Just the thing to offer the kids who come knocking at my front door trick or treatin’ tonight. Oh, I forgot – sweets aren’t accepted any longer. Kids operate a ‘cash only’ policy now.
I’d better turn all the lights off and pretend we’re out then.
Found on Chicago Now (via Digg – as usual).
I hate that they want money... my Mum always gives kids money and I always tell her off since we don't know what they'll end up buying. And the whole point is to give sweets and crisps and things. We usually buy a big packet of crisps or something and hand those out. One year the trick or treators got apples...
ReplyDeleteYep - I hear ya, AW. No doubt they rush off to by drugs, or fireworks to wreak further havoc in a few days' time!
ReplyDeleteLast year, I saw there were a few kids being escorted round by adults but they didn't call at our door. We'd only been moved in around 2 weeks at that point though, so maybe they thought they'd let us off lightly as we were newcomers.
Will be interesting to see what happens this year.
I think hiding is the best option! ;-)
So far tonight, three groups of kids - properly in costume with a bucket for sweets, that I was more than happy to contribute too.
ReplyDeleteIf some teenagers turn-up with a pair of fangs and sfa else, I'll invite the trick (whilst asking local plod to pop around).
Nobody knocked on my door this year... :(
ReplyDeleteASP - you should *never* invite the trick. By the time the plod turn up, they'll find you in a pool of blood, possibly with your house burning down around you.
ReplyDeleteAndro, you sound disappointed. Didn't you have your car, erm, violated one year on 31st Oct? I thought you hated Halloween!
We've not had any callers either (yet?) but I have witnessed a few trick or treaters 'out and about' :-(
I guess it's just becoming more dangerous during the recession and all...
ReplyDeleteWe had three groups of kids, probably about a dozen in all. (This is after moving to a leafy London suburb in the past year. Previous years, living in "the slums", I don't remember a single kid.)
ReplyDeleteAll were kitted out in suitably traditional Halloween cosutmes (witches, zombies, ghosts etc.). Most were accompanied by parents, some of whom were also in costume.
They were suitably impressed with my M&S Halloween chocolates (in the shapes of skeletons and ghosts). I have plenty of chocolate left over too, since I didn't know how many children to expect. Next year I'll buy quite a bit less.
Halloween has become a nonsense. The increasingly Americanised way in which some people celebrate Halloween is fundamentally wrong at so many levels. Apart from the obvious dangers to children, many people consider trick-or-treaters to be a nuisance. Some folks, especially the elderly, are very intimidated by them. That is why most UK police forces discourage the practice of trick-or-treating.
ReplyDeleteIn order to deter unwanted trick-or-treaters, many police forces and local authorities now provide downloadable notices that you may print-out and pin to your door, for example:-
http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/halloween1.pdf
http://www.hampshire.police.uk/internet/asset/33b8e5ec-16a9-43cb-9ff2-81506de11feO/Infra%20794272%20-%20Halloween%20Posters%202012%20flyer%20print%20friendly.pdf
http://www.communitysafe.gov.uk/articles/2224-no-trick-or-treaters-poster/attachments/154/download.pdf
So far, all the people we know who have displayed these notices have successfully deterred all trick-or-treaters. Of course, if they ignore the notices and pester you anyway, then call the police immediately.
Agreed - trick or treaters can be a nuisance (particularly to elderly folk). I've always found ignoring the little blighters to be the best approach.
DeleteI've covered previously on Law Actually (http://lawactually.blogspot.co.uk/2007/10/all-spooked-out.html and http://lawactually.blogspot.co.uk/2008/10/trick-or-treat-smell-my-feet.html) the posters police forces provide which people can print out and display in their windows or on their front doors in a bid to deter trick or treaters from calling. I think the value of them is rather questionable, personally, principally because of the risk of making such houses a greater target.
I may be completely wide of the mark on this (and based on your experience regarding their use, it seems I am!).
Still, I don't think it's a particularly good idea to recommend that the police are to be called immediately where trick or treaters ignore (intentionally or otherwise) such a poster.
The last time I checked, it's not a criminal offence to knock on someone's front door or to ring their doorbell! And I think the police's resources are stretched enough as it is without people dialling 999 or 101 because little Jonny from down the road came 'trick or treating'. ;-)