Trick or Treat

[zephyr]

I heard a rumour that parts East Dulwich had been leafleted by the police advising that residents do not open their doors to Trick or Treaters on Halloween. Can anyone confirm this?

[char1ie]

One of my busybody neighbours put a flyer through everyone's door last year with the rules of trick or treating. Apparently a pumpkin in the window = an open invitation to knock on the door. No pumpkin = no visit.

When I lived in Peckham trick or treat used to be mental with the kids grabbing as much as possible and then fighting over the spoils outside the house. In Dulwich all we got last year was "trick or treat" and then some very careful and fair sweet collecting followed by anxious parents saying "now Molly, what do you say?" "thank you very much" etc etc. Sweet.

We'll dress our son up in his pumpkin outfit again. Bless!

I can't imagine the police flyer is true. What do they care?

Charlie

[macroban]

Where is the safest and most profitable place to trick and treat this year?

Camberwell Grove? Bellenden Village?

[bluntlaser]

Hi zephyr

Yes i can confirm that the police have been giving those flyers out. We haven't had one on Dunstans Road but friends on Overhill Road have - made me laugh when I saw it. It has a picture of a pumpkin with a big cross through it!!!!

[Ladygooner]

I haven't been leafleted but I never open my door after dark

[*Bob*]

I'm looking forward to tossing those coins out of that frying pan.. c'mon kids! catch!

[EDmummy]

Halloween is a very big occassion for my 6 year old. We only go to houses of people we have arranged to visit beforehand but always have sweets and a pumpkin in the window for any other local children who wanted to call by. Never had any problems and are usually left with more sweets than we give out.

[*Bob*]

The 'pumpkin rule' does seem to apply though. Mrs *Bob* hovered expectantly in the hallway last year clutching bags of booty and waiting for a knock. Sadly, our house was passed over in favour of those who had the necessary vegetable attraction.

[ratty]

Aye - we shall be ammassing sweets by the bag full for the local nippers. Must remember to get me Pumpkin though as I don't want to be passed by and have to eat bags and bags of fizzy cola bottles myself!

[Nero]

If the pumpkin ain't shockin' don't come a' knockin'? Nero

[*Bob*]

Maurice.. have you got the sweeties in?

I expect they just prefer hard cash in your neck of the woods though. And if they do seem content with sugary sweets, one of the little bastards is probably breaking-in round the back.

[barrymarshall]

I remember last Hollowe'en me and the missus got in loads of sweets expecting waves of trick-or-treating little uns.

Didn't get a single one a-knockin'.

Had to eat all the sweets myself. Bugger. :))

[SimonM]

I suspect the so-called "pumpkin rule" was invented by greengrocers desperate not to be lumbered yet again with huge unsold stocks of what is a pretty unlovely vegetable.

Never "trick or treared" when I were a lad (but had "Mischief Night" on 4th November". I blame that Jamie Lee Curtis myself..

SimonM (in bah humbug! mode)

[Maurice]

I turn out all the lights but have installed a tannoy system just in case anyone still fancies their chances. I find a diabtribe over the loud speaker of how much I've paid toward their benefits generally forces them off the premises. Chav, please don't try again this year. Your bike-and-trailer combo won't bode well on my cobbles.

[zephyr]

cannot believe how quickly Sainsburys (DKH) sold out of pumpkins last week! Hopefully they will get some more in today.

[Domitianus]

*Bob* Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm looking forward to tossing those coins out of

> that frying pan.. c'mon kids! catch!

And I will be getting that large bag of Golden Delicious and a packet of traditional razor-blades from Somerfield!

[AnotherPaul]

I too had one of the those (very poorly executed) leaflet/flyers.

I find it perverse that the Police have time to do this kind of vague and incoherent scaremongering. They seem to be implying that people should be really scared of a few kids asking for sweets in case they might be Jason or Freddie

A few weeks back my car was broken into on Overhill Road and lots of stuff taken. The police didn't even return my call and on-one visited. They were too busy thinking up that flyer.

Sigh.

[Keef]

I think it's fine to take your kids to friends (with prior warning), but frankly I don't really agree with letting your kids knock on random doors asking for treats, sorry if that makes me a miserable git.

The year before last I gave a couple of kids some sweets onlt for them to swear at me because it wasn't money, I couldn't believe it!

[AnotherPaul]

I agree Keef, the scary monsters should go to people who can take the fear and have some treats in stock - and no I don't mean razor blades mixed in with sweets.

Maybe we could see you out as a miserable scary git?

And those sweary kids should know that money is a crap treat, they will grow up scary but not in a funny way.

[Mscrawthew]

Totally agree with you Keef. I don`t remember having all this hoo ha over halloween when I was young (once upon a time ;-)) I used to consider "Penny for the guy" as a sort of form of begging and as for Halloween , is it not yet another American`ism? Also something else to add to the "want, want, want" attitude we see far to much of already? Great for the retailers just as Easter, Christmas, Grandparents day and whatever else there is that starts far to early, takes the real meaning away from things and just basically makes everything about putting your hand in your pocket?

OMG, I sound like the guy from one foot in the grave. I must be getting old! B)

[macroban]

> Great for the retailers just as Easter, Christmas, Grandparents day and whatever else there is that starts far to early, takes the real meaning away from things and just basically makes everything about putting your hand in your pocket?

When is East Dulwich Day?

[gerry]

MScraw

I'm glad I didn't grow up in your house!!!!!!Halloween is a great holiday for kids and adults - dressing up, apple bobbing, pumpkins, sweets and Trick or Treating. Sorry guys, but I think Halloween is here to stay and I say its about time too.

[Brendan]

Here from where? It is a Celtic holiday so therefore has its origins firmly routed in these islands. Pumpkins, commerce and trick or treating are New World imports though.

[Mark]

I see there's a letter on show on the door of the excellent East Dulwich Supermarket (opposite ED Deli), which says please don't sell flour and eggs to kids under the age of 16 in the coming week before bonfire night. I don't think it was written by the poh-leece but a local safety community group, I get the impression some people are expecting "minor warfare" in the next week.

[Keef]

I agree Halloween is great, and I remember dressing up, and apple bobbing, and having great fun, and scaring each other with ghost stories. I didn't however go around knocking on people's doors asking them to give me stuff.