Trick or Treat?

[Bigmallly]

Round here, it's Mischief Night (4th November) that they put restrictions on eggs & flour etc. in the shops. Although it's starting to die out a bit, that's the traditional night for 'pranks', rather than Hallowe'en.
Mischief night - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

How bizzare, I agree with you that mischief night was (is)4th Nov but the link says 30th October. Thats a new one on me.

[Jeanied]

Well, folks, I'm just thinking how much it will mean to my total of 11 trick or treaters tonight to remember a night of fun and joviality. I wish I had taken a pic of them all to post here. I hope they went away with a feeling of being part of a community of nice people. I hope it will last long enought to remind them that the world isn't always nasty and mean, and that we all need each other to make it a place worth living in. And the next time I can't find my cat I hope they help me find him/her!

[SarzWix]

How bizzare, I agree with you that mischief night was (is)4th Nov but the link says 30th October. Thats a new one on me.

Read on a bit, and it mentions it being 4th Nov in Yorkshire

[tamsin]

We have the same unwritten rule here, you visit houses with decorations/pumpkins out. The kids are all in costume, youngster have adults with them, they say thank you & happy Halloween.

So what if it's technically begging. It's one night, with special rules, and a couple of sweets. It's not going to suddenly turn them all into scroungers

I agree it's not the same situation everywhere but I don't think you can blame Halloween for that. It's the ones that are evil monsters all year around that are the problem.

[Sprocket*]

Am sat here in near darkness with one terrified Sprollie dog and a completely oblivious spaniel, trying to ignore the knocks. I do not agree with trick or treaters and am not going out to them. Boots was barking and growling at them, then I heard one little darling say "IF IT COMES OUT I WILL KICK ITS HEAD IN". AGGGHHHH!

Then we have the fireworks going off, why can people not wait to the 5th... oh well I will have to go on the look out for a pair of ear defenders and a cork for Sprocket.

[Jeanied]

Here are my latest visitors folks - two really sweet trick or treaters who were happy to have their picture taken. Took the photo off folks as I didn't have parental permission!

[sewer rat]

When I was a kid growing up in Glasgow, we all went out "guising" at Halloween - all dressed up in costumes, carrying lanterns made not of pumpkins but of swedes, visited loads of houses - some we knew, some we didn't - and I can't remember being turned away from any. We all had poems, songs or jokes to recite in exchange for sweets, fruit or monkey nuts. All I know is that the streets were full of kids between six and eight in he evening and it was just like one great big party. Until I movd north I hadn't experienced the same sort of thing anywhere else I have lived, but the town is great fun tonight - loads of kids all dressed up , and a greta many accompanied by parents all dressed up in costume too - there is a very real community spirit up here - I'm on the door at the local club tonight for a fancy dress night for charity and 90% of the clientele will be in costume, even the local "faces" will have costumes on.

[Jeanied]

Way to go sewer rat - as an ex visitor to West Drayton you will know what I'm referring to ! My local kids have been fine and I'm determined to keep them that way, however bad they think they are later on in their lives -they will never forget that I smiled and talked to them!

[seasprout]

So far no doorbell. I do have a big sign on the door the local police supplied.

Also I think it will be disapproved of if i pressure wash any kids banging on the door.

[Jeanied]

So I agree that not everyone will agree with my philosophy. It's just that my local kids can learn one of two things - that people are nice and you can talk to them have an enjoyable conversation and get a reward in terms of 'Trick or Treat'- or that people are nasty and you no rewards at all except for what you can extort. I will never forget being told by an adolescent 'youf' that I was his best neighbour because I always smiled - as he was restraining his pit bull saying this was a 'nice lady '.

[FionaH]

I bought sweets, put MrH on best behaviour, (he growls at small children) and nothing. No cute little witches, nowt

I still don't like it, not least because it so often DOES get taken over by teenage Mafiosi.

In the end my "teenage Mafiosi" sprinted off in pursuit of the only costumed kids they could spot and gave them the sweets Youth of today, shocking eh?

[SarzWix]

I totally agree with your philosophy Jeanie And as Fi rightly points out, not all teenagers are yobs, in fact the vast majority aren't. My 15 year old wandered down to the shop and spent his last £3 on sweets for the little ones knocking on the door

[janeyo]

We ended up with about 20 treaters.
My little boy is now conked out still with his face paint on as I couldn't get it off lol. The toddlie got double as all the people said 'awwww look at the little one' and gave him extra!
We had a lovely evening

[FionaH]

I totally agree with your philosophy Jeanie And as Fi rightly points out, not all teenagers are yobs, in fact the vast majority aren't. My 15 year old wandered down to the shop and spent his last £3 on sweets for the little ones knocking on the door

Bless him, he's a credit to you Sarz

[dexterdoglancashire]

After all that boys and girls, no one knocked on the door! My reputation has got round. Not even the few children who live here have been round this year. Oh well...............