Halloween?

I don't have kids yet but i agree that you can't spend the whole time saying "don't talk to strangers" and "don't take candy from strangers" etc then actively encouraging them to run up to strangers and ask for candy...confusing, much?

And i never have candy for kids - though i've only ever had about 4 people knock and it was awkward.

I also worry about kids with allergies that they're not considering. IE giving a kid a snickers bar which obviously contains nuts. What sort of four year old who is already hyped up over being dressed up and out late is going to stop and think about that before getting it down them?

to be honest most kids dont do it after dark - i have never had anyone knock at my door at an unreasonable hour and quite often the parents are lurking on the street or by the gate... they dont generally run up to strangers, most as mel said organise it as a street or the kids go in the area they know anyway. and as for allergies thats the parents responsibility not yours.

Halloween is fun and our kids get involved in the organised stuff at school but we don't encourage the trick or treating with our girls and we've only given treats to kids who turn up to our door with costumes and an adult supervisor otherwise I just tell the kids, sorry we've run out of treats...lol..this year I told my 10 year old to write a note and stick it on the gate..No Trick Or Treaters Thanks:)...which is better than hubby's idea of letting our dog loose in the yard

I don't really like Halloween and my parents didn't let us Trick or Treat but then we lived in Ireland in a rural town for most of the the age we would have done it.

We've had quite a few kids come to the door tonight, maybe 10% have been dressed up but we have just said 'sorry but we don't have anything' which I would prefer to do instead of shutting the curtains and ignoring them when they knock like all our neighbours are doing - I get why but DS is now in bed and I don't want them standing there and loudly door knocking for 5 mins each time as they seem to do to others across the way! Plus both cars are out front and I feel bad that they know we are home!

I think if there is a community or a group doing something that has been organised then great but I don't like children wondering the streets knocking on strangers doors regardless of the occasion. IMO if it's not ok to approach strangers and accept lollies 364 days out of the year then it's not ok tonight either!

I wouldnt want my kids going out knocking on strangers doors asking for candy when its something you teach them to never ever do.

But, when i was a kid, the street we lived in organized a trick or treat night, and we only went to the houses that agreed to participate, and we had an adult with us. It was fun, cos we got to dress up and it was safe! :)

Edited by Sheza

I don't like it. We are on a back section which is normally really quiet. Tonight there have been loads of groups going up and down. Lots have had parents with them, which is great. I just don't like the idea that kids are expecting strangers to give them things Like others have said, it runs counter to everything else we teach them, and I don't like the expectation that they will get things for free from people they don't know. DH was in the garden and they didn't know he was there; I was out walking for most of it (quite convenient!). Several followed me up the drive as I got home from my walk and I just turned round and said "nothing here sorry" but down the road, some kids (9ish) were whinging about how the stuff they got from a particular house was crap. Deal with it.

Oooo i love it! We all got dressed up and decorated our entryway (been carving pumpkins for days!) and had a huge bowl of lollies, chips, chocolate. We had hordes come and loved every one of them. Almost all had parents either with them or at the gate, all had dressed up and had lovely manners and said thank you. I think it's great and you get a real sense of community.

My 2yo went out with some friends and their kids and had a blast, came home with a bag stuffed full of booty which he ate a lot of and we'll drag the rest out over the next few days.
I'm not going to rush him along to diabetes or heart disease testing as he's an active kid and it's one day.
Parents of nut allergic kids don't let them go.

Bah humbug i say, it's fun and i love a dress up and a party! I had a wig, long dress and blood coming out my mouth and told all the kids i ate the last lot hehe. Next year is going to be bigger and better!

We used to go as a big group to pre-arranged houses when I was a kid. I always buy lollies and get all ready for kids but we never have many.

As for my kids, I don't think I'd let them go unless it was pre-arranged, I do find it slightly rude if we don't know the people at all. I like the idea of going to a party instead. We got al dressed up today and I made a treasure hunt for the kids.

I loved Halloween as a kid, but then it was all about dressing up and we never did trick or treating coz it just wasn't about. I like the idea of prearranged houses to go to.

It's all a bit of fun. They look so cute when they look scary coz it is such a juxtaposition..cute yet scary.....

When we live near family for sure we will make an effort, my family this year had a halloween supper and made scary food and dressed up with the extended whanau...all fun and another chance to get together.

We locked our gates with a chain on Sunday night. Older kids tried to get in but realised they couldn't so gave up and told their mates cos noone else tried.