Now It's Officially Halloween - Another Money-Making Spree.......

I always think of my little family (as it was) on Halloween.

It was quite a tradition that my daughter, and the children, and the dog (!) all came round, dressed up.

What a depressing post, Mae13. I'm just pleased to see that the vast majority of rejoinders welcome Trick or Treaters with sweets etc (not money) and have fond memories of their own childhoods as well as their children's. Same with Bonfire Night too.

I live in a really rough area, but have never had any problems with teens demanding money, or getting up to no good.

While I do feel sorry for those faced with teeneages demanding money and doing damage, this thread does show that this is the exception not the rule.

For the vast majority of people Halloween means children dressing up and knocking on doors for sweets and no more, and in many places only going to houses who have lit pumpkins to say that they want to participate.

Because we have both been down with respiratory infections, I didn't take part this year. I heard and could see young trick or treaters out last night, but none rang our door bell because there was no pumpkin.

welbeck

I think it's horrible.
People feel under seige being menacing in their own homes.
And out of them.
Boys throwing stones at passing cars.
It's alarming and could cause an accident.
And damage to the car.
Dustbins being overturned.
Groups of menacing youths roaming about.
I hate it all.

That sounds more like Mischief Night (4 November) than Hallowe’en! We used to get away with all sorts then that I blush to think about now. I think it was dropped years ago (thank goodness).

Hallowe’en’s just a night for young ‘uns to dress up and knock for a few sweets round here - I keep mine in a little cauldron by the door. The little ones enjoy it and I like to see them having fun. Like Esmay, I never know how many are going to turn up. We’d so few this year it was hardly worth getting my pointy hat and star-spangled cloak on. Still, all the more leftover lollies for me.

No-one around here at all! Although the pub where we went for lunch was decorated

Haribo, anyone?

Gosh wellbeck I don’t know where you live but this evening has been joyous here, lots of family groups with dressed up small children, houses decorated and a few fireworks, possibly for Diwali. Our local FB praising the polite, well behaved and happy visitors to their houses.

Why is this thread in Pedants’ Corner?
Mods please move it!

I think it's horrible.
People feel under seige being menacing in their own homes.
And out of them.
Boys throwing stones at passing cars.
It's alarming and could cause an accident.
And damage to the car.
Dustbins being overturned.
Groups of menacing youths roaming about.
I hate it all.

I’ve never had anyone asking for cash! But they’d get short shrift if they did.

The thing is, you don’t have to participate if you don’t want to - there’s no obligation to do so. You don’t have to answer a knock at your door.
It’s very quiet where I live, so we don’t get any trick or treaters, but I have no objection to little ones having a bit of fun. I would object to threatening behaviour, but, really, I think the vast majority are young children enjoying themselves with their parents in tow.

We used to get asked for cash too - the same as Christmas. Now we just turn off the lights on Halloween and concentrate on Bonfire Night. We used to buy big tins of Quality Street too, and let them help themselves. Some took one or too, a few huge handfuls. We backed out once they turned down the sweets and started asking for cash.

My experience is young children coming round, often with an adult and all they want is sweets

I’ll run over with one for you shall I?😁

I look a bit like a witch this morning - bad hair day!
Wouldn’t mind a Twix to go with this awful coffee at a local car dealership Oreo.

What kind of vampire teeth must somebody have to get an apple out of a tub of water?

Allira

They won't get Hard Cash from me

I have some packets of Haribos in case the little ones from our road come knocking with their Mum and Dads.
If I run out they'll get a cake or satsuma.

😁round my way you’d get the satsuma thrown at your head.
They want chocolates so I buy a couple of bags of small choccy treats and if I run out then wrapped choccy mini rolls.
The little ones do look very cute dressed up as tiny ghosts or pumpkins.
One year there was a pair of hulking teenage boys on the doorstep which did look a bit menacing, all masked up but they were only after a Twix.

Haribos from me. I wouldn't give out cash in a month of Sundays!
I bought a witches hat to get in the spirit of it when I give out the goodies , but truth be told , I think it's all got a bit out of hand.
If everyone's buying this stuff from the shops then they're not in as dire straits as everybody claims.
In the late 1950S /early 1960S when I was still a child, we had something called "Duck Apple Night".
We already owned the tin bath and had paid for the water with which it was filled so cost 1lb of apples;
Hands tied behind our backs and you had to get the apple out with your teeth.
🤣🤣🤣
Oh them crazy days.......

We're visiting our son and family this evening. He always does an amazing Halloween with music, models etc and of course the children love it. I could personally stay at home but it's a good opportunity for a catch up.

I bought my quiche for lunch in our local French town today, from a charcuterie with witches behind the counter! I am not sure how many children we will see tonight because the Mairie organised an escorted procession around the village and a party last Saturday. 🎃

Two years ago , I ran out of treats for the little witches and wizards who called .
Last year , I bought more treats and no one called .
I don't know what the trend will be this year .

Those cakes look good!

It's a tub of Quality Street or similar by the door here, too. We used to have parties when my children were young, and I quite miss decorating the house and making soup and sausage sandwiches for their ghoulish friends.

escaped

I'm ready for the little rapscallions to come pestering. I don't use cash anyway, so never have any in the house. The rascals will have to make do with the homemade goodies I baked yesterday, and if they don't want them, I'll just eat the lot.

What time would be best? Will you serve coffee as well?
🧙‍♀️

They won't get Hard Cash from me

I have some packets of Haribos in case the little ones from our road come knocking with their Mum and Dads.
If I run out they'll get a cake or satsuma.

That’s not very nice for you mae13. We don’t get asked for money until the carol singers arrive.
Today we’ll just hand out those mini pack of sweets, until they run out. Some neighbours with children decorate with spiders, skeletons ghosts and pumpkins etc, so I expect that’s why we get callers. This year I saw a simple way of making a spider-web out of a bin bag so I’ve put it up in the porch. When we’ve run out of sweets, I’ll take it down.