I have fond memories of Trick or Treating as a youngster. We’d spend ages perfecting our costumes and my step-brother and sister and I would traipse around the local area with mum a safe distance behind.
All the neighbours, many of them elderly, made such a fuss of us and would happily play along with us by choosing “Trick” – normally a bag full of ice and some mushed up jelly which they had to put their hands in. Most would give is a treat too.
The difference to nowadays is that more often than not we were given money. Mostly coppers, granted, and the occasional piece of fruit or sweets. This money we always counted carefully and donated to our local nursing home – St Bridget’s. Mum still has the press cuttings hidden away somewhere in her loft!
I realise times have changed and kids now expect sweets by the ton, but we have such good fun. We bake spooky cupcakes and gingerbread men for the trick or treaters, which always go down very well and decorate the porch with skeletons and scary lights and the carved pumpkins (that I always seem to end up finishing) line the path so the trick or treaters know we are happy to have visitors.
We also know the houses to avoid but most houses in our local area make an effort too and I put a sign on the door when the kids have gone to bed which has always been respected.
The kids love to dress up – the older kids tend to go for scary but last year Isaac was Woody and Buzz (costume change mid way round) and this year he will be Batman. Eliza will be Upsy Daisy!
Halloween 2009 |
I would love to live in the States and go all out like Phil and Claire Dumphey from Modern Family, but sadly that’s too far for my little neighbourhood.
Halloween no longer has the sinister implications of yesteryear and I for one think its harmless fun, provided that the kids are supervised and don’t push it too far!
My only disappointment is that the school won’t organise a Monsters Ball – now that would be fun!!
I love Halloween too and Ive always made a big deal of it. I was very lucky as a child to spend Halloween one year in Canada. This was during the early 80’s when here in the UK we didnt really have trick or treating.
It was amazing and I loved how massive they celebrated it over there. Ever since I have looked forward to this fun time of year, and the kids love it dont they x
Maybe I should go mad like the guys on Modern Family – it looks such fun!!
Kara, I know it’s a nice idea, but giving out homemade baked goods to strangers isn’t a good idea. In Canada and the US it’s advised to throw out any homemade stuff given out ‘just in case’ – I know of 1 story that was apparently true when I was a kid of someone putting chocolate Exlax (a laxative)in brownies and handing it out to kids. I know Halloween isn’t quite the same in the UK, but you still need to be careful when giving food to stranger’s kids.
And what happened to Mr. Bloom?
I can’t believe someone would do that – how cruel!!
To be honest we only trick or treat with people we know so should be ok. I am known for my baking around here too lol
I dislike trick or treating. Kids threw an egg against my door once when I was home alone as a teenager because they didn’t rate the sweets I’d handed over. A lot of people find it very menacing, but round where we live people who are happy to be called on put lanterns outside their doors and so most trick or treaters only stop there and leave everyone else alone, which has won me round a little.