Hallowe'en

[Oola]

Hello all...

Just a couple of weeks until Hallowe'en. I was just wondering whether you answer the door to trick or treaters? I don't! In fact, I pretend I'm not in - lights off and working away quietly upstairs out of view.

I really have no problem with the little ones dressing up and being escorted around with a parent or two in tow, for them it's just a chance to dress up and have some fun. It's just a few years ago we got a spate of teenagers knocking on the door one year demanding sweets or something, for doing nothing. And even though they're relatively close to my age, I still found it intimidating.

I suppose in more of a village atmosphere you probably know the children better, but in a (rural) town of 16,000+ it's not really like that!

[sheddie]

I don't like it when the door knocks when it's dark and ignore it! I think it can be quite scary for the elderly.

[Oola]

At my local supermarket they've even gone as far as banning young people from buying eggs or flour...sad really isn't it?

[jazzactivist]

I open the door to them, and offer a choice of chocolate or fruit if I have remembered to get some in, or give money. I think that the only way to get over the scare culture that has developed in our country is to get into the spirit of things and welcome and encourage people, especially children. Sometimes young children come round dressed up and in groups shepherded by a parent, and sometimes teenagers in pairs, but they all offer "trick or treat", and even if I choose trick I always give them something and compliment them on their 'scary' outfits. As far as teenagers go, remember that they have probably been embarrased into taking part and are likely to be a bit monosyllabic, so appreciate a compliment on their outfit and a bit of a laugh about what they might get up to later. I find that my approach ensures a few hand waves for the rest of the year when I drive past teenagers.

Although I live in a small village I don't really know any of the children as I don't have my own. It is just as risky for children to knock on the doors of strangers, so unless we want to continue unfriendliness into the next generation it makes sense to show a kindly face. If you don't fancy giving money, as no doubt the 'penny for the guy' will come round in a week's time, then make a batch of toffee apples or some tray bakes and hand those out. You will soon find out if they are your type of trick or treaters, as word spreads quickly from the first group and only the ones interested in your baking will come to your door. Happy Halloween!

[Katelb]

We have nearly always answered the door,and had a bag of sweeties and fruit for them,but this year we are using Oola's option and pretending we are out; in actual fact I will be out and as it takes my husband a while to get to the door he has opted to be 'out' this year. One year some time ago, My daughter wasin but didn't make it obvious,and when she went to her car the next morning to go to work,she had the makings of a pancake on her car!! could have been worse I guess,and now,we have quite a concentrated police presence when the trick or treaters are out.

[Oola]

hello jazzactivist - the teenagers I referred to weren't dressed up, they were just knocking on people's doors in their normal clothes asking for sweets or money... hence why I'm not in anymore!

I do feel a bit bad though because all the little children that dress up really make an effort to do so. It's also a problem because I literally don't have extra money to spend on sweets and baking things, as much as I'd like to! Maybe in future though, never say never.

[jazzactivist]

I empathise Oola, sometimes you just have to make the best decision. When I returned to university in my 30s money was very tight for us, but I managed to bake some biscuits to hand out, and dressed up as a ghost myself using loads of talcum powder and charcoal to add some extra oomph to the proceedings. It was a good laugh. I wouldn't give anything to teenagers who weren't dressed up as they aren't getting into the spirit of what it is about. I would check out of the window first, and if they are dressed up then I would open up.

[keepersdaughter]

Hi Oola, as you are probably aware, Halloween is really big over here, much more so than in England. And in all the years I've been here I've never once known anyone perform or whatever a 'trick'. Kids - of all ages - and sometimes teenagers, just come with their hand out wanting sweets. But also for that matter I've never known or heard of anyone get vandalised as it were if they didn't participate. If you don't want to participate here, you just leave your outside lights off. I've learned to just hand out four or five sweets. I don't let them grab handfuls from the bowl any more. In fact, sometimes, and I'm going to do it again this year, the Dollar Store (Pound Shop), sell little plastic halloween decorated bags, about 20 or so for a dollar, put the sweets in myself and just hand the bags out. It's much easier. Most parents do not allow their children to take home baked or fruit as treats as there have been cases of poisoning or glass or nails put in the 'goodies'. Most parents too (me included when my children were little) also have to inspect the sweets before the children eat them, to see they haven't been unwrapped or tampered with - sad but true - there are a lot of nasty people out there.

My daughter and I were talking about the whole Halloween thing yesterday actually. Many people really go to town and spend a fortune decorating their front 'yards', skeletons, tombstones, bats, spiders every kind of blow up scary shape you can imagaine. I've always felt rather uncomfortable with it - but then I don't like creepy, scary stuff and cannot watch horror movies. But then growing up in England, we never did 'celebrate' Halloween. My children always loved the excitement of the costumes and dressing up, so I suppose it's something that you have to grow up with to appreciate or understand. I actually prefer to think of it more as harvest time, people too decorate their yards or doorsteps with pumpkins, crysanthamums which I much prefer.

[sunflower]

My cousin says that this year the preparations for Halloween seems to be even bigger in Canada, on par with Christmas. Special lights as well. I try to give out sweets and fruit when children come knocking at the door, but have to admit I'm always relieved if it is raining...fewer callers. I think in Canada(where I was born) Halloween has a light hearted meaning, unlike here in the UK, sinisters meanings have been put to the event.

[SummerSkye]

We don't celebrate Halloween here so it isn't a problem; I didn't realise that the UK did either, I thought it was just USA.
It is really All Hallows Night on the church calender though isn't it, the night when spirits walk the earth. Our property settles on that day and being a bit superstitious I have opted for the night ferry across Bass Strait the following night.

[Healing Hands]

It is very diffecult to know what too do really. When my girls were little I used to do Halloween party for them but they never went around knocking on doors. Halloween really is an Amercian thing and this country has cotton on that they can make money from it. Were I live it is a small community but we do not get many children coming around. Last year a mother in my road had a small son and she wrote a note and dropped it into the doors to say that she and her son and a few other small friends would be coming around for trick or treating, which I thought was I good idea, so if we wanted to open our door we could if not we were warned before hand.

Same thing goes for Carol singers really. These days we get a few blast of "Jingle Bells" and that is it, so I tend not to open the door as they are older kids just looking for a quick "buck"! I will though if we have the Rotary Club come around, then I will give some money to them.

[eleanor2]

us youth leaders do a special night at church.it is a built up area where we live. lots of vulnerable old and rough kids. we think its best to bring them into a warm friendly building.we do games ,lots of small prizes etc.hot dogs....yummy. a good night had by all .

[Redstart]

Hallowe'en is our wedding anniversary so we go out for a celebration lunch (we got married at 11.30 and our wedding breakfast was a very nice lunch). There's no trick or treat here. This year, after lunch in our honeymoon hotel in North Wales, we'll be setting off to stay with friends in North Yorkshire for two nights, before the long drive back here.

[gothfairy]

I'm with Oola... I don't answer the door either, but out of the eighteen years we have lived here, nobody has ever knocked, which makes life easier! I think this is one of those things they do better in America to be honest, where they rarely have any problems at all with non-trick or treaters being a nuisance, and where children are always accompanied, which I believe isn't always the case here.