To think that it is cruel not to allow your children to go trick or treating?

[treatortrick]

And mean not to open the door to trick or treaters?

Friend has told her children that they cannot go trick or treating as it is begging.

She has also said she will not be opening the door to anyone who comes calling.

Her children are missing out and IMO this is cruel.

And as for thuggish teens So far I've opened the door to a small pink witch with both parents (I assume) and a little female vampire with 2 big sisters. And they only knocked because we had 3 pumpins outside.

And as Peachy if we live in a 'polite' area

YABU

We don't open the door and our kids haven't gone T and T though tonight we have allowed DS1 to go to a party where they will go to some prearranged houses as it is the only party he has been invited too for ages and he really really wanted to go.

It isn't really your business what she does. And it is hardly missing out. Missing out is no presents on Christmas day when everyone else has one, shoes that don't fit, clothes that are worn out, no decent food.

What's weird about teaching kids that people can sometimes be friendly and generous? So long as the trick or treaters follow a basic rules there's nothing wrong with it.

I'm hoping for more as I've 2 bags of sweets lefts, and have made pumpkin soup, pumpkin muffins, gingerbread Halloween shapes and toffee apple muffins.

If we don't get any more I may be forced to eat the rest myself. An unpleasant task of course but I'll do it if I must.

Strange first (and only) post. Isn't it a bit late for a T or T-ing article in the paper?

Another vote for YABU. I don't like it and will not be giving sweets. If asked "trick or treat?" my answer is "neither" and the door is shut again.

I have no problem with pagan (or any other) festival, but this isn't celebrating anything. It's just begging for sweets and annoying people who are trying to watch Strictly Come Dancing in peace!

The kidsa re abck grinning and sated

They went to (accompanied by DH) friends houses, the friends will be ehre after dinner

Someone please tell me how that is begging, in any way aligned to people throwing fireworks,wrong or in any way harmful?

A kind bloke stopped them and gavce them coins (they do look good becuase they had costumes made for them for a theatre tings last year- vampires with properlace frills, satin lined capes etc).

People should be given ways like this of doing it nicely, far more productive than being a killjoy imvho.

Mum lives near orm and hands out sweets to 100 or so kids tonight with glee. They would miss it if it stopped.

Oh lord - have just had one little boy at the door shouting to his father (at gate) ITS UNWRAPPED DADDY ITS UNWRAPPED! (I'm giving out (wrapped) M&S choc bars and (unwrapped) M&S ghost marshmallows...whilst my DH takes our two round

now I'm presumably the neighbourhood poisoner

Letthereberock sounds fab can I come round and help you please?

It's been a busy old night here - just had to make up some extra bags with some sweets that have been lying around the house for a while...

at Orm

Polite?I ahve a vocab of swear words I positively cherish from living there

Mind won't all the Dads 9and a fair few of the mums) be 'up down float' ((as I am often laughed at for saying now I am away from dialect territory) tonight, not long to go you know (mine are on at your parade btw, wave to the ones on seahorses)

"I think it depends on where you live as well as personal choice."

I live in a nice area on a new-build development & we still get loads of teenagers knocking every year. The whole development goes round in a circle, with lots of little cul-de-sacs off of it so it is the prime place for T or T's. I wouldn't mind so much if it were young kids with parents as they are actually only after a few sweets, but the teenagers expect cash!! And sadly, I can't see who's at my door until I open it, so can't even cherry pick who I answer the door to, so easier not to answer it at all.

Last year, one group of teenagers even had the cheek to take my "No Trick or Treaters Thank You" sticker off my door, stick it on the front of my gas meter cupboard & then ring the bell!! What did they think I was going to give them FFS??!! All they did get was an earful me telling them that the sticker was there for a reason!!

You'd be most welcome. I do need some help with the leftovers.

PS - hate Strictly but as soon as Porridge starts there will be no more answering the door. some things must be respected.

i think it is a very nice opportunity for people to get to know each other.

wrapped sweets is good to stop them being eaten immediately. i think we've still got some from 2007.

atm my lights are all out so it looks like no one is at home. I can't be bothered answering the door, I know I know, I'm like an old bat but there you go, at least I'm honest about it!

DS is too young to go 'tricking or treating' or guising (the real term) so will wait til he is in school before starting all that malark.
YABU

YABU.

Mine will not be going T or Ting and more to the point they don't want to. In fact DS2 seems to be frightened by it all - he is 6. DS1 couldn't care less and doesn't get the point at all.

It isn't even a topic of conversation that comes up. I don't want them to go but they don't want to go either and don't ask. If previous years are anything to go by we won't even get a knock on the door (we are tucked away in a corner of a cul-de-sac and everybody else in the road is older or have no children).

It would be cruel to make them dress up and go to other people's houses asking for stuff when they don't want to because some people think this is 'fun'.

And yes it is begging.

Op I agree with your friend. it's a really horrible thing, just like begging. I have told my kids they're not doing it this year as i hate it.

Niecie, how is it begging the way we do it? I just don't het it.We go certain friends (about 5 houses), they copme here a bit later.

What's the problem?

no, children aren't missing out if they don't go trick or treating. DH never went guising as a child so he is so bloody deprived it is unreal

it has two great big huge benefits though. children getting an opportunity to dress up. people realising there is life outside their own home.

It is not begging provided the pumpkin rule is adhered to.

Lol at common.

We live on the border of one of the biggest coucil estates in Essex and the t/t's are lovely. Loads of people have decorations out, people saying hello to each other, kids having fun, nobody is bothering the people without pumpkins.

I think I would rather be here with the commoners than with you lot and your 'leave the strangers alone' ideas.

It is personal choice at the end of the day. I don't agree with Trick or Treating, therefore my kids don't do it, yet if they really wanted to, it would only be on pre-arranged visits to family members or close friends. I wouldn't even let them bother my neighbours (unless of course, they were really good friends & had agreed to it). I wouldn't assume that just because my neighbours might vaguely know my kids, that they don't mind being bothered by them & god knows how many others all in one evening.

I also feel that if you want to let your kids do it, that is up to you, but if someone has a notice on their door or chooses not to answer the door, this should be respected. To those of you who do respect that, then great, but sadly not everyone does. Not everyone wants to be bugged by their doorbell ringing numerous times in one evening.

We have no pumpkin on show (still in it's carrier bag) yet we've had several people knocking on the door (turned door bell off).

I have never had a pumpkin outside my house & still get bugged, with or without the sticker on my door!!

And the underlying 'oh my god children begging for SWEETS, how awfully common' theme on this thread is so snobby its not even true