Hallowe'en - whats the etiquette! Help!

[sweetkitty]

Am stressing myself out about Hallowe'en this year, have always lived in flats with intercoms so easy to pretend I'm not in (not that any kids came a-calling).

Anyway have moved back to Scotland and we are living in very child friendly little cul de sac. What do I need to do for Hallowe'en, DD is only 15 months so won't be dressing her up or anything. Do people still take their kids round the neighbours for sweets etc?

Don't really fancy having kids I don't know traipsing through the house plus if they are dressed up they could freak DD out. Don't mind a few neighbours kids etc but don't want half the street. Also if you ignore the door do they egg your car/windows?

Round here we don't let them in, we just bung them some cheap sweets

Just buy a few big bags of little sweets/lollies etc and put it all in a large bowl, when the little ones come to the door just let them grab a handful - they love it!

Was reliably informed that as well as sweeites your expecetd to provide pound coins!!! Grasping little b*ggers, it wasn't like that when I was young . Am in a similar situation (moved from flat to a house this year) and am solving it by going to my parents house in the country for the evening!

We're in Scotland too and around here they call it 'guising' and it seems to have a longer tradition than the Americanised trick or treating. The children have to perform in some way for you before you reward them with sweets. Mostly it's telling jokes, but some of them sing songs and I have even had some magic tricks performed. Last year we had 6 girls of about 14 all dressed up in little black dresses performing 'Put A Spell On You'. So I think it's a nicer tradition up here. We also seem to have an unwritten rule in the village that only houses who have put up pumpkins in the window get calls.

I keep all the cr*p sweets from party bags throughout the year, put them in a pumpkin shaped basket and let T-or-Ters take a handful. Sometimes top it up with a box of celebrations (with all the nice ones taken out) if pickings have been poor over the year!

Will buy in some sweets etc for neighbours kids but don't want loads of kids I don't know calling from about 4pm till 8 or 9pm will drive me mad.

Wish I could go out for the night too (bah humbug!)

It's a really big thing where we live! The houses in the new estate don't just put out pumpkins - many also decorate round thir doors with Halloween type stuff. Kids go round in groups "guising" - and I certainly don't give them anything until they've done their bit! Last year people were giving out homemade tofee apples, bags of sweets, homemade tablet etc - one house gave Gluwein to the accompanying adults (liked that bit!) No money though.
It depends on individual houses whether they go in or not. I actually think it's good fun. But maybe if you don't put out a pumpkin no-one will bother you?

I remember it being a big thing in Scotland when I was younger, but then all you got was an apple and some monkey nuts!

Don't mind the neighbours little kids coming round dressed up but it's when you get older ones with a bin bag on their head that come round and ask for money!

I too buy some sweets, put them into a tin and let them dip in - I would never give money

Last year I bought my own monster outfit so that it was ME who scared THEM when I opened the door - didn't half have a laugh, can't wait for Monday night

Glad this has been posted, we are in a similar situation. I have thought about it all October and have decided that I really don't want to get involved with T or T! I have got a sign from the police and plan on putting it on the door, do you think this will mean kids (& parents) will respect this or will we get some tricks anyway?

Pootlepod, what does your sign from the police say?

good idea about dressing up and scaring the kids when u open the door!!

we always get kids with parents...it's our next droo but 4 's little boys birthday so we will get about 15 boys at some point.....she replaced my sweets last year as they wiped me out before anyone else came!!

Just been to look,

Sorry no trick or treat with a cartoon picture.

Just found it here

Thanks for this. Interesting, I'll see if West Midlands Police have one.

Here is the Hertfordshire one
no trick or treat

I'm totally amazed by this - is trick or treating a real problem where you live then? With us (admittedly small village) Halloween is a nice experience and would never have though about getting a police notice.

Usually we just make sure all the lights are off at the front of the house. Which is quite boring. And we have had eggs thrown anyway (the egg-throwers didn't bother to knock, they just came, egged the door, and left).

We get a lot of quite small children on their own earlier in the evening - but still after dark. Shan't be letting my dd off knocking on strangers doors in the dark when she is 7 or so!

Also get lots of kids who just stand there looking gormless when you open the door. I say "can I help you?" and they look embarassed and mumble "trick or treat" into their chests, and expect me to give them things.

Hate it, hate the whole idea. Can you imagine sending your kids around strangers' homes on any other day, to knock on the door and say "give me some sweets"? Just wierd.

I'm contemplating opening the door and saying "how lovely to see you! may I tell you about Jesus?" and seeing how fast they run.

I buy some choc bars and sweets and hand them to the kids.

Put a notice on your door that baby is in bed from such and such time please dont knock after that.

There's a picture of my monster outfit in Member Profiles if anyone's interested

Don't know if it's a problem as we are in a new area.

To me, the poster is a bit like signing up with the TPS or ticking the no junk mail boxes- I'm not interested but don't want to spoil fun for people that do want to do it IYSWIM.

Whassup with a bin bag over their heads? You can do a lot with a bin bag you know! It's all my kids are gonna get as their fancy dress!

at RRW it's when 14 year olds are dressed in a bin bag demanding money that annoys me.

I am in Scotland, it was a big thing when I was younger "Guising". I think it came from "Penny for the Guy" for Guy Fawlkes night. We lived in a culdesac and went round in groups. Invited into the hall or living room and were expected to perform jokes and songs. Some houses had lovely treats all laid out on the table.
I will get stuff in for anyone who has made an effort to dress up. Nothing for bin bags and hairy arsed 16yr olds .

Never had any bother even from the binbag wearers I knock back who normally try about a week early. I wouldn't consider a notice, seems a bit spoil sport. Maybe these are more for the elderly or those only with small babies who don't want to be bothered.