To sit in the dark and pretend I am not in!

I completely forgot Halloween was today, I thought it was tomorrow. Then, for the first time, next door's children rang the bell. I just stood very still and didn't move until they went.

If anyone says anything, I will say that our bell cannot be heard one end of the bedroom floor (true) and that I was in the bath, not entirely true, but I was in my dressing gown.

Annie - same as you tonight! I'd like to have seen a few trick or treaters. The bags of sweets can go to the Scouts for their jumble sale on Saturday.
Memories of previous years! 3 year old grandson in his pumpkin outfit going straight into a neighbour's house when the door opened, bewildered to find himself back on the pavement with hands full of treats. Some impressive Hallowe'en trips to a theme park, amazing costumes looming up in the dark, kids waving light sabres everywhere. The time my 10 year old grey ghoul granddaughter became separated from the slightly older girls she went out with. She eventually came drifting through the dark with a bagful of goodies a few minutes after the police arrived and were taking down her description. They were almost as pleased and relieved as I was!
Back in the '40s my mother and I carved turnip lanterns and she served sausages and fried onions in rolls which went down well. In the '50s the guides had a party with Apple bobbing and plenty of singing while we had school fancy dress parties too.

No pumpkin here, but I've had a bit of fun tonight, see the thread if you want to!

The ‘rule’ here in my part of the world is that if you put a lighted pumpkin outside your house then you’re up for visits and are well stocked up with sweets. It works very well and everyone seems to know the rule

There is s notice at the entrance to my dads close forbidding "callers" so he doesn't get any trick or treaters and he's gutted !

We had some vervinpressive werewolves ! Might face to sleep with a light on tonight !

I am feeling very unloved , not one witch or vampire , not one came into the Cul-de-sac

You are not alone Flaxseed.... I absolutely HATE Halloween. I think its maybe because its not something I ever grew up with?

I certainly don't object to others putting their heart and souls into it all - some of the houses are so impressive but for me I dread it all!!

My C and GC absolutely adore it! Last year I did go out trick or treating with the GC, but that was because DD was giving birth! This year, I took the dog out for a 3 hour walk!!! Left them all to it.... I don't even know what I dislike so much!!! Is it the begging aspect? On my walk I saw lots of 'young kids' all dressed up with MASSIVE carrier bags of sweets, and asking where they could go next? Like: How MANY sweets do you need??? ha ha

But each to their own...... Phew...glad its over for another year..........

I had three parties round tonight. All children who live down our road with at least one parent with each group. Best of all was an 18 month old Frankenstein's monster who was very pleased with the eyeballs I gave him . I wanted to keep him!

We had about half a dozen groups of well behaved youngsters - a few more than last year. There are plenty of sweeties left but these will be donated to sell at GS’s footie club tuck shop (when I have carefully removed some Love Hearts and mini mars bars - well I was the one who answered the door tonight; I deserve a small reward!).

And the smiles Annie - they just love dressing up. I had 7 children round after school and they ‘helped’ me set out the party and labelled the food
Dragon Bonec (spare ribs)
Werewolf Poo (meat balls)
Swamp Tucker (pea soup)
Toad in the Hole (well you can’t change that)
Frog sandwiches (egg and green food colouring)
Witchs’ Fingers (carved carrots)
Bat Wee (very dilute orange squash)
And that lovely Water Melon in the TESCO recipe book that appears to be vomiting fruit salad.

Then we played ‘Pass the Bag of Bones’ - a variation of pass the parcel except the sack contained a simplified skeleton which had to be reconstructed on the carpet bone by bone; eating apples suspended on strings, sardines and blind man’s buff. Oddly enough there were no ‘prizes’ and no one expected any.

Well I've been inundated again tonight! DH stays at work extra, extra late so as to avoid the "trick or treaters" but I bought 15 packets of mini bars/packets £20+ worth and at 7.30 I had to turn the lights out as I was empty. I have a ( a now infamous) monster bowl that has hands that thrust out and scare the living day lights out of the kids the parents but the little ones love it !
I love seeing the children having fun.

They really go to town with it at my daughters village and everything looks wonderful [always makes me think of The Nightmare Before Christmas]. Nothing much happening in my village until the doorbell rang and there was the most delightful looking little girl ghoul with her dad; no sweets so gave her a bag of 5 pence pieces to buy some sweets with, I must admit that this Halloween thing is growing on me.

They try to look so frightening but the dripping blood and fangs cannot hid the young faces ?

Good in you Annie just a pity no one called

My first hallowe'en in this part of town, not one caller, I am so disappointed , I love seeing them .

We’ve been out Trick or Treating tonight. Only call at houses that show pumpkins or other signs they are open to visitors. The children love it when the adults open the door and pretend to be scared by their outfits. It’s not about the sweets really.

Had a great party before venturing out too.

There are advantages to living a bit "off road" ?

It might be that we live in a smallish village of about 250 houses that Trick and Treating has become such a fun activity. The children only knock at ‘pumpkin’ houses and are usually accompanied by adults. I have been round with my DGCs the last two years and it has been great fun. They love bumping into their classmates and seeing how they are got up. The local pub lays on apple bobbing and other games and provides juice and hot dogs for the children free of charge. It is a real community event. I agree, in a more urban environment, perhaps with random older children knocking, it could be very intimidating and I no doubt would be with the closed curtain brigade!

I’m a bit sad, I loved it in our old home . Small cul de sac and very happy children. Here we are too close to the edge of the village with no street lights, so no little visitors .

Luckily our own littles will eat the ‘ just in case sweeties’.

I have a light that comes on automatically when someone approaches the front door. My drive is very dark and no-one can see the front door from the road. Nevertheless, my doorbell went at twenty to six. I didn’t answer it, but now feel a bit guilty because it may have been the children next door. They’ve never done it, though, and I can’t imagine their parents would let them.

Eat them annsixty that’s what I’m going to do. I never let my children go trick or treating I was uncomfortable with it. We let them dress up and had some friends round for apple dunking and such but that was it.

It has to be up to you whether you open the door and give sweets out. I am visited by the same few children every year and have watched them grow up from diddlies who came with their parents to year 6 who come on their own. The children are very good around here and try to avoid houses that they know have elderly residents. It went quiet about 7.15pm. If there is a knock now (which I don't expect) I will ignore it because it's too late.

My only problem is....what to do with the left over chocolate. Well not a problem really...I've already eaten a fair amount of it

I have done the same myself this year.
No porch light on and curtains drawn. I feel like a bit of a grump but I really didn't feel like going to the door all evening.
Now, what to do with 2 bags of Cadburys mini bars and 18 mini bags of Haribos which I bought " just in case".