SO....HALLOWEEN TODAY

**Rick** · 31-10-2014, 07:37 AM

What are your thoughts on Halloween night?

Do you like the idea of children dressing up and knocking doors at night?

What are the children like in your area at Halloween? Are they respectful children who come along with their parents or rude children who throw a sheet over their head, shout boo and grab the treats?

Do your children trick or treat?

**Mindful Mama** · 31-10-2014, 07:51 AM

I love Haloween and I think it is sad that we don't embrace the fun in this country and become all "bah humbug" about it.

I wouldn't let minded children trick or treat as clearly that is a safeguarding issue and many parents would be against it (none of my mindees are old enough anyway) but will let my son when he is older providing he is accompanied by an adult.

I live in a rough inner city area but even despite this Halloween is never too bad round here, the kids are always mostly polite and with parents (except the odd teenager who seems to think they should have sweets too) :-)

**shortstuff** · 31-10-2014, 08:04 AM

Sorry but im a humbug about it

I love that children dress up and join in together but would rather it was at a party or similar.

To be fair the children round here are lovely and Ive never had a bad trick carried out in my direction, or seen one.

My DS doesnt go out and at nearly 8 this is the 1st time hes ever mentioned it.

**FussyElmo** · 31-10-2014, 08:20 AM

I have in theory no issues with Halloween - my children will dress up and greet the children at the door to give out sweets BUT they have never been trick or treating.

I also feel sorry for the elderly/frail who will have their door knocked on all night.

And forgiveme but in fear of sounding like Citizen Bunyip I do think its becoming a commercial lets make lots of money celebration

**hectors house** · 31-10-2014, 08:30 AM

My children have always dressed up and gone trick or treating with us with them, we have always had green jelly with jelly worms in, we have always had a witch themed cake and halloween themed games - that's the perks of it's being eldest daughter's birthday! Seeing her later, don't think she will want to go trick or treating as a) she has a nasty cough and b) she's 29 Today. So Happy Halloween to everyone and Happy Birthday to Emma.

Will be leaving a basket of sweets on the doorstep for any trick or treaters we do get - so we can eat our birthday takeaway in peace - but not many come up our road and it's mostly OAP bungalows.

**loocyloo** · 31-10-2014, 08:53 AM

I never 'did' Halloween as a child as my mum didn't like it plus despite living in a big town, we lived on a busy road away from other houses so never got trick or treaters.
Once my children were around we would have treats at the door and my children would visit pre-arranged houses.
We moved and the world and his wife came to the door starting at about 3pm! For the last couple of years we've gone to a Halloween party at a local museum and I prefer that. Halloween has just got so commercialised now that the true meaning has gone.
I've been doing Halloween crafts all week and today we'll also make some spooky cakes for tea.
Xxx

**JCrakers** · 31-10-2014, 09:11 AM

Done Halloween for 12years. Decked out the front porch with spiders, skeletons etc and then spent 3hours answering the door every 2 mins or we would go out with the children knocking.

We have a lot of trick or treaters round here (possibly 200+ kids) Last year we didn't decorate the house and sat indoors as I just wanted to finish work at 6pm and have my tea. DS didn't go out as he's too old and dd was 11 and went to a Halloween party.

This year we're doing the same...no decorations, lights out, dd is out with friends

It all gets too much after a while and I am 'Bah Humbug' now

**Ripeberry** · 31-10-2014, 09:44 AM

I've always done Halloween on our estate, but the actions of a few caused trouble last year. Some teenagers in the street decided last year to keep ringing doorbells for sweets (they are 19!!), they were also drunk and pinched all the pumpkins around the estate to smash them on the main road. So this year I'm NOT going to be in. My kids are going to a party from 4 until 8pm in another village, so I'm going out to see a film until I need to collect them. I will be taping up my letterbox though.
Angry that older kids end up spoiling it for the younger ones

**Mouse** · 31-10-2014, 09:50 AM

When I was young my grandparents lived in an area where there were a lot of American families living. Halloween was a big thing there, but unheard of in the village where we lived. We loved going round the houses and looking at all the decorations, but we never went trick or treating.

My children did go trick or treating when they were younger. We'd take them to friends' houses or houses that had decorations up.

I always buy sweets in for any children we get calling here. I also put a pumpkin in the window so the kids know they can call here. We get a mix of people calling. Early in the evening we get the younger children coming. They're just so excited! Later on we get the older kids calling. Most are pretty well mannered, but some are downright rude. I think the worst we had last year was one dad who was drinking from a can of beer when he brought his kids to the door. He had about 7 kids with him and I told them they could take one packet of sweets each from the bowl, which they did. One child was in a pushchair and I was going to hand her a packet, but he stuck his hand in the bowl and grabbed a handful. I grabbed his wrist, told him to put them back and not be so greedy. He swore at me, so I told him to clear off! Rude man! I know the family & I'm sure they'll call again tonight, so I'll make sure I hand the sweets to them myself

**AgentTink** · 31-10-2014, 10:15 AM

I love Halloween and always throw my daughter and her friends a Halloween party in the day. I am just about ready for today's party. ..14 5 year olds and I can't wait. However when it comes to trick or treaters the first hour 5 to 6 is normally fine but after that it is ****** kids who have put no effort in and just expect to take fist fulls of sweets and they are just rude. Last year we went out for tea all dressed up and it was great fun so we will be doing the same this year. Such a shame as I always loved trick or treating but it is just not the same with the older kids spoiling it.

**AgentTink** · 31-10-2014, 10:16 AM

The stars above should have said older kids.

**bunyip** · 31-10-2014, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by FussyElmo

I have in theory no issues with Halloween - my children will dress up and greet the children at the door to give out sweets BUT they have never been trick or treating.

I also feel sorry for the elderly/frail who will have their door knocked on all night.

And forgiveme but in fear of sounding like Citizen Bunyip I do think its becoming a commercial lets make lots of money celebration

I hate to disagree, but I just think it's becoming a commercial let's make lots of money celebration..........oh........er.......I'm gonna have to find someone more disagreeable to disagree with, aren't I?

I do feel a bit sorry for those poor Pagans. First they get Samhain ripped off by the Christians, then it gets stolen by all the Chinese plastics companies flogging their child-labour-produced tat through the whole of October. And for what? To support the safeguarding nightmare that involves children demanding money and tooth-rot with menaces from old ladies, knocking on the door of the neighbourhood equivalent of Family Guy's Herbert (look it up), committing the occasional act of criminal damage then off home to launch fireworks at Bunyip Towers in the annual attempt to melt the panels on my polypropolene greenhouse.

P.S. I still prefer it to Christmas.

**Mindful Mama** · 31-10-2014, 12:48 PM

We live in a capitalist consumer society. EVERYTHING is about making money. No need to single out Halloween or Christmas. The way I see it is you can either have a laugh and enjoy it anyway or bitterly moan in the corner.. unfortunately things arnt going to change any time soon..

I used to hate commercial holidays.. I am a lot happier when I accepted things were not going to change and embraced the nonscence :-)

**Mouse** · 31-10-2014, 12:58 PM

I can cope with the commercialisation of Christmas, Easter and Halloween. I'm not religious so to me Christmas is about presents and Easter is about chocolate!

The ones I don't like are Mother's Day, Valentine's Day and even worse, the newly introduced Grandparents' Day! That hasn't even come from tradition and is a truly commercial lets make lots of money celebration

**JCrakers** · 31-10-2014, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by Mindful Mama

We live in a capitalist consumer society. EVERYTHING is about making money. No need to single out Halloween or Christmas. The way I see it is you can either have a laugh and enjoy it anyway or bitterly moan in the corner.. unfortunately things arnt going to change any time soon..

I used to hate commercial holidays.. I am a lot happier when I accepted things were not going to change and embraced the nonscence :-)

That's me...lol

**Tealady** · 31-10-2014, 03:07 PM

Was never to fussed about Halloween until my own two children seemed to embrace it. Round here it is really nice. If you're house isn't decked out in all the tat or the very least a pumpkin, they won't knock. There are lots of families who all go out. We get some older ones but they are normally with siblings or have really made an effort.

When I was a child I hated Halloween. I was always creeped out by it and used hate going to bed and quiver under my bed clothes until I fell asleep, so I'm glad my two just think it's an excuse to have fun!

**bunyip** · 31-10-2014, 08:07 PM

In all honesty, I don't have a problem with people having fun. I just want them to do so with some degree of consideration for others. Having to put up with your door being battered after dark; noisy parties until all hours; and the inevitable midnight fireworks is not much fun for people who have to be up for work at 5am.

But mention that to the general public and you're a killjoy.

Oddly enough, the same people who happily engage in such anti-social behaviour will panic and call the police the first time they see a handful of teenagers on a street corner doing no harm to anybody.

**funemnx** · 31-10-2014, 08:50 PM

I quite like Halloween - I never took my children trick or treating but we always enjoyed dishing out sweets to children at the door. The best thing about my children now being grown up is that if I want to choose to only have malteesers to hand out that's fine and if I want to turn out the light when there are still 10 bags left and eat them myself I can - but I do admit to feeling a little bit sick now.....

**smurfette** · 31-10-2014, 11:13 PM

Just back from a fun night out! My eldest has gone trick or treating and to a sleepover with her friends (first one so mama a bit nervous but just checked in and she is having a blast!) younger two went out trick or treating with friends then we went back to theirs had games and a bite to eat and a few drinks, great night! Look at these fab house decorations!

**smurfette** · 31-10-2014, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by smurfette

Just back from a fun night out! My eldest has gone trick or treating and to a sleepover with her friends (first one so mama a bit nervous but just checked in and she is having a blast!) younger two went out trick or treating with friends then we went back to theirs had games and a bite to eat and a few drinks, great night! Look at these fab house decorations!

. Doh can't do it!! Exceeds my quota.. What?!