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Original poster

Trick or treating in your neighbourhood

57 replies

EgSk · 04/10/2021 20:51

I’m from Canada but have been living in the U.K. for nearly 10 years now . This will be my oldest son’s first year trick or treating (if everything goes to plan) .

If you live in the U.K. , what is trick or treating like for you in your neighbourhood ?

I live just outside London in a residential area . My street is quiet Halloween night and I only get a few kids come to my door, even though we live in a family neighbourhood. Is that the norm?

OP posts:
Angel2702 · 04/10/2021 21:16

People tend to go to the streets with the most decorations. Although saying that we live on a very quiet back road and still always run out of sweets. Even buying the giant buckets from Costco we still never have enough.

Treeshedgesponds · 04/10/2021 21:26

I think the done thing is to go to houses that have pumpkins in the window / obvious decorations and not to any others? That's what we've always done anyway!

Idontlike · 04/10/2021 21:29

Yes only got to houses with pumpkins and/or decorations.
We usually have loads of decorations out and get quite a few callers but it’s all over by about 8pm.

Spikeyplants · 04/10/2021 21:39

I grew up abroad where Halloween was seen as an American thing and rarely a done thing there. I was therefore surprised when I moved to the UK, to see so much rubbish halloween tat and sweets available to buy!

I lived in central London for 17yrs and not once had anyone ring the bell on Halloween. I now live in a quiet village in the Sth East and our entire street only have 2 houses which have pumpkins in their garden. Last year I never saw any children going house to house, so maybe it isn't popular here either?

HalzTangz · 04/10/2021 21:40

We get hardly anyone which I'm glad off.

I have dogs who stress out with people walking up the garden path to knock the door.

I think personally it should be scrapped altogether, it's basically taking kids to beg for sweets from strangers

Kite22 · 04/10/2021 21:46

A lot of people don't like it.
Don't go to houses that don't "invite you" to knock and disturb them with begging.
Generally I understand that would be houses that have decorated themselves.

GroggyLegs · 04/10/2021 21:48

Last year was awesome - people who wanted to get involved put a bowl of sweets or a pumpkin with lollipops stuck in on the end of the drive - no knocking, no fuss. Great fun for the kids & minimal disturbance - we shall do the same this year.

Tends to be quiet roads & cul-de-sacs with lots of families who make an effort round here

Sweetener12 · 06/10/2021 05:58

There are many people who don't like it so it's kind of an unspoken rule that you only go to houses with decorations or pumpkins. Works fine for us.

RuggerHug · 07/10/2021 22:11

Irish here and since we invented it, the modern rule is only go where decorations or a pumpkin/candle is out. Enjoy Grin

Original poster
EgSk · 08/10/2021 06:59

Halloween is bigger in Canada I think . It’s uncommon for houses to opt out of it, or at least it was in my old neighbourhoods. It can get expensive for some people. I had someone post of socia media about stocking up early on Halloween candy because it costs her $300+. ( that’s £175). Her street is a busy one though .

I love Halloween myself so I’m excited for it all 😝

OP posts:
bloodywhitecat · 08/10/2021 07:02

We get no-one come here at all, but we are one of just 4 houses in our lane and none of the children who live here are older than 2.

Isthisjustnormal · 08/10/2021 07:10

It is a strange one in Uk. There is a lot of rejection as an American import (more than religious concerns IMO) and it’s still a relatively new tradition in England at least:guising has a long tradition in Scotland for example.

We decorate the house and live in an area that is traditionally quite popular with American immigrants, and there are always lots of cute dressed up kids around on Halloween here. We often get queues! As others have said, only knock at houses with decorations/pumpkins and you should be fine. Some areas get into it, others less so (I know a few families who travel (not far!) into our area to T&T for example

stayathomer · 08/10/2021 07:11

In Ireland and anything goes! Very few decorations anywhere near here (although our neighbours are amazing!!) But everyone says they love Halloween and are thrilled to see any kids. We used to live in a huge estate (not many houses decorated though) and our record was 22 people at one door opening, we had to buy insane amounts of sweets!! I think people go to the places that are easier because of footpaths etc, our road is very dangerous so there's not many out

stayathomer · 08/10/2021 07:14

And please don't only go to the houses that are decorated with Halloween decorations because older people don't decorate and some of them absolutely love seeing children at the door. You knock once and if they don't answer then you move away obviously so you're not bothering anyone but a lot of people will be thrilled to seek kids, especially this year!

AnkleDeep · 08/10/2021 07:29

We don't really get them in our village. A few house put up decorations or a pumpkin but most ignore it.

AnkleDeep · 08/10/2021 07:43

@stayathomer

And please don't only go to the houses that are decorated with Halloween decorations because older people don't decorate and some of them absolutely love seeing children at the door. You knock once and if they don't answer then you move away obviously so you're not bothering anyone but a lot of people will be thrilled to seek kids, especially this year!
Please don't do this.

People don't want to be getting up and down all night as each group "Just knocks once". If people want you to call they will put a decoration in the window or by the door.

Pythonista · 08/10/2021 08:01

@stayathomer

And please don't only go to the houses that are decorated with Halloween decorations because older people don't decorate and some of them absolutely love seeing children at the door. You knock once and if they don't answer then you move away obviously so you're not bothering anyone but a lot of people will be thrilled to seek kids, especially this year!
Sorry but this is bad advice. If people don't decorate, please leave them alone. If you know them and know they will like it then fine. But not strangers. A lot of people don't want to be involved and certainly not having hoards of kids 'knocking once' all bloody evening.

For some people it can actually be quite distressing.

However if you do decide to do this, your children may learn all sorts of new words...

Pythonista · 08/10/2021 08:03

@stayathomer

In Ireland and anything goes! Very few decorations anywhere near here (although our neighbours are amazing!!) But everyone says they love Halloween and are thrilled to see any kids. We used to live in a huge estate (not many houses decorated though) and our record was 22 people at one door opening, we had to buy insane amounts of sweets!! I think people go to the places that are easier because of footpaths etc, our road is very dangerous so there's not many out
The Op is in London not Ireland so it makes sense to follow local tradition rather than bothering everyone regardless
00100001 · 08/10/2021 08:04

Standard unwritten rule is you go to decorated houses.

We never did it with DS17 didn't like the premise

00100001 · 08/10/2021 08:06

@stayathomer

And please don't only go to the houses that are decorated with Halloween decorations because older people don't decorate and some of them absolutely love seeing children at the door. You knock once and if they don't answer then you move away obviously so you're not bothering anyone but a lot of people will be thrilled to seek kids, especially this year!
What shit advice.

As if some 83 year old wants people knocking on their door all night?

My aunt is disabled, and was fucking terrified a couple of years ago form all the knocking,she phoned me and the police. I went over to keep her company.

Pythonista · 08/10/2021 08:08

Just because people are 'older', it doesn't mean they are thrilled at the concept of lots of children turning up all through the evening.

If you must take your children begging round the neighbourhood, confine it to people who you know won't mind

WTF475878237NC · 08/10/2021 08:15

Absolutely just go to the houses with pumpkins or other decorations that signal an invite.

Because of COVID I put a pumpkin in the window and wrapped sweets on the drive. I'll do the same this year.

Much better for the one old person who hoped to see someone to miss out and save the twenty others who were nervous about it all day from added stress. No pumpkin no play.

TheSpiral · 08/10/2021 08:20

When we lived in London we didn’t get any trick or treaters. It seemed more about people in their 20s going to fancy dress parties.
Now in a town in Essex, I would say we generally get 8 to 12 groups, and maybe four or five houses on our road have pumpkins. A few roads up nearer the school a bigger proportion of houses have pumpkins and there are a lot more groups.
I will be surprised to see trick or treaters this year though. I had assumed there wouldn’t be any.
Definitely only go to the be-pumpkined houses.

stayathomer · 08/10/2021 08:45

Just because people are 'older', it doesn't mean they are thrilled at the concept of lots of children turning up all through the evening
My aunts and uncles, my grannies when they were alive, our neighbours, our mil's neighbours all have said over the years they were thrilled they had more children in the area at Halloween and I've heard so many people express disappointment that nobody turned up. Different strokes for different folks of course, I know others that hope people wont knock but I don't know anybody bar people with young kids that decorate their houses

WTF475878237NC · 08/10/2021 08:49

stayathomer

I agree in years gone by. But they probably didn't have teenagers turning up and filming egging the house for Instagram!