To think that trick or treating should be confined to your own street or friends/family

[Moonnstars]

Showing my age here, but I remember when I was younger firstly trick or treating wasn't really a thing, but even when it started to become popular it was only your friends and family you called in on. I remember visiting my grandparents and their neighbours (who had been prepared so had sweets in) and then doing the same with my friends family.
Now it seems that people are asking where is the best street to visit, and I even saw today on social media someone saying they are on holiday in the area and where is best to go, happy to drive around to find the best places!

I have my own children who will be out, but we stick to our own street. I also have sweets in to give out, but am I being unreasonable in thinking I shouldn't have to have enough in to supply people coming over from different places and that it should just be people you know or at least living in the same street you hand stuff out to.

Also I do acknowledge some people go all out and advertise their address and want people to visit - however these are often for charity and as for a donation.

YABU - stop being so tight and buy more sweets

YANBU - it is getting out of hand, people should only go to people they know/stay local

We’ll sit out for the trick or treaters and honestly I can’t say I’ll care where they’ve come from. When the treats run out they run out and we’ll decamp to the pub. That’s it. Have never been aware of any rules around where it’s appropriate to go, if households have decorated and bought treats presumably they’re signalling they want to be a part of the fun.

I just turn the lights off and take the pumpkin in when I’ve run out.
I don’t mind where the kids have come from.
I’ll be doing the trick or treating on my mum’s road because I want to call in on her and it’s quieter up there. It’s about 10 minutes away from home.
Trick or treating has been a “thing” here in Ireland for a long time but it has changed in recent years since social media.
Some people go all out decorating, sometimes in aid of charity and obviously that creates a buzz.
I’m not a fan of that shift because I think it brings in a whole competitive/ one-upping sort of effect that has made it all a bit over the top.
I know a few people who get their houses professionally decorated for Halloween and for me this is just too far.

YABU. We live in the middle of nowhere. The few houses that are nearby are all occupied by elderly people who don’t do Halloween (completely fine btw)

we go with my family and trick or treat there. 😁

Yeah this is what I don't like.

If the whole street is decorating and giving each other sweets, it's like everyone's putting effort in and everyone is benefiting.

When you get swarms of people who haven't contributed in any way but have just turned up to take what they can get because they know your street makes an effort, it's not a nice feeling.

It's not an American thing. It began with the Celts and in Medieval England. Even if it was, it's a great tradition!

My village in Devon goes all out and the kids have a great time! If you don't want to take part, don't leave a pumpkin out, is the general rule. I'd be really sad if no one knocked on our door!

Ive actually spent this morning carving pumpkins and watching scary films (I'm 46🤣)

It wasn't done in my area when I was a child - I think watching ET was my first experience! So when it became more popular I resisted it - I didn't allow my children to go as they seemed a bit too old for it and it felt a bit threatening (they have never forgiven me btw). However over the years, although I don't decorate or put pumpkins out, I have had trick or treaters and I have had sweets in for them. However, now that I live alone and am not keen on opening the door after dark - my drive is quite hidden from the street, I draw the curtains just before it gets dark and hope nobody will come - I do have some emergency sweets in case though.

It's one night a year and a couple of bags of sweets from the pound shop won't break most people. I'm older than you, mine are grown up but it really doesn't worry me.

I think it's a naff American import and can't get excited about whether kids are shuttled around or not.

We've always ignored any door knockers and used to do bobbing apples when the DC were small.

Our village is famed in the area as a good trick or treating destination, so I'm not going to lie, it did get a bit much when I lived on the main street.Talk about the hordes of the undead! But most of the out- of-village kids are friends or schoolmates of the local ones, or live out in the sticks.

It's a nice social bonding occasion I think- it's a great way to get to know all the neighbours, put faces to houses etc. I think it strengthens community ties. I'm pretty bloody relieved that the teenager has offered to take the 10 year old out tonight though, so I can sit at home by candle light and avoid the sugar fuelled screeching.

My kids are too little for trick and treating. But the 3yo will no doubt enjoy opening the door a bit. As a child I was only allowed to go to houses of people we knew, so about 4 houses on our street. It was plenty of sweets for us and we enjoyed the getting dressed up bit the most. I don’t understand trawling streets for sweets for ages. And I don’t really understand accepting sweets from people you don’t know either. Luckily we have lots of families on our road we do know so will be sticking to them when the kids are old enough

I mean I feel Americans are just more extreme with how they celebrate if that makes sense! It’s never quite like the films here in England.

Yeh, have a few friends who feel the same and they don’t actually allow their kids to do it.
My uncle wouldn’t let my cousins either, saw it as begging.

It is weird when you think about really, but I always did it as a kid and have always taken mine.

Why do some people always come out with this nonsense? 🙄

Trick or Treat does NOT originate from America. Its roots hark back to medieval Europe!

I think there should be an age limit. Gangs of teenagers do not need to be trick or treating.

My ds is 20. I used to take him trick or treating when he was younger. I love Halloween. We still carve the pumpkin together which goes out lit at about 5pm as a signal we welcome the trick or treaters. I also put a few decs in the window. Also leave the porch light on. Lots of haribo ready as we usually get dozens of callers.

I think this is what I was meaning! You have worded it so much better!

Our street was previously pretty good for Halloween, so did have people turning up in cars causing parking issues. Last year I think people had had enough and so fewer houses were decorated. So far I think it will be the same this year as not spotted anything much, but agree it is a shame for the younger kids on the street who miss out on what was previously a good community feel amongst neighbours.

And now I have just realised that once we get past Halloween, the Christmas decorations will start. That is another issue where I live as one house is absolutely amazing, but they nearly didn't decorate last year because so many people turned up each night it caused complaints with neighbours and others around the estate as visitors were abandoning cars anywhere, and even parking on people's driveways so people would be coming home from work to find random cars in their spaces.

I think the point is, if you buy in say a bag of 20 fun size haribo bags or something, to give to your neighbors kids, who you talk to through the fence etc. And by 6.30 all the sweets are gone to other kids that have come round what do you do? Stop answering the door? which means the neighbors kids are disappointed? Keep some back for the neighbors? But then you have keep answering the door and say you don't have anything left (which means getting off the sofa every 5 minutes) until you actually see the neighbors kids and give them something.

I could give them something the day after, but thats not part of the magic, the magic is going round in your costume and learning your party piece and getting a haul and sorting it all out afterwards.

In theory its social bonding, and builds community spirit, but its not much community if you don't recognise 90% of the kids (and I recognise loads of kids and I'm involved in various scouts and PTA etc).
Ugh, I'm so conflicted.

Do you really know so little about the heritage of your own islands that you don't know it's a Celtic tradition, brought to America by immigrants from Britain and Ireland?

This is insane!

It's a little bit like this on a street near me - the residents really go for it decor wise and it's fantastic to see. They do get a lot of visitors from neighbouring streets.

But I do feel sorry for the people doling out sweets!

Personally op while kids love the sweets I don't want mine to have a big "haul!" It's more about seeing all the cool decorations. But the sweets certainly motivate them...

YABU. I just buy a certain number of sweets and when they’re gone the pumpkins come in. It doesn’t bother me if the kids are local or not because I’ve spent what I think is appropriate and that’s that 🤷‍♀️ 🧙 🎃

Too much of a blanket statement. We have teenagers Trick or Treating in our village, up to about 14-15. And they are really well behaved with amazing outfits.

As long as they are well behaved, they don't need to be 12 or under!

We get loads of kids from all over as the next street from us goes all out. I think it's great. In the current social climate, positive interactions should be encouraged - I don't give a shit whether they live round the corner or a mile away.
We hand out sweets until we run out, or it's bed time.

Aww why? As long as they're polite and make some sort of effort with a costume it's fine.
And we moan that they grow up too quick and sit in their rooms on their phones all the time...

Exactly! That's what I said earlier. I always cringe when I see people claiming that Trick Or Treat is 'American nonsense!' 😬 Errrrr, it's not.

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You must be older than me then( I'm 53) as trick mor treating was definitely around when I was a kid.