Trick or Treating - why do we spoil things in this country?

[Poohgirl]

I just had to post and say that I'm amazed that these mischievous things are common place where you are. I have lived in New England my entire life, in many different towns/cities. I have never had an egg, or flour or toilet paper thrown at my house, car or yard. Not to say I have never heard of it happening put I don't think it is common at all. In the UK children also expect money? That is just crazy. Not the Halloween I have come to know and love. Know wonder many of you don't look forward to Halloween! I wouldn't either.

 

[Miffy2003]

In defence of the children in my area we never have any problems here.

I ran out of stuff after 34 trips to the front door last year and they all very politely said thank you anyway.

I am not happy about young children coming round with no parents though

 

[indigoxtreme]

Please do not take this wrong, just giving you some info

FYI We American did not start the Trick or Treating. See below
We always give out candy and plenty of it as I live on a hill and if the children climb up that hill they deserve a great Treat. But alas most of the individuals do not come around any more as all the Malls, Churchs etc have big Halloween Trick or Trick (Or for Churches Fall Festivals). So most of the children go there for their treats.


http://www.fabulousfoods.com/holidays/halloween/torthistory.html

Trick or Treating The story behind trick or treating dates back to the earliest times, when people wore masks when droughts or diseases or other disasters struck. They believed that the hideous masks could frighten off the demons who brought about their misfortunes. The pagan festival of Samhain came at a time of year when the weather was turning chilly and the cold, envious ghosts outside were constantly trying to trick mortals into letting them in by the fire. People who went out after dark often wore masks to keep from being recognized.

Similar practices went on throughout Europe. In parts of England the poor once went to houses singing and begging for soul cakes or money. Until very recently children would dress up as ghosts and goblins to scare the neighbors, but there was no trick or treating. Around 40 years ago people began to offer treats to their costumed visitors Spanish people put cakes and nuts on graves on Halloween, to bribe the evil spirits.

The Irish brought Halloween to America in the 1840's although the custom of trick-or-treating is thought to have its origins in a ninth-century European custom called souling. On November 2, All Souls Day, early Christians would walk from village to village begging for "soul cakes" made of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars would receive, the more prayers they promised to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors. It was believed that the dead remained in limbo for a time after death, and that prayer, even by strangers, would expedite a soul's admittance into heaven.

Over time the custom changed and children became the beggars. As they went from house to house they would be given apples, buns, and money and other treats to insure that the ghosts or goblins didn't play tricks.

 

[CustardTart]

...I'm sorry, but I'm a huge kill-joy, when the kids come home from school on the 31st the front door is locked and the curtains drawn and we ignore what is going on outside.

Glad someone else does that too! I feel a bit mean but most of the kids round here don't make an effort and are just after the cash. Plus I let my big but harmless dogs bark more than usual and that gets rid of any of the persistent stragglers...

 

[Queenie]

We always make sure we are out of the house on Halloween, this year we'll be going for a meal and then on to see Corpse Bride. We live on the edge of a rather nasty council estate and get gangs of teenagers at the door asking for money. I've heard of bricks being thrown at windows down our street because they gave them less than a £5 note!!! I never minded small children in costume with parents or older siblings but not this. The parents on our estate don't dare take their small children out, it's just too dangerous.

When we were at MNSSHP it was great, I'd never been allowed to trick or treat as a child so I made the most of doing it for once. It was nice to see so many people dressed up, it was kinda like seeing how Halloween is supposed to be! Luckily I don't have kids yet so I don't have the issue of letting them out. However I love throwing parties and hope that one day I'll become the Halloween Party mum of our school! I'd love to throw a big fun party for my kids' classmates!

Last year we did see "Penny for the Guy" around here, something I've never seen in my life. However I wasn't inclined to give anything as it was a bunch of unfriendly looking teenagers sat outside the supermarket entrance smoking as asking if you had a quid on you. The guy was the scraggliest thing I ever saw too. I think it may have just been another way of getting ***/drug money sadly.

Another question. We now get teenage trick or treaters for up to two weeks before Halloween and a week or so afterwards. We take the risk and refuse to give them anything. Is this common or do you guys only get it happening on Halloween itself (or the nearest non-school night?)

 

[diberry]

http://www.fabulousfoods.com/holidays/halloween/torthistory.html

That's really interesting - thank you!
Queenie - we had one poor little soul last year who rang the bell on 1st November and said he'd been away the night before. Good try - still didn't give him anything though!! We do get the occasional "penny for the guy" kids round and we get carol singers from very early on - way before Christmas. My attitude is that if they can prove they're collecting for a charity I'll happily give but not otherwise. As I said - grumpy old woman!!!

 

[mushumadness]

trick or treating goes well here but then we dont live in a city, parents always accompany the kids cant wait to go this year, plus no one gives money its always sweets, i personally dont let my nieces accept money from people.

cant wait to go

 

[WDWfan uk]

Couldn't agree more Tim - it's not the US fault if we adopt their Hallowe'en customs, and if we are going to adopt the trick or treat custom, perhaps everyone should be more faithful to the spirit of the tradition.

I have seen teens actually knock on the door expecting money - not sweets! Our town always has eggs and flour in the streets on November 1st, oddly enough not in residential areas . (Never seen anyone targeted though).

That said, we don't mind a bit when the children dress up whatever age, and come round and always have a supply of sweets ready for Hallowe'en.

 

[Ware Bears]

I'm sorry, but I'm a huge kill-joy, when the kids come home from school on the 31st the front door is locked and the curtains drawn and we ignore what is going on outside.

We also do exactly the same as you Mandy. Although we enjoy going to Halloween parties and would love to do MNSSHP in WDW, we don't like trick or treating. There is usually something on the local news each year where some poor old OAP's have been scared to death by kids banging on their door (or worse).

 

[Tron[ADS]]

We now get teenage trick or treaters for up to two weeks before Halloween and a week or so afterwards.

Now thats what really annoys me !....we get some of these in our area, they havent a clue, and couldnt care less about the tradition, and thats whats both sad, and annoying. I also dont like the ones that just throw a black bin bag on, and call it a costume. Whatsmore, it quickly gets passed round whats a good address to go to, so if you are generous at the start of the evening, your in for a busy night.

I just pray for rain on Halloween night (and 3 or 4 nights either side of it!).

We once (at our old house) got christmas carol singers at the end of October !

We put costumes on our girls and take them round to their grandparents and maybe a friend or two, but I wouldnt ever dream of letting them go out to strangers houses, no matter what age.

 

[Lisash]

Seems to me you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. I love to see the little ones in costume and am happy to give them sweets if they are accompanied by an adult. Mind you you have to be careful because if you give them anything half decent word gets round and everybody and his dog turns up on your doorstep (I was feeling generous once and went to M&S for the Halloween sweeties & the door never stopped ringing we even had the same kids turn up two or three times!) and if you buy cheap trashy sweets you find them all over the garden the next day (tried that the year after the M&S fiasco) I do object to teenagers who think that putting the hood up on their jackets or wearing a bin liner constitutes a costume and would never ever give anyone money. I tend to stop answering the door at 7ish by which time all the genuine little ones have gone home, so we tent to avoid the teenagers. As for my own children I have never allowed them out Trick or Treating, I just buy them some nice Halloween goodies from Thorntons or somewhere like that which they are always more than happy with

 

[Hilary]

Another Grumpy Old Woman here!

I really dislike the whole Hallowe'en thing and have always avoided it, even when in WDW and we could have gone to MNSSHP. I just don't understand the concept of making ghosts and ghouls, etc., into a cutesy dressing up occasion with sweets as a reward for not doing something nasty to strangers! (I know that's simplifying a tradition, but that's how I see it).

I'm afraid we also fall into the 'close the curtains and don't answer the door' category on 31st

 

[SEVANS2208]

I'm afraid we also fall into the 'close the curtains and don't answer the door' category on 31st

My only concern with that would be that I would wonder if we'd get "tricked" anyway then??

Perhaps I'm just being paranoid.

 

[oobidoo]

I am horrified to read what you folks have to go through at halloween! I guess if it were that way here, I would not want to participate either. However, I have never experienced any of the "tricks" in the US that I am reading so much about. We go to our friends' neighborhood, hop in a hay wagon, and trick or treat for hours! It is so much fun and most all of the kids have parent/parents with them. The people are friendly, the kids are well behaved (most all of them under then age of 10 I might add), and it is great fun. We then go back to the house and have pizza or some kind of halloween snacks and check out the kids' candy. (Even though we know most everyone, we still make sure there is nothing "fishy" in their candy buckets). We come home completely exhausted with good memories. For anyone who wants to experience the fun, MNSSHP is a great, safe way to do so. We usually go every year, but thought we might try MVMCP this year instead. I hope we are not disappointed!

 

[Sian]

I have always refused to get involved in the Halloween thing much to my kids' embarrasment. I don't answer the door and we always get eggs thrown at the house. I try to go out for the evening as it makes me so angry and my instinct is to chase the offending kids and wring their necks.

 

[Cyrano]

I'm sorry but I just don't get it !!! We spend all our time telling our children not to talk to strangers and trying to keep them safe, then on Hallowe'en they are supposed to go off and ask people for sweets and money - it just doesn't make sense. I know in the U.S. they have it as a family occasion and celebrate it, but it feels that in the last few years we are 'supposed' to do it too. I'm sorry, but I'm a huge kill-joy, when the kids come home from school on the 31st the front door is locked and the curtains drawn and we ignore what is going on outside.

Totally agree, which is why SIL and her two boys and our troop head to Grandparents. We don't even have to ring the bell, as there is no danger of it being answered