My twitter stream, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest feeds have been choc- a- block full of Hallowe’en inspired posts, photographs and crafts over the last month and I have been genuinely amazed by how big this festivity is now.
I don’t have any memories of Hallowe’en from my childhood because my family never celebrated it. I never went trick or treating or to any Hallowe’en themed parties – it just was not such a cultural phenomenon that is has suddenly become nowadays.
If you asked me what summed up Hallowe’en for me I would say E.T. Not the red fingered, brown wrinkled alien himself you understand, but the scenes in the film where the kids are trying to smuggle E.T out of the house wearing a white sheet, and you see lots of people in fancy dress. That was how I imagined trick or treating to be. Back in my childhood it was very much an American celebrated yearly event, and so it was only in films that I would see what it was.
Back when I was at school (yes waaaay back in the olden days!) , Hallowe’en wasn’t treated in the same way as it is today. Kids in my town must have gone trick or treating but it was seen very much as an activity frowned upon, due to the way some of them behaved. I remember in school assembly the morning after Hallowe’en, the Head Master reporting how little old ladies had complained to the school of being harassed by school children on Hallowe’en night. I also recall seeing evidence of eggs and flour fights on my walk to school every 1st November! Basically, trick and treating and Hallowe’en was seen in a negative light and to be honest I always saw it as a very American celebration and felt that my peers were just jumping on a bandwagon to try and get free sweets!
Now as a Mummy to my two boys I am still not sure where I sit on the trick and treating walkabout that is undertaken each Hallowe’en night. I have to say that since I have been living at my current abode I have only very positive experiences of October 31st. From about 5.45pm for an hour we get a few knocks at the door and all of the children who have graced our doorstep have been polite and well mannered. The little ones are always accompanied by their parents, and some with grandparents too! I also know that the children who trick or treat in my street live in the same one as me or the adjacent one. I only leave my hall light on until 7pm by which time I feel the witching hour is over for me and I think we have only ever had one or two knocks after this time.
This year was the first Hallowe’en that I have made a bit of effort with. I bought my first ever pumpkin and the OH carved it with a couple of excited on lookers last Sunday
I let the boys decorate a squash (should have been a pumpkin but I only bought the one) and everyone who has popped round to see us this week, have had both vegetables excitedly shown off to them (bless!!).
I put them both (that’s the vegetables and not my boys!) outsider on our doorstep at half past five to show that we were open to visitors of the Hallowe’en kind.
This was also the first year that Burton has handed the chocolate out to our tricks and treaters , as previous years he was either too small, or last year he was a bit scared of one of the scary masked children who stood in our doorway! This year he was practically handing treats out to anyone who passed!!
But would I take my two out trick or treating?
I do like seeing the little ones who knock on my door. They always make such an effort in their scary gear and just look so cute. When I see them accompanied by their family and I know that they are residents of my street, I actually think it is a nice bit of neighbourhood community spirit and done at tea time is a reasonable time to knock on doors. I guess to take my two out to my neighbours would be ok.
Maybe because I wasn’t brought up celebrating it as a festivity, I am undecided and not sure how I really feel about it all. I think as long as the children – and I am generalising here and not just referring to my own – are accompanied by adults and it is kept within your street then no harm is done. Yet I cannot help but think that in this day and age with child ‘predators’ at large and always in the news, and having been brought up with the whole notion of not accepting sweets from strangers myself (Charlie says adverts ringing in my young ears!), why would we encourage our children – those we love and treasure the most and who we want to protect the most – to knock on strangers doors and ask for treats? *That* is the part that I feel uneasy about. I mean, do we really know all the people who live in our street? I dont.
Anyway…….. sorry I went off on a tangent then!
Next year with Burton being at school Hallowe’en will inevitably become more of a yearly event that he will want to join in with (and so will little brother of course!) . With us having just sold our house we won’t be living in my street next year, so I don’t know if I will feel like trick or treating in a new area anyway. I think I would prefer to host a little Hallowe’en party that way I know my children are safe and indoors, I can make some party food (love party food), it will be warm and dry and they can have treats of my choosing and no tricks!
Of course I say all this now……. be interesting to see what occurs in 364 days time!!
What are your thoughts on Hallowe’en and trick or treating as a parent?
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I’m a bit like you, we just never do it. But I always buy sweets for the neighbours kids that wl come knocking and I love their little outfits. This year I did wonder whether I should take z round his cousins but he doesn’t really know what it is so we ended up doing nothing!
It was the same in my household growing up an ‘American’ celebration and back then trick or treating wasn’t done by civilised kids (or so we were told). Now I embrace every second now only because I’m pagan these days but special festive days with the children are fun. We didn’t do too much trick or treating this year but only because we had been so busy partying 😉 xx
Great post, and you have very similar thoughts to me, we never did Halloween at all when I was little, my Mum hates even the mention of trick or treating because she only thinks of all the trouble it used to cause. I love any excuse for a party or dressing up so I think Halloween parties at home are a great idea. I don’t really like the idea of trick or treating and never used to open my door in the UK (but I lived in a crap area) I’m so pleased that Cypriots don’t do Halloween here so it’s not really an issue for me.
We love Halloween…any excuse for a party!!
I was looking forward to reading your post on the subject after you expressed similar thoughts to me. I think as long as there is a pumpkin outside the door, that says you are joining in on the festivities and then I think it is ok for trick or treaters to knock.
What I don’t like the thought of is my 91 year old grandparents getting knocks on their door when they are alone and vulnerable.
I don’t know how I feel about taking Mads trick or treating, I think we will cross that bridge when we come to it- I may do what my Mum did the one time I went trick or treating as a child, and pre warn them we are coming and maybe even give them sweets to give her. Something about just knocking on random doors and begging doesn’t sit right with me! Great post and good to see you getting in on the festivities xx
Halloween is fab, I love it. So many kids party’s and we take the boys out trick or treating at my sister in laws and they have a party there. We only do a few doors x
Eeeeek Jenny! You posted a photo from ET – he freaks me out sooooo much! That in itself is scare enough for me! I’m not keen on trick or treating. I would take the kids around friends houses and family too but not to random houses. I like the idea of a pumpkin at the door though.