I'M not a fan and fully appreciate this makes me a killjoy.
What do you think? I recently posted about this on Ready for Ten and so far the comments seem about 50-50 as to those who say it's a great fun time and others who say no fangs. (Yes see what I did there.)
The parties can be great and there's lots of fab crafts to get stuck into, but it's trick or treating which leaves me cold.
My concerns are about kids thinking they can knock on people's doors fully expecting to be kindly given sweets, or in some cases, money.
I know there are plenty of people who share a sunny disposition and believe this is marvellous. I suppose I just happen to be a miserable old sod who doesn't like the thought of my daughters going from home to home asking for such treats.
And yes I am a complete hypocrite as I do keep plenty of sweets for the gangs of kids knocking at our door.
Photo shows gingerbread ghost biscuits from Asda, courtesy of Press Loft.
I hate gingerbread too. Bah humbug.
Check out my post and the very interesting comments from those who agree and disagree.
I am of the bah humbug variety - one year 3 teens not dressed in costume rolled up demanding treats. When I shut the door on them they let off a stink bomb on my porch. I called the police out as there was shattered glass everywhere and my house stank! They spoilt it for the little kids who were out and about. Now we turn off the front room lights and pretend to be 'out' I know its a shame but the smell did me in :-(
Posted by: teawithonesugarplease | October 13, 2010 at 09:18 PM
No wonder you're not a fan. You must have been scared stiff of that gang, the days when you could safely challenge them are long gone. Such a shame.
Posted by: Linda | October 13, 2010 at 09:31 PM
Hate, hate, hate, hate, hate it!
Posted by: Tapdiva | October 13, 2010 at 09:45 PM
I love Halloween itself - the costumes, crafting and suchlike but I agree that trick-or-treating is a bit of a minefield. We usually take the kids to my brothers to go round the houses and I leave a bowl of treats at our front door for kids to help themselves. I don't really have a problem going round houses of people we know with them - or for local kids *we* know to knock ours, but when you get a gaggle of children you've never met before I wonder to myself if their parents even know where they are...
Posted by: Eileen | October 14, 2010 at 09:28 AM
Hi Eileen - thanks for commenting, love the idea of leaving stuff outside, but then I am very lazy! You can't help wonder sometimes about what parents must be thinking if the children are causing trouble, sadly some don't care, takes a lot of facing up to. x
Posted by: Linda | October 14, 2010 at 11:25 AM
Another miserable bugger here! Think you might have inspired me to post on this very subject!
Mich x
Posted by: Michelle Twin Mum | October 16, 2010 at 09:11 PM
Love Halloween. Trick or treating just a bit of fun. It's been going on for years and children love it too. The issue I have is all the sweets they get. My daughter is too young for it, but I think I'd confiscate them when she's old enough to do it. That said, I give sweets to the children that knock on the door!
Posted by: 21st Century Mummy | October 26, 2010 at 04:53 PM
I'm a bah humbugger too. We get either teenagers or kids who we've never come across before. Our lounge is at the back of the house so we turn off the front lights and pretend to be out. I don't mind doing hallowe'en crafty stuff though. We grew pumpkins this year so we'll be carving a lantern and looking up recipes for interesting things to do with all the leftover pumpkin so as not to let it go to waste.
Tilly :o)x
http://tillytatas.blogspot.com
http://non-neurotypicalnipper.blogspot.com
Posted by: Tilly | October 27, 2010 at 04:37 PM
Thanks everyone for commenting. We are a funny old bunch.
Posted by: Linda | October 28, 2010 at 05:39 PM