Do kids know the Halloween "rules"?

[Dax]

Ok, I am not home for Halloween this year, I am working. DH is home alone for this one. We do not give out candy, because the years prior we did, no one showed up, or we had the same 15 kids come by 3x...and its also not really in our budget for candy...so our light is off again this year.

Last year, with every light off, I had about 20kids come to the door, AND KNOCK! If that was not bad enough, they rang the doorbell over and over, causing my pug herd to go into a frenzy. When I finally opened my door to say something, I got yelled out by a parent for not answering in time. When I told her I was not giving candy, she told me I should not be home then, as she could see the lights on in the house...

So I ask...do your kids know the rule to leave those with no outdoor lights on alone? Poor DH is going to be sitting in the dark tonight..

 

[babytrees]

my kids do...I would be mortified if my kids had done what you describe!!

 

[Tine731]

Ok, I am not home for Halloween this year, I am working. DH is home alone for this one. We do not give out candy, because the years prior we did, no one showed up, or we had the same 15 kids come by 3x...and its also not really in our budget for candy...so our light is off again this year.

Last year, with every light off, I had about 20kids come to the door, AND KNOCK! If that was not bad enough, they rang the doorbell over and over, causing my pug herd to go into a frenzy. When I finally opened my door to say something, I got yelled out by a parent for not answering in time. When I told her I was not giving candy, she told me I should not be home then, as she could see the lights on in the house...

So I ask...do your kids know the rule to leave those with no outdoor lights on alone? Poor DH is going to be sitting in the dark tonight..

It sounds like the kids do not know the "rules" because the parent does not know them. If the house is not obviously lit we do not approach the door.

 

[DawnCt1]

My kids are long past the age of trick or treating. They would also never go to a house with the lights off. In addition to that, I am not crazy about Halloween.
That said, and I fully expect to get flamed; I consider it a tradition. One that can be participated in with minimal expense. One can avoid brand named candy, buy the small bite sized candies, or traditional penny candy, wrapped candy that goes for $2. per pound. I would take something out of my grocery cart and buy what I needed instead so I would have something to give to trick or treaters. I know many are watching their budgets, but to skip out on Halloween; no, I wouldn't do that.

 

[babytrees]

I agree Dawn...I don't like halloween (don't even know why) but it's a very minimal expense to get a little candy to give out (and I should know...my budget is streeeeeeeeeetched).

It's beautiful weather here in CO. Normally we get a dozen or so trick or treaters. Between the weather and it being a Friday night I got 50 fun dips packs for $6 and I will pick up suckers for those too young on the way home. Once those are gone I will turn off my lights.

 

[Dax]

My kids are long past the age of trick or treating. They would also never go to a house with the lights off. In addition to that, I am not crazy about Halloween.
That said, and I fully expect to get flamed; I consider it a tradition. One that can be participated in with minimal expense. One can avoid brand named candy, buy the small bite sized candies, or traditional penny candy, wrapped candy that goes for $2. per pound. I would take something out of my grocery cart and buy what I needed instead so I would have something to give to trick or treaters. I know many are watching their budgets, but to skip out on Halloween; no, I wouldn't do that.

Just to add to this..yeah I know I COULD do Halloween on the cheap, and I am not trying to be a Halloween grinch or anything...but I am also going off of past Halloweens...with tons of kids showing up in there HS football uniform, with nothing but there helmets shoved in my face..no please, thank you or Trick or Treat...then the same group coming back an hour later, and giving me grief because I wont give them candy again.

I also do not have any children, so to me, the holiday is a lost cause. Not everyone HAS to participate in trick or treating, the kids are getting enough candy, a few less houses are not going to hurt them.

 

[Tine731]

Just to add to this..yeah I know I COULD do Halloween on the cheap, and I am not trying to be a Halloween grinch or anything...but I am also going off of past Halloweens...with tons of kids showing up in there HS football uniform, with nothing but there helmets shoved in my face..no please, thank you or Trick or Treat...then the same group coming back an hour later, and giving me grief because I wont give them candy again.

I also do not have any children, so to me, the holiday is a lost cause. Not everyone HAS to participate in trick or treating, the kids are getting enough candy, a few less houses are not going to hurt them.

I don't have an issue if one chooses not to participate. If you dont want to receive trick or treaters then keep the lights off. I thought the holloween "rule" was a common one. No lights....no frights...no candy for you!

 

[Stacerita]

Growing up we always knew the rule. Who would send their kid to a darken house anyway? And who cares if they "see" a light on in the house. If there is no porch light on or something to show that they are passing out candy, you pass that house.

I will not be home tonight to pass out candy. DBF's parents are having a party at their home. My nana did not want to join us so she will be home. She will turn out the porch light and try to not have any lights on in the house. I would hope that people will follow the "rule" and not bother her. She is older and will not be able to keep getting up to answer the door. And our dogs won't like people ringing the bell while she's alone.

People need to be more considerate when they go trick or treating. You do not tell the person at home that they are doing it wrong or that they took to long to get to the door. If they aren't passing out candy, more along. And if they are, be thankful you got your free candy.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

They do in our neighborhood; if the porch light isn't on, you skip the house. We have lots of retired folks in the neighborhood, some of whom adore the chance to see and chat with little ones, and some who leave the light off and relish the quiet.

Usually I prefer to go trick-or-treating with the kids, and am grateful DH prefers to stay home and hand out candy. However, I think he's got the cushier job this year, since it's been raining all day and supposed to rain tonight. Hopefully it won't be too bad, but I suspect we won't be out as late as usual.

 

[Abbie]

My DH was always the candy-giver-outer at our house and I walked the kids with a friend. He really enjoyed it, often putting on his silly troll head to answer the door. I miss those days!

Tonight I'm answering the door alone....and as much as I love kids, I'm not loving this! I've had bunches of kids but hardly any even say "trick or treat"! What's up with that?? I'm starting to feel a little Halloween grinchy and I don't like that.

And no, we'd never go to a house with the outdoor lights off!

ETA: Ok, I have to take it back...now all the adorable little trick or treaters are making their way around! I just gave candy to the cutest little giraffe that was all of 4 yrs. old!

 

[tchrrx]

I just got finished reading this & didn't think too much of it. Then, my doorbell rang. It's only 6:00 & still daylight. We have no lights on. However, a kid came & rang the bell. By the time..

Sorry for the interruption...but someone else is at the door. I'm just ignoring it. OK, it's the neighbors, so we're answering. Of course, my house is a mess. Oh well.

Anyhow, by the time I turned off the alarm & DD hunted up some candy that she had from the church carnival, the kid waited a couple of minutes.

I am NOT answering the door again. This is crazy!


ETA: The weird thing is, we are getting ready to leave b/c DD has a bday party to get to. The bday girl was with our neighbors. I guess they're babysitting while mom gets ready for the party. Weird.

 

[Nancyg56]

The kids in my neighborhood seem to know the rules. We always have our light on and shut it off after 9 PM. I have only had 3 kids so far though, the association is having a Halloween Party in the park so all the kids must be starting there. This is the first time in years that there is a neighborhood party so I have no idea how late the kids will be out

 

[legalsea]

The “Rules” are, to my mind, made by the children themselves, as passed down through the generations.

My parents never told me “The Rules”, save to “be home by 10 o’clock” (it may have been 9, but it was understood that I could ‘add’ an hour).

It was my ‘gang’ that told me “The Rules”. I was also informed that the Rules could be broken for certain cases, such as the “Old Man” who never, ever, had candy, but would get madder than heck if you rang his doorbell. Hence, we would ring his doorbell and enjoy the cursing.

Or the “Witch” or “Warlock”. This house was rather spooky, and the outside light was ALWAYS on, day or night. We were told by our older friends that said Witch or Warlock wanted children to ring the doorbell, so they could give us ‘cursed’ candy. I recall trembling with fright as I rang the doorbell, having an older woman answer and give us some homemade candy (in a friendly fashion) and then shivering with scared delight as I boldly ate it. I grew up to be a lawyer. I guess they were right.

 

[minniecarousel]

Hey - I'm ooollllddd

and

the rule way back then was: don't go to the houses with porch lights off!

that should be a "given"!!

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Yes, I think most people get that if the light is off don't go there. When I was a kid, it wasn't really an issue because pretty much EVERYONE handed out candy unless they were away.

I think it's really too bad though that so many people are choosing not to participate in this fun little tradition. Half of our street is dark and it's obvious that the people in those houses are home.

Halloween makes children soooo happy and excited and it's only ONCE a year. We're on a buget but we managed to buy some candy and hand it out.

No one can force you to play along but I wouldn't get to angry if people think that because you're inside lights are on, you want trick or treaters.

 

[DawnCt1]

When my boys were young, what to be for Halloween consumed the entire month of October. We ate early. DH came home from work early to take them out. It really was almost as big as Christmas. I think its sad that fewer and fewer people are participating. I don't care how old you are. If you ring my bell and say "trick or treat", you are getting candy. If I run out, I will apologize.

I just had middle schoolers come to the door. 4 girls with very imaginative costumes. Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, complete with ruby slippers, a fairy with wings, and two gypsies.

 

[PatsGirl]

The “Rules” are, to my mind, made by the children themselves, as passed down through the generations.

My parents never told me “The Rules”, save to “be home by 10 o’clock” (it may have been 9, but it was understood that I could ‘add’ an hour).

I like the way you play I thought I'd scare DD myself and let her go out with her friends alone tonight for the first time... when she was leaving, I said "if you get arrested for anything, just remember, the same rules apply as when your brother was a teen, you spend the night in jail, don't even bother calling, I won't be home..."

Of course, she knew I'd be home but she also knew that she best not get into any trouble... this is my angel child though (compared to DS), she'll be good for another year or two is my guess

 

[C.Ann]

I just turned 59 - and even back when I was a kid, we knew that if the outside light wasn't on - or someone wasn't standing on their porch or in the driveway passing out candy - we were to quietly move along to the next house..

I think I really would have given that "mother" a stern lecture.. How rude!

 

[Aardvarks]

Sitting in the dark!! lol.

We have a thing here which is largely in decline called mischief night. Kinda like trick or treat but the kids all play the tricks.

Years back I would have been sitiing in the dark, behind my front door, with my high pressure yard washer just showing an inch outside of my letter box.

We do have some problems here now that we have adopted Trick or Treat from the USA in that sometimes gangs of teenagers can cause problems in urnan areas and large corporation estates by aggravated demanding of goods. A lot of old people can be very scared by the thoughts of this.

Last night it was our pleasure to give out chocolate to 3 well behaved families of young children, all with doting parental escorts.

 

[aprilgail2]

No such "rule" here- the kids go to every single house, lights on or not. In fact many houses do not have a porch light here and most of the others have a sensor light that only goes on when you approch the doorstep. We have a sensor light so most of the time the front is dark but that doesn't keep any kids away (nor would I want it to)- you knock on every door- if they answer fine, if they want to ignore it fine but there is no such rule here -and I actually asked people at the fall festival a few weeks ago and no one had ever heard of that.