It’s a Halloween one!

[Mumof2under4]

AIBU to expect our downstairs neighbours to be home for Halloween if they have decked out the communal downstairs/outside with Halloween decor?

I thought how nice of them to get into the spirit of things and I got some sweets to put downstairs to be neighbourly. I have a young baby and really wasn’t expecting to be the door lady! I’m now here waiting for my partner to get home from work before I even attempt bed time for the kids.

Maybe they're out trick or treating 🤷🏼‍♀️

YANBU but put a note on the door saying ‘sweets all gone’ and then ignore the bell.

Stick a note on the door

Put the bowl of sweets outside. Everyone does that round here whilst their out trick or treating themselves.

Put a note out saying "It was the people at 1b. Please address all Halloween enquiries to them" 😀🎃👻🧟🧛

Just put the sweets outside the door in a bowl or in the tin. Then don't answer the door anymore. The sweets will be gone in a very short time - job done.

Just dont answer the door

I decorate but I don't make myself available to trick-or-treaters. The two activities aren't linked in any way.

I feel like most people follow the unspoken etiquette that if a house is decorated for Halloween it's open to trick or treaters, and if no decor/lights on you leave them be?

Why decorate if you're not going to actually participate in the traditions?

I thought that putting out Halloween decorations was a recognised way of signalling that the occupants of the house will be welcoming to trick-or-treaters? Children are taught only to ring the doorbells of decorated houses and to leave the undecorated ones alone.

Lots of houses on our street decorate from October 1st and then on Halloween they are in darkness which I find a bit odd.

I put a note up after loads of knocking from about 5 when I got sick of telling people to go away. I’ve got poorly children, we’re not getting involved, there’s no pumpkin or decorations, there’s absolutely nothing to indicate we’re Halloween people and no reason they should be knocking on my fucking door. There’s protocol - no pumpkin don’t bother the house!

They absolutely are.

In my area we put on an outdoor light if we are welcoming T&Ters. My decorations have been up for weeks.

There is no obligation to give out candy just because one has a few pumpkins and a ghost on the door.

I did it for years but now I'm generally still working when they start coming around.

Yes they are!!

…And the bowl, in my experience 😂🎃

Not in my neighbourhood. The convention is to have a normal light on by the front door if the children are welcome. Everyone around here knows this.

Fair enough, different customs in different areas. Are you in the U.K.?

And hope they’re not anything like the greedy little fuckers who took the whole lot once from our house 🤬

I only allow my child to knock on doors if there are decorations or a pumpkin outside, we don't disturb people who haven't decorated. Just so you know as I think most people follow that as an unwritten rule.

Round here the two actives are definitely linked. If a house is decorated you would assume they are welcoming trick-or-treaters. I can hear the kids talking about the decorations before they buzz and they’re definitely not buzzing every door on the street. It’s like a giant kick me sign! If you have your own front door it’s your prerogative I suppose.

Haha great minds, my mum said to do that!

They might be but they didn’t even leave any sweets out!

Erm, to trick or treaters, they are intrinsically linked.

Good idea, I’ll be doing that next year!