Halloween

[Ringlet]

I really hate Halloween.  It seems to get more intrusive every year.  Years ago, it used to be a fairly quiet, low-key affair, with a bit of apple dunking and a few sparklers.  Now it seems to be a bigger celebration than Christmas. 

Yesterday a woman in my street called me a spoil sport because I don't answer the door at Halloween, don't put out decorations, or play scary music. 

My family are originally from the Londonderry area.  I lost a family member and a very dear friend in the Rising Sun Bar at Halloween 1993, and I cannot bear to hear Trick or Treat.  

I don't interfere with anyone who wants to enjoy the Halloween break, but I don't want to join in with it.  Why can people not accept that? 

[jourdain2]

I don't know why they can't accept it.  Stick, politely, to your guns.

In our village the children now know that if they say 'Trick or treat' they get a short lecture on American cultural influences instead of 'Mischief night'; the original meaning of Hallowe'en and the equivalence of the phrase to the highwayman's 'Your money or your life'.  It was amazing how quickly they swapped to coming to show us their outfits! Naturally, they receive a sweet treat for effort with costumes!

If a household doesn't indicate to the mums that they welcome visitors, then they are passed by.

[barry1010]

Round here the children only call on houses with a pumpkin or other decorations on show

[Barmaid]

I get that others may not want to join in.  Round here, on our village FB page, it is "arranged" and only those houses who have said they are open to callers and have some form of decoration are troubled.  Tbh, we only bother for the little ones otherwise it would be lights off!!!

[bookbinder]

Halloween has become commercialised, like some other festivals. If there's money to be made out of it, tradition goes out of the window.

[rowanwitch]

I used to answer the door in full witch gear and makeup and shout back into the house, 'suppers arrived, ' great fun watching the little darlings run screaming....  Then I got my sweetie cauldron out....   Had a group of older lads come late one Halloween, they were really scary, ( not) I said you are all too old for haribos.... They werent,   apparently they were taking sweets back for younger siblings who hadn't been allowed out.

[Old_Geezer]

You need to explain to your street lady that she is being offensive and should go mind her own business.

[gulliver1]

I wouldn't open the door in case The real Witch TGL would be standing on my doorstep with handbag and broomstick in hand standing next to haystack head with a pumpkin up his gonga.

[rockyracoon]

I hate Trick or Treating with a passion. Fortunately, I don't get many but I do stick a note on the front door telling them not to knock. I used to put my dog in the porch. That deterred plenty.

[Canary42]

Trick or Treat is a nasty Americam habit which commercialism is trying to force upon us.

I resist it too.

As ringlet says, why can't people accept that ?

[Hazlinny]

There's a small group of houses near where I live which are always beautifully decorated outside at Christmas - just noticed this year, for the first time, the theme is Hallowe'en!  Young families mostly live there so I guess the kids are happy. 🍎

[david small]

Not bothering, and not bothered.