Which day & what time is trick or treating?

[SJDproofreading]

Is there an 'agreed' day and time for trick or treating around East Dulwich? Say Saturday, 29 Oct between 6 and 8pm? Keen to hand out sweets, but not stay in for entire weekend (and eat them, as usual).

[Pickle]

In our road it happens on the actual day which is Mon 31st, and generally the kids are out between around 5ish and 8ish (depending on their age). I've always found that they only knock if you have a pumpkin or decorations out, which is very courteous, although meant that a couple of years ago I lived on chocolate and sweets for a couple of weeks afterwards :)

[minder]

I think the 'agreed' day is the 31st October, even if it falls on a weekday.

You might get a few knocking on your door at the weekend, but I doubt it, so be prepared on the Monday evening!

[bonniebird]

We always do it on the 31st, well my husband does, I sit and watch tv :) we have about 20/30 lots knocking!

[Mrs TP]

This is really one unmovable feast - the 31st it has to be regardless as to whether a school night or not.

[SJDproofreading]

-- moved topic --

[guna nua]

Monday 31st is Halloween, trick or treating earlier is like not having Santa come on Christmas eve ! As mentioned in previous posts if you have a pumpkin outside expect trick or treaters from 6pm ( the usual official time) to 8pm. Happy Halloween !

[Moos]

Definitely 31st, but we've had callers from about 5pm to about 10, gradually gettig larger and bloodier.

[jumpinjackflash]

I love Halloween and trick or treaters! You never get them when you live in a flat though..:(

[Otta]

I would tell anyone knocking on a day other than the 31st to go away.

[civilservant]

If you've got a pumpkin outside, a small witch and I will come knocking on your door on Monday 31 Oct evening hoping for a treat.

We haven't got a trick option sorted, though - ideas welcome!

[Sue]

civilservant Wrote:

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

> If you've got a pumpkin outside, a small witch and

> I will come knocking on your door on Monday 31 Oct

> evening hoping for a treat.

> We haven't got a trick option sorted, though -

> ideas welcome!

xxxxxx

I've never really understood this trick thing - is it like a sort of forfeit? Who does it? Do I do it if I'm too mean to give you a treat? Or do you do it?

:-$

[janine85]

When I was younger I thought it was all one word. "trickertreat!" At first I thought it was a completely random word "Trickertree." !?

absolutely baffled when some smart arse said "trick" one year. I stood there wondering what the hell he was talking about :-S

Needless to say, we didn't do trick or treating often where I grew up.

[maxxi]

Trick or Treat? We innocent tots were always too busy trying to mug those exiting the local pub with boozy beatific smiles by shoving our 'guy' under their noses.

"Gimme some money so I can blow stuff up!"

http://www.teenagerockopera.com/imgs/aug08/bonf2.jpg

So todays tots collect sweets not cash?! Amateurs!

[Sue]

maxxi Wrote:

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

> Trick or Treat? We innocent tots were always too

> busy trying to mug those exiting the local pub

> with boozy beatific smiles by shoving our 'guy'

> under their noses.

>

>

> "Gimme some money so I can blow stuff up!"

> http://www.teenagerockopera.com/imgs/aug08/bonf2.j

> pg

>

>

>

> So todays tots collect sweets not cash?!

> Amateurs!

xxxxxx

That's a bloody scary guy, maxxi :))

[civilservant]

Bit of confusion here, Maxxi - guys are relics of anti-Catholic sentiment and are burnt on Bonfire Night, presumably as a 17th century update of some pagan end-of-summer ritual.

Hallowe'en occurs on the night of 31 October but is probably a Christianised survival of a similar pagan end-of-summer beano.

1 Nov and 2 Nov are All Saints Day and All Souls Day respectively - both major days in the Catholic calendar. All Saints Day is also known as All Hallows Day.

Hallowe'en is a secularized/Scottish/Proddy/Yankee-fied (take your pick) version of the "eve of All Hallows Day", when ghosts and ghouls and witches are supposed to roam free.

Trick or treating is an American updating of old Scottish Hallowe'en customs.

It is effectively a kind of blackmail i.e. if you don't treat me, I'll 'trick' you by soaping up your windows or letting down your tyres or some other wickedness.

Treats don't have to be restricted to sweets of course, they could also be cash, but fortunately tots these days are amateurs.

[Sue]

civilservant Wrote:

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

>

> Trick or treating is an American updating of old

> Scottish Hallowe'en customs.

xxxxx

When I lived in Dundee, the kids called it guising.

Just looked it up:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trick-or-treating

ETA: Shame it's all become so commercialised now

[maxxi]

civilservant Wrote:

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

> Bit of confusion here, Maxxi - guys are relics of

> anti-Catholic sentiment and are burnt on Bonfire

> Night, presumably as a 17th century update of some

> pagan end-of-summer ritual.

>

> Hallowe'en occurs on the night of 31 October but

> is probably a Christianised survival of a similar

> pagan end-of-summer beano.

> 1 Nov and 2 Nov are All Saints Day and All Souls

> Day respectively - both major days in the Catholic

> calendar. All Saints Day is also known as All

> Hallows Day.

> Hallowe'en is a

> secularized/Scottish/Proddy/Yankee-fied (take your

> pick) version of the "eve of All Hallows Day",

> when ghosts and ghouls and witches are supposed to

> roam free.

>

> Trick or treating is an American updating of old

> Scottish Hallowe'en customs.

> It is effectively a kind of blackmail i.e. if you

> don't treat me, I'll 'trick' you by soaping up

> your windows or letting down your tyres or some

> other wickedness.

> Treats don't have to be restricted to sweets of

> course, they could also be cash, but fortunately

> tots these days are amateurs.

Yes I know that - sorry, what I meant to say was that we would be out extorting money from the last week of October through to Bonfire Night and so any time spent egging front doors or soaping windows in pursuit of an elusive Aztec Bar was a waste of 'extortion time'.

An early exercise in time management and efficiency or 'time equals money'. ;-)

[guna nua]

I thought Halloween was Irish and was brought to America by Irish immigrants in the 1930's ?

[civilservant]

sorry, maxxi - should have known you'd know that - molto respecto to old-time efficiency!

[binary_star]

Citizenship fail.

[the-e-dealer]

When kids knock on my door and say trick or treat I Say Trick And steal their money.

Is that ok.

[spanglysteve]

in scotland it is guising, there is no element of tricking, that is completely American. Also in Scotland you have to earn your treat by doing some sort of party piece, eg singing a song or reciting a poem.

[peterstorm1985]

I'm adopting the Scottish interpretation. No poem, no chocolate

[garymax]

Just wanted to say Thank you to Pickle.

I asked this question about Trick or treat last year and being told by Pickle what to do made it so much easier for our Daughter and ourselves to knock on the correct doors. We had a fantastic evening and we live in a flat and managed to standout side and do our own treating.

Happy halloweening Folks.