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Trick or treating

susie163

How do others feel about trick or treating? I'm asking because I find Halloween night really stressful but often get told that it is harmless fun for kids and that I am being a big meanie about it. I understand that many people love the whole trick or treating thing and positively encourage it by decorating their houses and gardens. But where I live children tend to knock on each and every door expecting sweets. Halloween night here is a night of strangers constantly knocking on my door and window. I live in a house facing the main street and have two choices: turn off all the lights and stay in the back garden all evening - yep, I've done that - or spend the evening as normal and either ignore the knocking or answer the door to some strangers demanding treats. Thing is the dogs go crazy at the knocking and open the curtains which exposes the kids to the sight of me quietly rocking whilst silently praying that they will go away!! My now almost an adult child told me today that I deprived him by not allowing him to go out trick or treating and that he still gets stick off his mates about his "wierd mum who would not let him go." As it is I feel guilty either way.Undecided

  • I've never been allowed to go trick or treating as a child as my parents didn't agree with the principle of basically issuing a threat to someone to get something that you want. To be honest, I didn't care that I wasn't allowed but my NT sister used to plead with my parents to be allowed to go.

    I made the mistake of posting my thoughts on Halloween on my own Facebook page and whilst some of the people on my friends list were quite interested in having a discussion about the festival, others pretty much told me to lighten up and not to be such a killjoy.

    I don't like festivities, they interrupt my routine and I get upset. Halloween is that much worse for me because I get very freaked out by masks and face paints and I simply put a note in our window saying 'Sorry, no trick or treat' and that seemed to stop the callers.

  • I have tried avoiding halloween in the past, but now just get stuck in. I get a large bag of cheep sweets, hang a piece of sheet over the hall light with eyes scribbled on in felt tip and this year made some cardboard bats. It was all over in an hour and a half, not so bad. It makes the local kids and their parents see you as friendly, which is no bad thing as kids can be quite unpleasant if they take a dislike to you for some reason.

    But Susie, if you really hate it, you could just take the dogs for a long walk.

  • Hate this whole season...screeching kids trick or treating and fireworks every night. I live in an urban enviroment so there are always some older youths causing trouble with their trick or treating, throwing eggs and toilet roll at homes or setting off fireworks on doorsteps. My elderly neighbor was beaten by a masked gang last year when he confronted them. The whole thing should be banned.

  • Dogman said:

    Firstly, I've got nothing against Americans as such but Halloween just wasn't celebrated when I was a kid. It is simply an American import. Forgive my cynicism when we start seeing Thanksgiving cards in the shops!

    I agree, Halloween in its current form is a piece of pure Americana designed to sell sweets and costumes. Further it is a debased form of the genuine religious "festival" of Samhain as practiced by adherants of Druidism and many other gnostic faiths in which sacrifice, traditionally of bread, beef and beer (or mead) is left outside the door of a home on this night to provide hospitality to, nourish and appease ancestor spirts during their anual incursion into the world. The costume and trick or treating is symbolic of this (ish) but whereas the roots of this spiritual practice have been forgotten by society, it only currently serves to glorify the monstrous, and ecourage the type of antisocial youth behaviour normally proscribed by society and interfers with the right of an (admittedly small) minority from properly observing one of the four major "holidays" of their faith.   

  • Firstly, I've got nothing against Americans as such but Halloween just wasn't celebrated when I was a kid. It is simply an American import. Forgive my cynicism when we start seeing Thanksgiving cards in the shops!

    Firstly, in my view, it is celebrating evil and, as someone who is somewhat religious, I am doubtful about it. However, my biggest complaint about it is that it is just another trick by the retail trade to get some more money out of us, when the more sensible amongst us are saving for Christmas.

    But, wait! Christmas has largely become a commercial festival and most people who tuck into their turkey don't even go to church. It would serve the retail trade their comeuppance if we all gave to charity and went to church instead!

  • I sympathise. Thankfully in my area the trick-or-treaters are all children, and they only knock on doors that have a pumpkin outside. But I take the attitude that if anyone tried to intimidate me or infringe upon my space, I will send them packing....phoning the police is an option if they don't get the message Laughing

  • I like kids so it is ok, but it can be stressful if it goes on too long.

    really though, unless you have a pumpkin in the window, their parents shouldn't let them knock on your door.

    can you talk to your neighbours? Or send a letter explaining?

    perhaps you could put a bowl of sweets outside your door and they could help themselves? Then you don't have to answer.

    sorry that you find it hard :(