sage Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Well last night 8.30pm we had the first 2 young teenagers stood with hoodies pulled down over the faces. "Trick or treat Mrs" I told them to go look up Halloween on the internet and check the date. As I was closing the door one said " You not gonna give us nowt then". I don't mind toddlers coming round with an adult or older sibling but they are taking the piff. Sage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I give them something if they are dressed up. I did make some lovely Halloween cup cakes but him indoors seems to have found them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 We're due to be out that evening - bless circuit training Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 The door stays shut. To be honest I don't open it to anyone during the evening normally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Nor me - I just let the dogs bark and hammer at it any friends will always call before popping round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I read on the Martin Lewis site about one village where if they were happy for people to call, there was a pumpkin outside the house; if not then there was nothing. A pretty good idea if everyone keeps by the rules I think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I read on the Martin Lewis site about one village where if they were happy for people to call, there was a pumpkin outside the house; if not then there was nothing. A pretty good idea if everyone keeps by the rules I think... That is what happens in our village Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 A few around here do that. The local police also offer posters fro the elderly or frail to put in their windows asking to be 'passed by'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I read on the Martin Lewis site about one village where if they were happy for people to call, there was a pumpkin outside the house; if not then there was nothing. A pretty good idea if everyone keeps by the rules I think... That is what happens in our village In our area too.... although I am concerned that my chocoholic hubby will finish the funsize bars of chocolate before Monday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I make no apologies for despising this American 'import'.......what example does this set for children (demanding sweets etc or threatening 'violence'??!!) We are not 'religious' but feel that the whole meaning of the date has been missed. Besides which my 7 year old has been really bothered by all the goings on in the past and I know that the little one will be the same this year even tho we explain that 'its only people dressed up' - the costumes seem to get scarier and scarier each year. We live at the end of a close of houses and get loads of children thronging the street from 6.00pm till after 9.30pm. Where are the parents for goodness sake? Perhaps they would like to come round at 2.00am for the next few weeks when YS is screaming about nasty witches after nightmares??!! We do put up the Police NO TRICK OR TREAT posters on the front door and in the windscreen of the car on the drive (and put a wheelie bin either side of the car to block access to the front door) but, in the past we have had eggs and flour thrown at the house and groups of children shouting abuse at us from the road. ES is starting to get 'het up' about it already and I know we wont get him to sleep until at least 9.30pm when the last teens are out - ideal the night before school starts. And all this in a small village - I can't imagine what it must be like in a large town! Sorry to rant on; I don't mean to be a killjoy but feel that this has just got completely out of proportion! Feel much better now so just off to lie down in a darkened room!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeramaSilly Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I agree with you soapdragon - it is begging. I never open the door to anyone when I am on my own unless it's the window-cleaner, postman etc., and my family and friends all ring before they come round. I hate invasion of my privacy at home - cold callers, telesales etc. I got caught out once - just before Christmas a man appeared at my door with a frozen turkey and said he didn't have seven pounds for the meter and he had a wife and new baby at home. He said he would pay me back the next day and offered the turkey as insurance. Me being a sucker gave him the seven pounds and said he needn't leave his turkey. Of course he never came back with the seven pounds and before he came to my house he had banged on my neighbours door with the flipping turkey and cracked their original victorian door! My neighbour recognised him and he is regularly in and out of prison. I didn't tell anybody for years about that because I felt such a fool! I think I am beginning to sound like my mother! Sophie x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 As a child I loved Halloween, I was never allowed to go trick and treating but we would have parties where we would get dressed up and play spooky games. I think it depends on where you live and possibly whether you have children yourself on how you feel about trick or treating. If you live in a very small community where everyone knows each other I don't think it is as bad to have children that you know coming round. My mum lives in a tiny village, there is only one young girl living there and every year she hopefully puts a pumpkin out hoping that people will come trick and treating.... The first year that we lived here we had someone ringing the doorbell. Our dog gets very wound up by the door bell and stood there barking, we have a glass front door and he carried on because they just stood there for ages. My hubbie went to the door and there were two young girls, maybe six, standing there dressed as witches. There mothers were at the bottom of the drive. My hubbie said we had nothing for them and they went away disappointed. They were lucky it wasn't me who came to the door as I would have had words with their mothers about their kids just standing there for ages, winding the dog up, when it was clear that we weren't into trick or treating as we had no pumpkin displayed or anything. We actually both had a dentist appointment later that evening and ended up putting our dog in the car and taking him to the dentist with us as we were so worried about how stressed he would get while we were out. When we came back there were gangs of older hoodies hanging around the street, dressed in black and wearing masks. For me it is annoyance rather than fear but it must be very intimidating to more vulnerable people to have gangs of youths banging on the door all evening. We have not had any back since. We had a front gate fitted and after our neighbour had their car stolen off the drive one night we have started locking it. I have looked out of the window the last few times and people do seem to be following the pass by any house with no pumpkin displayed and just go to the ones with the pumpkins out, which is a much better way of doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 The young girl in Morrisons serving wanted to know if the scream mask (for ES!) was for me - "oh no " i said " I dont need a mask" she looked shocked for a moment and then roared with laughter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JS1 Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 I make no apologies for despising this American 'import' We've always had 'guising' in Scotland - you dress up and go to neighbours' houses and do a turn (sing a song/tell a joke). The kids in our village still do it (mostly telling the same jokes every year). I'm happy to see them - they don't try it on and only come on the 31st. And they only get their sweetie when they've entertained me. So I'd argue that it's not an American import round here (although some of the kids do say 'trick or treat' ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeramaSilly Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 When I was a child we always made a pumpkin lantern , had a little feast at home, invited other people with kids round and played apple bobbing and we always thought that was great! Have you ever smelt a pumpkin when it goes off though?!! Sophie x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammiboo Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Have you ever smelt a pumpkin when it goes off though?!! Yes when i first moved in this house 4 years ago the farm nearby sells hundreds of pumpkins every year and i have never had pumpkin so bought a few massive ones for doing soup and currys and stuff. I didnt realise how far a pumpkin would go. One of them had a accidents and when i got home from work there was a horrid smell and it had leaked all over the worktop floor etc. i can still smell it now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I didn't mind opening the door to kids a few years ago when there was a chance I would know them but now mine are grown up I don't really know any of the kids so pretend I'm not in . There have been reports of cars driving into our estate, offloading a gaggle of kids, then driving off. Presumably they came to collect the kids and booty later on . Our house has been "egged" a couple of times. I dread it happening again every year . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 We aren't keen on Pumpkin.........................luckily the hens love the flesh & the seeds, & also make short work of any carved ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 It was called Mischief Night "oop north" where I came from - and that's 50 years (or more...) ago so it is a native custom. But I think the difference is that it's more commercialised now, and the embellishments have come from the USA - through movies like ET I guess. We only get small children with parents and we know them all - so far anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 We've always had 'guising' in Scotland - you dress up and go to neighbours' houses and do a turn (sing a song/tell a joke). The kids in our village still do it (mostly telling the same jokes every year). I'm happy to see them - they don't try it on and only come on the 31st. And they only get their sweetie when they've entertained me. So I'd argue that it's not an American import round here (although some of the kids do say 'trick or treat' ) I was also brought up in Scotland and guising was the norm as was penny for the guy and scrambles after weddings I agree it has been expanded due to USA influence but I see it as once a year bit of fun and it is my YD's birthday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forestchook Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I've never seen a 'trick or treat' er here! Probably cos they'd have to walk a fair distance; the drives are quite long around here. Then again it's only in the past few years there have been any youngsters nearby anyway. N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Has anyone seen the Boots ad where a woman with a facepack on opens the door to little kids T and T ing and they run off shrieking in terror. very funny it is worth a try doncha think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Oh dear, ES is busy rigging up hidden speakers in a bin next to our front door and a microphone indoors to frighten anyone that calls. He is falling about laughing as he it setting it up. I hope it turns out to be half as amusing as he seems to think it is going to be. I don't know about sweets, I think they local children will need sedatives when they leave here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy049 Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 We just had our first trick or treaters at the door. I think people usually just go to houses that have a pumpkin or something out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
