somewhere buiser

Generally it’s the pumpkin/decs/ porch light that let you know. Yous should reciprocate and when you’re out leave a little bowl on your doorstep - that’s what we do!

We only go to houses that have 'obvious' signs they want spooky visitors to knock, decorations or a porch/hall light left on. If the house looks dark near the front door and no decorations then I tell my DC they don't want to play and they know that's fine as not everyone likes to play the same games and they know some people don't like to play because they are poorly and struggle to keep getting up and down to open the door etc. They never think someone not wanting to play is a negative thing and last year when I was distracted with DS it was DD who stopped me from opening the gate to a house that yes we should've avoided and told me no mummy not that one. It'll be obvious on the night which houses will welcome a knock and which won't, some are borderline tbf but we avoid them unless we've seen someone else ahead of us knock and have been greeted positively.
Honestly your bigger issue should be DCs costume as in my experience they will change their mind 100 times between now and then and you'll end up totally confused on what they actually want to wear! Or the worst one, you have it all sorted and ready to go and the wee bugger changes their mind the day before!!

Yeah the rule is decoration = participating. Trick or treaters might mistake your signs for a decoration, esp if they say spooky. Or people won't put it on their door and you will then think they are participating. Plus it puts pressure on people to publicly opt out. Just do as advised above

In my village the etiquette is only go to houses with decorations or sweets outside (we put ours outside so no one knocks)