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Original poster

Trick or Treating - A bit of fun or a pain in the arse?!

82 replies

Lynne33 · 30/10/2002 10:29

Hello again - can't seem to stop posting at the moment!!

Anyway, without wanting to insult our American Mumsnetters, does anyone detest Trick or Treating like I do?! Every year we get bombarded with kids (some are teenagers), knocking on our door and demanding sweets (and in some cases money) or else!! One year I just didn't bother going to the door as they rang when my kiddies where in the bath and the next morning my car was covered in flour and eggs. (Worse things have happened to my neighbours like getting their cars scratched down the side with a key!!) I am not a killjoy, but I don't like to feel threatened in my own house. I don't live in a particularly nice area, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Also, 9 times out of 10 the children are on there own without an adult in sight. There is no way, my two are going to do it when they grow up. It was unheard of when I was a kid.

We are having a little party with Halloween pumpkins, and scary games, apple bobbing and stuff. So I have got nothing against the day per say (sp?), I just HATE Trick or Treating. What do you all think?

OP posts:
Bozza · 30/10/2002 10:56

I suppose in answer to your question in the title really it is both. Its a real nuiscance - where we live we get loads of kids round and you just can't get on with anything in the evening (they interupt tea, trying to settle DS etc). The first year we moved here I naively didn't realise and so had nothing to give them and it was a real pain so we sat there and ignored the door. Only got silly string sprayed around so not too bad. Last year I bought in a good supply but it soon started to disappear. This year I've just bought a tin of Asda version of Quality Street and in case they run out a small tub of Miniature Heros. I'm going to make certain they don't run out and DH and I can have the choccie....

I'm going to try and keep DS out of the scene for as long as possible but I can see peer pressure eventually.

Catt · 30/10/2002 11:05

The thing is, if the kids were pleasant and good sports, I might actually enjoy saying hi and giving them some chocs or whatever. But they're usually sullen looking and they just grunt monosyllabically. They don't even look as if they're having fun. You feel like saying, Cheer up or you'll definitely scare the life out of people...

Jaybee · 30/10/2002 11:09

Our street gets well into it and the kids love it - scary music, pumpkins, the lot. We have a deal though that people who want to answer the door either decorate their door or have a Jack-o-lantern in their window - those with nothing get left alone. Only kids with parents get anything which tends to exclude the teenagers. I suppose that we have the advantage of living in a small town where there is little trouble.

bettys · 30/10/2002 11:12

I'm going to ds's Hallowe'en party and am looking forward to dressing up as a witch, but I do resent the grabbing, materialistic nature of some of the trick or treaters. It didn't exist when I was a child, and seems to have become bigger than Guy Fawkes' Night. No one seems to make guys any more. At least then children had to put some effort into the guy to get pennies.

Bozza · 30/10/2002 11:13

The little ones who're out with their mums are sometimes OK. Either really shy clinging round the knee types or really excited because they know that really they should be in the bath by now. But the older ones are generally grunters as described by Catt.

When I was in America I took the kids I was au pairing trick or treating and some of the older people who couldn't be bothered to answer the door just left a bowl of sweets on the step with a sign to help yourself. Now I don't live in that good an area....can't believe that the first ones round wouldn't swipe the lot.

CP · 30/10/2002 12:40

Hmm, I am dreading it! Coming from SOuth Africa, my first reaction to trick or treating was 'WHAT??' - we never did anything like that there. Since then the only trick or treaters I have encountered must be the same ones who visit Catt. This year I am going to stick a note on the door to ask them not to disturb as there is a tiny ghost/goul trying to sleep upstairs. Thought about putting chocs etc outside but I am sure the first lot there will take all, anyway, sweets are bad for their teeth! (That's my excuse and I am sticking to it!)

Scatterbrain · 30/10/2002 12:49

I hate it too !! It's just so commercial and grasping !

We won't be answering the door - last year I relented and bought some funsize chocs but the little b***s said "no thanks - we want money !"

I actually feel very strongly about this - it's encouraging kids to demand money with menaces and I know of one old lady who collapsed with a heart attack last year as a direct result !

CP · 30/10/2002 13:03

Oh my God - how appalling! Don't you just wish we could go back to times when the real reason for festivities (whatever they may be) was special and not a reason to make money? I don't even know the story behind halloween - do you think those rude little so and so's who demanded money do? I bet not!!! Mercenary little buggers. Sorry - perhaps a bit over the top, I have just had to write an emotional email to a friend... We are actually having a 'halloween dinner' on Saturday night but are serving turkey instead of pumpkin. Of course on Christmas we will be doing bangers and mash!!

Daffy · 30/10/2002 13:24

If we all feel strongly about Halloween and what a pain in the butt it is, shouldn't we try and alter things. Like not letting our own children out. My eldest ds is nearly 8 and so wants to go out trick or treating. I have never let him as I don't agree with it. He went to a fancy dress party earlier on it the week, and then he will dress up again on the night to answer the door to others and give out only sweets and when they have gone there is nothing else. We stop answering the door after about 6:30pm as that is the time my other ds goes to bed. This is a bad time of year in my opinion and I dread it every year. What with fireworks being let off, then trick or treating and then as if that isn't enough there's the drawling of 'we wish you a merry christmas' from the end of November onwards. Bah humbug!!!!!!!

Original poster
Lynne33 · 30/10/2002 16:31

Daffy, I agree; in someways I hate this time of year. First it's the mini-thugs doing trick or treating, then from about mid-October 'til the end of the year it seems, people are letting off incredibly loud fireworks (we're do they get them from?), then it's ruddy little buggars doing carol-singing. I remember one year, my husband was treated to one line of 'We wish you a Merry Christmas' and when he gave them some money they looked at it and went 'Huh, it's only a pound'. Little sh*ts!!

God, I sound like I have got a right downer on enjoying yourself, but it's not that, it's just I hate being pressurised into handing over money/sweets to complete strangers, and having my doorbell constantly ringing all evening when my two are trying to go to sleep.

OP posts:
WideWebWitch · 30/10/2002 16:39

Pain in the arse, definitely.

Xanthe · 30/10/2002 18:13

Scatterbrain - you took the words right out of my mouth, it's definitely demanding money with menaces. Last year the neighbours on either side of me had eggs thrown at their doors and windows, which is really difficult to clean off when it's dried. I myself loathe the custom so much, I turn the lights off and disappear into the kitchen if the doorbell rings. So if I feel like that with a husband around, what must it be like for people on their own, especially the elderly.

I will certainly not let my children do it as they get older, although I realise peer pressure can be immense. I will just try and persuade them there are better things they can do with their time. Roll on November 1st!!

bundle · 30/10/2002 18:21

cute if the kids are little enough and with controlling parent. otherwise complete pain in the arse.

hmb · 30/10/2002 18:23

We didn't go trick or treating when I was a child in South Wales. But we did go out on hallowen, dressed as ghosts etc and would call on door asking 'Please will you help Marie Lloyd', and got a few coins for our trouble. No question of threats if you didn't get anything. I have no idea where this came from, but my father, who was born in the 1920s also did it. Anyone know more about this?

LIZS · 30/10/2002 19:15

Help! We've agreed to participate in a neighbourhood trick or treat scheme with specific addresses named. It turns out there could be up to 70 kids coming during the specified hour although it won't be possible for all the kids to visit everywhere.

We're novices at this so my question is what will they be expecting to receive? Will pick and mix style sweets suffice?

Lizs

maryz · 30/10/2002 20:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

emsiewill · 30/10/2002 21:29

This is a biiiiig hate of mine. Definitely a pain in the arse. I just turn off the lights and refuse to answer the door. Luckily, where we live is not really a residential area - main road with shops on one side and lots of doctors, dentists, guest houses mixed in with "real" houses. This means we don't get many of them, and also a perfect excuse for my 2 not to go out doing it.
I also hate with a vengance the "Carol singers" who mutter "we wish you a merry Christmas" and then look expectant. I always make a point of asking them which charity they are collecting for. Makes me feel a bit better to watch them squirm (although a lot of them don't seem to care)

Rhubarb · 30/10/2002 22:02

I have just finished a driving lesson and there were kids all over the roads, dressed in dark witch clothing, with no adult to accompany them. On more than one occasion my instructor had to brake for me as I didn't see them! So parents, if you are to let your kids out please make sure they wear a protective strip or something!

Also last year we had a group of quite old teenagers knocking at the door, dressed in anoraks with their hoods up. I sent them away empty-handed but the very sight of them was intimidating, I was just glad that I wasn't an OAP or someone vulnerable.

So all in all I am against it. Some kids have made an effort and you can see an adult with them, which is fine and I save sweets for those, but others are just nuisances. I really don't think kids should be sent from door to door anyway asking for money or sweets, it's a bit irresponsible.

Clarinet60 · 30/10/2002 22:37

No other houses in the country lane where I live, so I get out of it, hurrayyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!
Pain in the arse.

helenmc · 30/10/2002 22:52

I want to live next to you Droile. I hate it - its bribery I give into. I got some horrible cheap sweets lsat year - so hopefully they'll remember nd not bother to come round this year. Whereas I'm really looking forward to the Halloween party tomorrow and the bonfire party next week.

Glee · 30/10/2002 22:59

Don't worry I'm not insulted..... Like Bozza, I think it is a bit of both. Where we live people only come to your house if you have a lit jack o lantern out and no one bothers you if it is obvious you don't welcome trick or treaters. I live on a street where very few houses put out jack o lanterns so I don't get many trick or treaters since it looks so unpromising on our street. I only leave the jack o lantern out until 7:30 or 8:00 and then I bring it in and turn out the lights. I have to say no one ever has rung our bell after I've brought the pumpkin in and no one has ever egged our property either. It must be a British thing, because I have never had any one ask for money!!! I'm usually worried I will run out of candy when a large group of kids who look like they don't live in the neighborhood are on the doorstep, so I buy way more candy than I need and am forced to finish all those Snickers and Kit Kat bars off myself!

monkey · 31/10/2002 08:31

I really object to it too. There is no way, peer presure or not, that any of my children will take part in this hideous activity.

I too will have the house darkened and will have to work out how to disconnect the doorbell. When do they come round anyway?

Bozza · 31/10/2002 09:17

I've ordered my shopping for this evening. How stupid is that? Now I am forced to answer the door....

VJR · 31/10/2002 09:53

I am taking my almost 5yr old DS and his friend trick or treating for the first time tonight. We live in a resedential area with lots of kids about and a real family atmosphere. We spent the last couple of days hollowing out pumpkins and thinking of ideas for costumes and he woke up at 6 this morning (not so good) so excited you would have thought it was Christmas. Is this really such a bad thing? I know that it can become a real pain and that older kids are just plain greedy but for the little ones isn't is just a bit of fun and the excuse to get a few sweeties?

allatsea · 31/10/2002 10:00

I'm with you Lynne33, it seems like an 'imported' tradition. I don't mind as much if the kids have made a bit of an effort with a costume etc, but more often than not it's teenagers after something for free. I'm dreading it this evening as dh is away, which leaves me home alone with dd