Halloween

[mrscricket]

DH took DS. We'd spoken to our neighbours on either side of us during the week and asked if they were ok with a little dinosaur knocking on their door, and they were more than happy. DS was so so excited. It isn't something we ever celebrated growing up, but he had seen all the stuff in the supermarket and there was a bit about it on ABC2 during the day. Our neighbours were fantastic and really got into it. They had made up packages of lollies for all 3 kids (the twins had no idea what was going on ), and one set also gave them glow in the dark bats and skeletons. From the 3 houses DS went to - 2 neighbours and ours - he came away with a huge stash.

I'm not sure I would ever take him any further than a few house away. We have quite a lot of eldery people in our street and I felt quite sorry for them, knowing they might get strangers knocking on their doors. It could possibly be quite confronting for some people.

We got some really cute dressed up kids who had gone to heaps of effort, and their parents were with them. We just had our big front windows open and would wave to anyone dressed up to let them know to come up to the house. Later in the night, we got the teens - who weren't dressed up and holding plastic bags. I would open the door and they would just be standing there holding out their bags, not saying anything. Those ones got told we didn't have any lollies left (and they just grunted and walked off). If you can't make the effort to dress up OR BE POLITE I am not handing over anything. I think some kids use it as an excuse to get lollies off people and show they have no manners

[Astrolady]

I was never allowed to go trick or treating as a kid. I also don't let my boys go. Even if they did lollies would go wasted because they just don't eat them. I still have chupa chubs in my cupboard from one of their showbags.

I have put signs up every year since Kameron was a baby. It was our first day home from hospital and I have just got him to bed finally, and a kid banged on our door. I refused to answer it. He banged again. I refused to answer it, so he nearly bashed the door down. I opened the door and screamed abuse at the kid then noticed he was only 5 maybe 6 years old. I shut the door and bawled my eyes out. Since then we've had no trick or treater signs.

What annoys me is people that don't even bother getting dressed up going out to scab lollies.

[Jellyfish]

Love Halloween and have brilliant memories as a child but we didn't do anything although DD1 helped Grandma hand out treats as she was sleeping over there and absolutely LOVED it. She hasn't stopped telling me about all the costumes today. Where my parents live (and I used to live) it has been going on for as long as we lived there (15+ years) and people are always dressed up and accompanied by adults. I remember at one point in my childhood we lived somewhere that didn't really do Halloween so my Mum stood at the front door and my Dad at the back while my brother, me and some friends did laps lol.

Halloween parties were my favourite thing growing up (haven't been to one in a while though) and we would spend forever planning our costumes. As soon as one was over we were already thinking about next year! The best was stuffing newspaper in stockings to go as a spider... was an awkward night having extra arms attached to me at different lengths LOL trying to eat and drink and just not bowl people over was hilarious.

[Butterfly Dawn]

We love Halloween/ samhain. Celebrate both.
Not into trick or treating but that's such a small part if you are into it.
We have a party, dress up, play games and feast. At dinner we talk about both festivals afterwards have cake etc.
Think we"ll always have Halloween parties and its safe.
I am starting to hate Christmas, that's gone WAY ott which is a shame.
We don't go over the top but Im worried when I get home what it will be like for the kids. Here its still not really "done"

[Heaven]

My FB and pinterest is clogged up with Halloween stuff every day at the moment! Thought this thread was interesting.

We seem to be getting more kids at the door every year and there's two events on for it that I know about it. We don't doing anything ourselves though.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

We will probably organise to take the girls with their friends again, they had so much fun walking around together all dressed up.

Tempted to try pumpkin carving this year. Lol

[Khaleesi]

We love Halloween here, we do pumpkin carving & the girls dress up but we don't go trick or treating as our street isn't into it.
We make Halloween snacks & do Halloween craft.
My girls really enjoy it & look forward to it each year.

[Lisa]

We love it and our kids just love dressing up scarily, which is actually huge for my DD2 who is usually scared of her own shadow! Lol.

They love going out trick or treat-ing and coming home to scare the door knockers too.
We've just moved into a brand new estate and we're really hoping the neighbourhood kids do Halloween here too.

[Sopdet]

I celebrate it but as a religious holiday. I will be decorating.

I was in the USA last year and they decorate their houses like they do at xmas time. I loved it, it was awesome, they go all out!

[Lisa]

We found out that not only does our estate do Trick or treat-ing, the sales office (for land, as it is a very new estate) provides us with decorations and a list of homes that will have treats for the kids. We're all meeting up in a group and doing a neighbourhood walk with the kids. DH had taken the day off work so he can join in with the kids too. I can't wait! My kids are thrilled that they're not going to have mean people this year

[Nai]

I'm being reluctantly forced into it by the kids! They are going to the local Halloween party this year so I need to dress them up. I've successfully avoided it until now so I guess I've done ok. Dd2 wants to be a vampire Snow White and dd1 wants to be a zombie bride.

[Lisa]

dd1 wants to be a zombie bride.

My DD3 is dressing up as a zombie bride.

[Doing my best]

My kids want to dress up, but I won't be home till about 615 on Thursday, so dh said he will let the kids hand out sweets, and I am taking them to a Halloween themed disco on Friday night a play centre.