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.

Those of you who go trick or treating with your children, I would like to ask: what do you do re tricking if there is no treat to be had?

And I wonder how many of you will be having fireworks next week and bothering those strangers who are trying to get their children to sleep

DD tells a lovely knock knock joke

oh crap I've left the pumpkin out on the doorstep (unlit) meant to chuck it in the bin!It was in the house for the past few days but it was starting to stink so I chucked it outside this morning. Don't want to chance going outside incase I get spotted at the front door

Dg we'd get ds2 to tell a joke.I promise, his are so bad (and rarely make sense) that it is a punishment beyond any egging

A few years ago MIL had someone set fire to her bush. Try keeping a straight face when someone complains about that LOL.

God, there are a load of miserable sods on MN.

YABU.
Mine are at home, quite happy.
They've never been or want to go out. trick or treating.
We do not do fireworks either.
Anyone knocking at my door will get short shrift (especially when the X factor starts)
I think the whole thing is tacky and a very claever marketing ploy by the big supermarkets.

VampireSoupandPeachyPie - going to prearranged houses is OK I suppose. Going from door to door isn't imvho.

Anyway, why are you asking me? I'm not the only one who said it was begging.

peachy - I shall look out for them.

We are in luxury this year. Watching it from the window of the old Prontaprint shop in Monmouth St. No more standing about getting cold and bored, no more hefting stepladders for the kids. Bliss!

Tis true, not everyone believes in the tradition of Halowe'en. In the past I've asked the children at the door what they plan to do, because most of them just stand there say 'happy halloween!' and just expect a treat. DH and myself said 'well, what are you going to sing for us then?'. So they sang a song THEN they got a bag of sweeties.

It's just a bit grabby to stand there and expect sweets for nothing.

And let's get things into perspective- CRUEL is when children are abused, not told NO!!!

It is not miserable to not trick or treat! It IS miserable to have your house egged or to have people you don't know thundering on your door after dark.

Get a grip!

Trick or treating is NOT a tradition in this country and those of us who don't follow it, are NOT miserable.

I have an almost 6 year old with Autism & a 13 month old baby, both of whom I don't want woken up by people knocking on my door throughout the evening as god knows when I'll be able to get them back to sleep. I am also trying to get mine & DH's dinner sorted before X-Factor starts at 8pm, so if that makes me miserable........oh well !!!!

hear hear Dumbledoresgirl!!! It's not a tradition in the UK, has come from America - shock horror

Don't follow it, no worries but to criticise people who do sounds very Victor Meldrew. It is a bit of fun, end of.

I don't give a flying f*ck where it comes from. WHen carried out in a spirit of gentle mischeif and generosity it's lovely.

Put a big sign on your front door stating that you aren't inviting Trick or Treaters. Likewise at Christmas do the same for Carol Singers.

Oh look out for us then Orm, that's where we watch it (normally in the stands, but this year not as ds4 wriggles andscreams to run if out of his buggy). Boys (ds2 / ds3) on gennir trailer. Watch out for gemini; BIL on it and I ahev to say, its an incredible float

It's a tradition here in Scotland. It has just been known by another name. And last time I checked we were part of the U.K.

no I shan't be having fireworks (nor sadly will I be able to take DS1 and 2 out to see any - but that's another thread).

I wll however open the door to the Carol Singers in December.

And I don't want a song from them or a bad joke. Just take the candy say thankyou and leave please.

this the same every year on mn.
it depends on where you live and people attitude towards halloween. we do all enjoy halloween, i went out with my 4 and 2yr old dc at about 5.30 and loads of the neigbours where all dressed up, its nice to see grown ups in costume too. some of them were people we hardly see, jst see them drive pass normal day. but its nice to see young children see strangers can be friendly and generious passing sweets, and pennies. someone was asking penny or sweet, little kid said sweet please
all kids were dressed up, face painted made they own efford.
i just dont understand why there is so many ranty posts all the time.

dumbledoresgirl to answer your question, when I take the dcs out trick or treating, when there are no "treats" the children have to say "well happy halloween anyway" and go on their way.

We did it as children so when people say it has spread recently from America I disagree. Like the majority of commercial holidays, the USA tend to go OTT and I agree that the commercialism of Halloween is ridiculous but you don't have to buy into it if you don't want to.

One night in the year where kids have a great time getting dressed up and going out knocking on houses (where they most probably know the people living there) for a few sweets and there are people moaning about it makes me laugh. Get a grip!