Anyone else not putting up Halloween decorations this year or participating in trick or treating?

[thegrinxh]

I was talking to a neighbour down the road and he seemed surprised when I mentioned that I won't be decorating the front of my house for Halloween this year/ participating in trick or treating.

None of the other neighbours on the estate say hello or are friendly and I have had issues with kids throwing footballs at my car and fence etc.

I don't really want to be spending money for other peoples kids on sweets and decorations.

My own kids are way too young to participate anyway.

My neighbour said "Oh well I think your house will be the only one not celebrating and people may get even more funny with you".

AIBU to lot went to participate or is this the norm if you have kids/ live in area with a lot of kids?

I live in the UK.aibu

My kids are all too old for this now. When they were of the age to go guising - NOT trick or treating - there would be discussion among the parents in teh playground about who was participating. So the kids would go with an adult who knew which houses were up for it, or when they were 11/12 and old enough to go by themselves, they knew where they should go.

If I didn't like my neighbours or their kids for any reason, I probably wouldn't feel like giving them sweets either. Especially as you'll be moving just a couple of months after Halloween, I really wouldn't bother, if I didn't want to.

I have never been rude or nasty to anyone I just like my privacy and didn't want kids playing on my driveway and damaging my property.

The mothers aren't friendly because of this so I think this year I won't be bothering and would rather save that money for our new house.

People here really do go all out and it does look nice, especially those big cob webs people hang from
their windows.

I love Halloween but not doing the outside decoration this year. I will go for a walk then watch a horror with my pumpkin, husband, cats and curtains pulled. Adult DC will no doubt be out at a club. All that knocking at doors is so disruptive.

Halloween is a complete nothing in my world and I've never decorated my house for it because I've got better things to be doing. I don't want people coming ringing my bell by the minutes either as it unsettles the dogs.

I used to when my kids were small and went trick or treating because I thought it was only decent do our bit. But now they’re grown I don’t do anything. I hate it, all the sweets, listening to the same jokes and songs. I know I sound like such a meany…

Holy fucking shit, it's August.

Here the local police will provide you with a poster you can put in your window to say you don't want any Trick-or-Treaters. It works a treat - excuse pun !

I did it for years and had many many t or t's and spent a lot on sweets ,until 2 years ago when we decided we no longer wanted to do it .
So blind down and lights off for us.
I do have a pumpkin on the fireplace though to ward off the evil spirits !

Never have, never will. Landfill

I don't either, think it has all got out of hand, very American and over the top

As always, we will be participating as DC of an age where they still enjoy it. It's one night where it's fun to see all the decorations, greet the kids, be a bit goofy 🤪 Many houses around here don't participate and show this by no decs and that's fine, we simply don't knock on those doors.

I’ve never participated in trick or treat - it guising.

It’s the middle of August. Why on earth are you asking about this now?

We live in a village where all the kids go out trick or treating but now our youngest child is 17 we don’t really bother. We do buy sweets just in case but we don’t decorate anymore. Last Halloween our daughter went out so my husband and I turned all the lights off and sat in bed watching a film. Only one group of kids knocked and we only answered because my grandson shouted through the letterbox ‘nanna stop hiding I know you’re in there’

I always decorate. The kids love it and my whole area decorates. My family have always celebrated halloween, even when I was a child so its important to me to follow the tradition with me kids. If you dont want to, its no big deal. Do whatever you are comfortable with.

Never participated in it.

The perks of living in the sticks down a country lane in the dark😆

A few sweets and decorations isn’t a lot of money

are you moving far away

would it hurt to put a pumpkin out and a bowl of sweets

esp if you expect your kids to do it in a few years in a diff house

I never put up decorations - we used to give the neighbour's kids sweets when they knocked on. They're too old for that now. Not through religious reasons, just because I think it's a ridiculous US import we could well do without.

Ooo that sounds a bit creepy all on it's own; you definately don't need the decs, just a good horror movie!

I know this point has been made before bit it is not a US import. It is a completely indigenous celebration. Samhain. A Gaelic festival, exported to other countries

I run a pumpkin design and carving competition for my Cubs (they’ll be doing one anyway at home) but don’t do anything personally. DS hates it and I loathe the concept of trick or treating.

Nah you really dont have to do it
Go out or curtains closed ..outside lights off!

No one has to. I agree it’s a bit off not to if your kids are going to (or have in the last few years) be hitting the neighbourhood up for treats, but otherwise it’s all about whether you want to. Given you’re moving the the backstory, I don’t blame you for not wanting to.

@Blondeshavemorefun Lol tbh yes it would hurt me as I find the people here quite rude.

I said hello to my next door neighbour today and he just blanked me as with a the majority of the kids round here so why bother?

Im moving to a different city 45 minutes away.

I did it last year so it's not like I haven't participated since living here.