...to hate Halloween

I'm not a fan either, louli and I'm sorry to say I also put a printed notice in the window re. trick or treaters. (Our local police website has one that you can print off)

The first year we lived here I did stock up on bags of funsized choc bars etc, but there are so many children in the village we had run out by 8 'o clock.

Not keen on it either - and am I wrong to think it is unwise to teach children to knock on doors and accept sweets from strangers.

I hate it too - in the UK we had really rude teenagers coming knocking with horrible masks, and it must be very frightening for elderly folk living on their own. Once one of them had hidden his dog behind our car, on our long drive- and he attacked our dog so badly, he needed many stitches- terrifying.

One year I made lots of cup cakes to give to kids, and teenagers were so rude- and crumbled them all along the drive as I had not given them money. Hate and all it stands for.

Planning to take the Cubs on a mud walk in the dark instead. We've done this previous years and they all love it. Bet their parents do too. No-one gets pestered and the kids still have fun.

Bags - that sounds like an excellent idea. I hate Halloween too, I am afraid. We have no children living near us, and I am amazed some years where they all come from. On the other hand, when I do get a load of sweets in, nobody comes!

We also had small groups of very young children- out on their own in the dark and quite a long way from home - incredible!!!

Some parents accompanied the kids and kept back- but close to ensure their safety, which was fine.

No, don't like Halloween, it seems very Americanised, apologies to all grans 'over-the-pond'. We have November 5th, bonfire night or whatever you want to call it.

I don't like the mischief part of halloween but I do love the witchy films that turn up on tv. The Craft, Hocus pocus with Bette Midler and the lovely Sandra Bullock in Practical Magic.

What happened is capitalism!! Laugh but it is true! Manufacturers saw a potential for sales and have marketed & promoted it. Hence all supermarkets /stationers etc are full of Hallowe'en plastic tat and extremely sugary confectionery.
As a kid we played Nelson's eye, bobbed for apples and told spooky stories by candlelight. It was all harmless fun. I know in some places 'guising' was traditional but I never did that. I think Halloween celebrations were more a northern tradition. In our family we have Halloween games and fun. The DGC have not gone out Trick or Treating (yet!) and neither did my kids as it was not a practice when they were young.
Sadly a small minority of youth have used this festival as an opportunity for anti social behaviour.

If anybody's daft enough to walk two miles from the village to find us they'll be in for a big disappointment.

I do not answer the door at Halloween. In previous years we have had very young children ringing the bell, I did not have a clue who they were, certainly not from the area that I live in.

Same here, merlot! Although there are a few houses along our remote lane, our 'front' door is actually at the back and the back door (accessible from the road) is reached by a formidable flight of steps flanked by spooky-looking overgrown trees and shrubs - we haven't been visited by trick or treaters in years!

I keep the front of the house dark and turn the TV down. Anyway, last year I was far too busy on Pendle Hill and this time have to create havoc in Highgate Cemetery.
Meanwhile, time for bed. G'night

I used to love Halloween parties when I was a child - dookin (ducking) for apples and all the rest of it. Now it seems such a tacky commercial razzmatazz. In our village you put a pumpkin lantern in your window/by the door if you are willing to take part in (children) trick and treating and I am happy to dish out the funsize Haribos - but even happier when no one comes and I can scoff the lot

I don't hate it, but it does bore me.

I always stock up on mini bars of chocs and then am really "disappointed" if not many children call and I have to eat them all!!!!!

My DGS was born on Halloween, I should have seen the signs! The little monster darling will be 4 this year.

When I'm on my own, I turn out the lights and ignore the door. However, this year, my daughter and her family will be staying with me, so I will have our own 'little devils' to amuse with fireworks and sweets.

We don't get trick-or-treaters here - too remote, but I think it would drive me nuts if we did! So open to abuse.

I like the pumpkin lanterns though - and find the commercialisation in supermarkets a bit of a pain.