to think that Trick or Treating is wrong - full stop

[curlyaqa]

I intensely dislike the new(ish) custom, it is American is it not?
I wouldn't let my dc do it and I confess I ignore the doorbell on the night ().
It wouldn't be so bad if they just wanted sweets, but it's also money they're after, I believe.
Isn't it essentially begging too? It frightens some of the old folks and where I live they can get free signs to place on their doors to say they are not partcipating (or something along similar lines).
So aibu do you think?

Here in Canada it's bigger than Christmas- everybody keeps going on about what they are going to 'be'for Halloween.
I am trying to be enthusiastic.

I find it weird that they dress up in any old costume - not spooky themes - my friend is considering dressing up as a tampon

OP you must never ever come to the US. Schools even have Halloween parties here. Yeah we're already for it - bring it on. Costumes bought, party planning, pumpkins will be bought and carved, decorations put out and loads and loads of Candy. Oh and for those of you who love Christmas. The lights go up the weekend after Thanksgiving. So we're all lit up for over a month here. I love it, all of it.

Well I'm 28 and I always went trick or treating when I was a child so I don't think it's new. It's just harmless fun. If it's any consolation, my best friend was the vicar's daughter and he used to hold a big Halloween party every year for all the children. So it must be OK

I destest it-so much so that we will go away for the night. We get callers from 5.30pm to about 9.30pm. I never let my DCs do it. It is imported from America. I have nothing against parties but do not agree to disturbing people.

Is it PERMITTED if you've also imported your dh from America?

It's a nice event around here, there's a disco in the nature park with spooky themed songs and a "scary" area of sheets and hanging things. Then the kids all come round in costumes for trick or treating... although I do ask every year and no-one has any idea of what they'd do if there was no treat!

I absolutely loathe it. I am a miserable git and refuse to open the door. Last year DW took the DCs, just round our street, and I refused to have anything to do with it.

It may have been a nice arty folksy handwoven Celtic custom originally, but it follows the horrid American model now. Demanding sweets with menaces.

We are a bit tucked away and people don't realise in the dark that there is another house down here. So my pumpkin remains lonely as we haven't had anyone knock since we moved here nearly 6 years ago. The DC's do to two of our neighbours who I've cleared it with first. I used to love tricking and treating 30 years ago so am happy for the DC's to do it following certain rules.

I don't put a notice on my door saying no trick or treating because the local teenagers would have an excuse to throw eggs at the house!
I like the school discos and parties etc with ducking for apples. I just hate begging on doorsteps. No child needs all those sweets! I make homemade treacle toffee which is lovely. I am however waiting for one child to say 'we can't take unwrapped sweets from strangers' so that I can say 'in that case you souldn't knock on stranger's doors!'. However they haven't yet. I refuse to buy sweets to hand out. My toffee is nicer and I write the ingredients on the bag.

Seriously Unquietdad. The American children do not act so badly during trick or treating. The babdly behaved bit and the threats etc are pure British. That behaviour wouldn't last 2 minutes in the USA.

The American children don't go around disturbing people who don't want to participate either.

sorry to triple post but if teenagers were going around disturbing old people (or anyone) and threatening them the cops would be on their arses and they wouldn't let it slide like they do in the UK.

Its not the trick or treat thing I hate - It's the fact that the older kids where I live use it as an excuse to terrorise people for 'treats' and then vandalise houses, cars and property when they get just sweets, fruit or nothing. I personally think that it's this behaviour is a Brit thing too. I was coming home from work last year, and the lady who was giving me a lift had her car pelted with eggs and stones. They did quite a bit of damage to her car and frightened her half to death. I only like ToT for the younger kids who seem to appreciate the fun. It's the teenagers who spoil it and make it a misery for everyone else. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7625084.stm

its just fun i love it in my area lost of the little one's all come around they're so excited mum's stand at the end of my drive and send the kids to knock at the door its cute " don't do older ones ie teens "

I would be OK about it if it was under 12s and there were no visits after 7pm. I can cope with about 4 lots-it is difficult to be enthusiastic after you have been disturbed more than 6 times!

Halloween is very much fun for little ones. I think denying your children of the fun if their friends are out trick or treating is plain mean.

Agree, however, that it is for small children (say 12 and under).

Ther are some people in the states who boycott HAlloween on the basis that it is anti-Christian (because it is of course a pagan holiday). But, I think that's a bit silly, especially if your kids are dressing up as prinesses and not the more traditional pagan eveil creatures. I knew a kid once who came to school dressed as the princial (like head teacher here). The principal was obviously in on it as they wore mathing suits that day. It was funny.

Get a grip, it's just a day to pass out candy when the doorbell rings.

'Seriously Unquietdad. The American children do not act so badly during trick or treating. The babdly behaved bit and the threats etc are pure British. That behaviour wouldn't last 2 minutes in the USA.'

A lot of thug behaviour that goes on here unchecked wouldn't last 2 minutes there.

Why? Because people, including teens, actually get punished for breaking the law there.

And in many states, if you come onto someone's property and start vanadalising it or terrorising the occupants, there's a very real chance you could be shot. And whilst many Brits find that appalling or shocking, that's how it is in a lot of places so people learn quickly not to act ghetto or get out of control whilst drunk.

NO ONE 'menaces' for sweets there at Halloween.

You don't see a lot of teens out trick or treating. Some cities even have curfews on Halloween and they do enforce them.

I never heard of Halloween being boycotted by Christians until I came to live in the UK (from USA), I thought it was a British Christian obsession to be warn of the occult nature of H'ween (my fundy jesus-loving American relatives participate as eagerly as anybody ever did).

Around here, if you want T-or-T'ers, you decorate your front door with Halloween things. You turn off your lights if you don't want to partake, simple to figure out whose door to knock on -- who the people are who want to be begged to (mostly in the neighbourhood closest to the primary school). I can't for the life of me see any harm in any of it.

Its not that new, I did it as a kid and I'm well past 30 now

I like it, its just local kids here with parents so I pop a pumpkin in the window and look forwards. Mum and Dad get far more- into the hundreds- and adore it too.

Don't answer the door if you dont want to.

Oha nd i am a Christian and still not offended.

Best way to get rid? hand out apples and raisins.

We used to go guising when I was a kid - maybe ages 4 to 12? round rural scottish villages and a bit into the countryside - normally someones parent would supervise a carload of kids: it was a social thing: you made or chose your own costumes, had a neep lantern. You'd have to have a 'piece' - dance, poem, song,or joke(some kids who played instruments also took them) and you certainly wouldnt get any sweets without it! uless you were vey tiny or shy. Some houses would get you to duck for apples or try and eat treacle pancakes on a string (very funny with facepaint.) I remember various elderly ladies would make a huge effort and you'd be quizzed about school and who you were related to etc... This sounds really sentimental and nostalgic and probably is but I do remember that it was a great night as kids... lots of anticipation and the thrill of being out at night. I dont remember tricks or vandalism on anyone except frightening other kids when you met them and certainly no asking for money

Mischief Night. Very very very old tradition oop North.

Everyone has taken my "menaces" comment very seriously!

I'm in Scotland and I don't allow trick or treating, as it is just wanting something for nothing.

I also insist that my dc or kids coming round the doors do guising instead. That means earning your treat with a joke or story or song and then the bairn has earned their sweeties.

My dc know all about trick or treating but know that we had the real halloween first not the gimme, gimme angle that the americans have bastardised it into.

They also fully understand that you have to earn your treats and not just expect to get by chapping on doors with buckets outstreched.