bookmonkey Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I hope I've put this in the right place. I think this is the first time I've started a thread on here. Anyway, on another forum we were discussing trick or treating and whether we let our kids do it or not. Here in NZ some do some don't. It's got more popular in recent years. I know when I was a kid, no one did it. We had Halloween parties, but not trick or treating. My kids don't do it, as I see it as an American tradition, not a Kiwi one. We don't really know our neighbours, and I don't like the idea of them asking strangers for treats. So it got me wondering, what do people in other countries (other than America) do? I know in Britain at this time of year Guy Fawkes is kind of big. Do you do trick or treating too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poolmonkey Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 When I was a kid in the UK in the early 70s - we used to wander the streets with a hollowed out turnip with a candle in it, and because both of my parents worked full-time, by the time they got to the shops to buy the turnips, all the big ones had gone, so quite often we walked round with turnips the size of large apples We didn`t knock on neighbours doors, or do anything much apart from walk up and down our street, with frequent visits home when the wind blew out the candles. Nowadays it`s all become very americanized with pumpkins and `trick or treating` but with parents walking round with their children or having Halloween parties. Guy Fawkes night was another great laugh when I was growing up - we used to make a guy with old clothes stuffed with newspapers (or someone`s younger brother) and put them in a pram and wait outside the bingo, where we knew the women leaving would give us `a penny for the guy` Ah, the simple pleasures of life !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I'm dead against trick or treating in Australia. It's an American thing that has become more popular here in recent years. Nobody ever went trick or treating when I was a kid. Why is it done now? So greedy companies can get people to fork out money for costumes, lollies etc. I like to hear about it in America, but not here. I only heard one group of kids come around tonight and I didn't open my door to them. They have no idea what Halloween is or any of the symbolism behind it. It's just plain old greed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I have this argument with my mum every year. She's 74, and I'm dead against her answering the front door after dark unless I'm there. I just have in my mind that some thug or other will see Halloween as an excuse to get older people to open their door so that they can force their way in. She, however, read somewhere about some kids putting glue all over windowsills and throwing eggs at windows when people didn't answer the door, so every year she's determined to answer it. I have no problem with Halloween, I have a big problem with trick or treat. I blame E.T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I loved Trick Or Treating as a kid, absolutely loved it. But I grew up in an estate where you knew who lived in what houses, in a small town in the country. I'd imagine in cities it would be a different matter, I definitely don't see them around Cork city. There's no real Halloween celebration in Ireland, fewer people decorate or have parties than do - Trick Or Treating is kind of the one thing kids do. And I love dressing up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Trick or treating is quite good fun where we live. There are quite a few people who decorate their houses, and if I do take the girls out, we only knock at these ones. We see lots of little children out with parents, and very few bigger kids. In out own house, we stop answering the door as it gets later, as these are usually the older kids. I've personally never heard about anyone having their houses damaged in any way - is anyone aware of actual cases, or is it an urban myth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I live in a very nice area but about 10 years ago, when my children were only about 3 and 1 years old, I asked some teenagers to move on as they were disturbing the kids, they decided to respond with a trick, which was throwing bits of smashed up pumpkin at my house!! Thankfully I had a trick up my sleeve too.... His name is Dylan and he was much affronted by these big kids upsetting his evening snooze...I was actually very impressed with how fast they could run in costume! Dylan didn't even step off the porch!!! Generally here it is very good natured, but like Michelle once we get to a certain point of the evening the outside lights are switched off and we don't answer the door, the dogs barking is enough to make anyone move on as a rule.. Our local Budgens has a ban on any youngsters buying eggs or flour though.. But you have to feel sorry for those teenagers who just fancy a pancake!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 My understanding of trick or treating is that you can answer the door and select 'trick' instead of 'treat', in which case the kids would do something like toilet paper the house or whatever. One year my parents and I weren't even at home, but arrived later to find our front screen door had been covered in that silly string stuff, which was horrendously difficult to remove. We were not impressed. I now fear every year that some idiots will do something similar to me if I don't answer the door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I also don't agree with trick or treating Kylie. In America of course it is a tradition and good luck to them. Here in the UK I just think it is plain rude and just a device for companies to make money. All the kids around my family are yobs, I don't know them why is it OK for them to knock and ask for things one day of the year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 When I got too old for Trick Or Treating, I loved buying Halloween sweets to give out to the kids that came knocking at the door. I remembered being as excited as them about doing it, and was always happy to make it fun for them too. Then again, the kids in my estate were pretty mannerly things and you'd certainly never hear of peoples houses being covered in toilet paper or silly string. I guess I was just lucky to grow up in a pretty secure environment where everyone was content to have fun with it regardless of what side of the door they were on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Yep, I'm also glad we're in a nice environment - my girls have always enjoyed going out, never bother anyone without decorations, and are always polite. Tonight Amy has decided to stay in and hand out the sweets instead, and she's still dressing up and enjoying herself. I think it's a shame when people see it as rude rather than fun, and it's also a shame if 'yobs' manage to ruin it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I'm with vodkafan and Kylie - trick or treat is an American tradition that has inveigled its way to other countries purely through television, films and mostly propagated by companies selling sweets, decorations and costumes. I don't answer the door on Hallowe'en night (although I suspect the rain might put people off tonight), and I did once find egg smashed on my car the next morning, but it looked like my car was the innocent bystander in eggs being thrown at each other by older kids rather than a direct "trick" and I think we once had some egg on the front door as well, but again the rain had washed most of it away by the time I saw it, but maybe I'm misremembering that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I'm really lucky, over here in Finland we don't do trick or treating. Some people have, however, started dressing in Halloweeny costumes on Halloween, but that's still all relatively small scaled. The day of the celebration is always a bit random, too. Some people party on the weekend when the Americans do (for example the English Speakers of Joensuu group partied last weekend), and some people party on the weekend when we have our national bank holiday called 'pyhäinpäivä', the day of the holy. Apparently it's a Christian remembrance day of saints, martyrs and the dead. I've been invited to two Halloween parties this weekend, I don't celebrate Halloween myself and I'm certainly not a fan of the holiday, but I don't mind getting together with friends for an evening of fun. We'll be watching a few horror movies and then I'll be heading out to this local bar where Nerve End is playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I'm dead against trick or treating in Australia. It's an American thing that has become more popular here in recent years. Nobody ever went trick or treating when I was a kid. Why is it done now? So greedy companies can get people to fork out money for costumes, lollies etc. I like to hear about it in America, but not here. I only heard one group of kids come around tonight and I didn't open my door to them. They have no idea what Halloween is or any of the symbolism behind it. It's just plain old greed! I'm with you Kylie .. it's not a tradition here and so I haven't much enjoyed seeing it become one. I do get sweets in and answer my door though .. if it's not too late .. so I guess you'd call that encouragement. I like seeing the costumes on the weenies. Once we didn't get any sweets in cos we forgot it was halloween and Alan gave the kids some pretzels and they decorated our front garden with them .. pesky blighters. Hang on for a few days and partake of a proper British tradition (if you're British) .. and that's the annual barbecuing of Guy Fawkes. We actually are a bit more humane on that front now and don't tend to make effigies anymore .. or ask for pennies for him .. but a nice bonfire, a few fireworks (you've got to write your name with a sparkler at least once a year) and plenty of jacket potatoes and sausages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Right, that's all the lights turned off and the hot oil bubbling away on the roof. If anyone shouts "Tick or Treat" outside my window they had better mean it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Yeah Guy Fawkes Night is much more fun and you get a real family spirit. Happy memories. I still remember when a jumping jack went up my dad's trouser leg one year and he was jumping all over the garden. Then back inside to warm up and eat the jacket potatoes that had been cooking in the oven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 However, fireworks are far too expensive - I don't think many people do fireworks parties any more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 However, fireworks are far too expensive - I don't think many people do fireworks parties any more? I have been to parties where people bring a few fireworks instead of drink- that works out OK as long as one person is in charge of all the firworks for safety. My issue with modern over the counter fireworks is that they are so much more powerful than they used to be, some of them are like bombs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Yeah Guy Fawkes Night is much more fun and you get a real family spirit. Happy memories. I still remember when a jumping jack went up my dad's trouser leg one year and he was jumping all over the garden. Then back inside to warm up and eat the jacket potatoes that had been cooking in the oven. Jumping jack's!! .. they banned them didn't they? We woz hardcore then .. my Dad used to put fireworks in milk bottles and light them with his cigarette .. me and my sister would only watch from the window .. those were the days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggle not Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Trick or treating is quite good fun where we live. There are quite a few people who decorate their houses, and if I do take the girls out, we only knock at these ones. We see lots of little children out with parents, and very few bigger kids. In out own house, we stop answering the door as it gets later, as these are usually the older kids. I've personally never heard about anyone having their houses damaged in any way - is anyone aware of actual cases, or is it an urban myth? When I got too old for Trick Or Treating, I loved buying Halloween sweets to give out to the kids that came knocking at the door. I remembered being as excited as them about doing it, and was always happy to make it fun for them too. Then again, the kids in my estate were pretty mannerly things and you'd certainly never hear of peoples houses being covered in toilet paper or silly string. I guess I was just lucky to grow up in a pretty secure environment where everyone was content to have fun with it regardless of what side of the door they were on. I am not supposed to post on this topic since I am from America, but, what the heck. I totally agree with the two posts that I have quoted. It is fun and the little children in our neighborhood have fun when I pretend I don't know who they are and try to guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Trick or treating is quite good fun where we live. There are quite a few people who decorate their houses, and if I do take the girls out, we only knock at these ones. We see lots of little children out with parents, and very few bigger kids. In out own house, we stop answering the door as it gets later, as these are usually the older kids. I've personally never heard about anyone having their houses damaged in any way - is anyone aware of actual cases, or is it an urban myth? Never heard of anyone's house being damaged, but a guy I work with had a nasty shock when he was about nine years old. He knocked on a door and when a man answered, said "Trick or Treat?" The man said, "Trick," and hit the lad in the face with a belt my colleague was wearing a mask, and fortunately wasn't seriously hurt, but he said he started crying and ran away back to his big brother. He was in total shock. We've had about four lots of trick or treaters tonight. All very young, and accompanied by an adult, and all very sweet and polite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I am not supposed to post on this topic since I am from America, but, what the heck. I totally agree with the two posts that I have quoted. It is fun and the little children in our neighborhood have fun when I pretend I don't know who they are and try to guess. It's a general Halloween thread, of course you can post on the thread! I'm sure a lot of us are curious about how different people celebrate (or don't) Halloween. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 It's 10.02pm, and we haven't had any trick-or-treaters tonight, though we have seen quite a few kids in costumes walking down the street. We bought quite a few sweets as well. Oh well....guess who's going to be eating them then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Hot oil still bubbling away on the roof, I guess I should do something about it. Does anyone have any potatoes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookmonkey Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 I put a sign on the door, so I don't get anyone knocking. I see a lot of kids (12-14ish) walking around our street without costumes on and knocking on doors. Ive heard from friends who get kids with no costumes demanding (not asking) sweets. thats partly why I don't like it. If you're going to take part, do it properly. I have no problem with Halloween parties, but trick or treating is not part of our traditions. Its just another money making thing here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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