When you talk of Penny for the Guy, that was what it was originally. My kids were allowed to go out for Penny for the Guy but being near to Billericay Burns Unit they had to collect for the Burns Unit which was quite successful. They did this for several years where we lived close to Billericay and everyone supported them. That made sense so near to the Burns Unit especially for Guy Fawkes Night.

I do tend to buy sweets for the younger children on our street, who make the effort to dress up for Halloween.They are always accompanied by the parents

i only went trick or treating twice and it was rubbish both times Lol, first time my cousins and aunty made me go an all i can remember was being cold wet and fed up, second time i went with my brother and his mate and again i just got cold and wt and fed up, we used to give sweets out but when i got my dogs i couldn't be bothered with the dogs barking at the door all night so i popped a notice up saying no trick or treaters thankyou... i got mud slung all up my windows for the bother, i just don't bother now, don't put a notice up and just leave the dogs bark, at least my neighbour knows to expect her door to go then Lol

We get nearly no trick or treaters. Nobody dresses up or decorates. It's certainly not a huge thing here. A few years back, we had no candy because we never get any kids.

Thing is - they actually came and when we had nothing - they threw eggs at our car and smashed a mirror on it. We have been "blackmailed" into keeping candy now because the annoying kids will damage your property and run if you do not give them anything.

Not an issue in general because their parents only let them out late at night to trick or treat on this particular holiday. But your car etc. can sustain extensive (and expensive) damage if you run across these brats, as we found out the hard way.

They keep small rocks and eggs in the bottoms of their candy buckets and often come in groups of 3-5 kids. They keep a bat or so, too. Supposedly for dogs or weird pedos, but will also beat your mailbox down with it and when you approach them, they all run.

In their costumes and in the dark, they are impossible to identify, and often come from the town over (poorer, more crime than ours). Annoying holiday... dislike immensely, always have. Grew up mega religious, parent thought the holiday was "occult" or "sacrilegious"... did not let us have any fun. BLEH!

Isn't that amusing? I never thought of the difference across the water. If anyone has a chance to see a copy of "Halloween" by American comic Jerry Seinfeld...that kind of explains the mystique when I was growing up. There's a house down the way that has a spider web porch to lawn. A huge mechanical spider with a moving baby in it's mouth, red spotlights and humorous tombstones. People stop their cars to photograph...Then there are many houses with nothing more than a lone pot of mums. Very different here apparently

My used to have a party when my daughter and niece were little, I personally don't like trick or treating, when my daughter was young I let her knock on neighbours and friends doors that's all.
I have sweets in but will only give to little ones. Up to yet no one has ever damaged our property and last year I didn't get one person knocking- more sweets for us lol

Against.

I feel sorry for old people who can be scared by it. It can get out of hand.

If it must be done the kids should be accompanied by their parents.

Well against my better judgement I have bought a tin of mixed chocolate sweets and if nobody knocks for trick or treat then I shall put the tin away for Christmas.

I never was in to it even when the boys were little.
I was allowed carol singing but my friends and myself were made to give anything to charity and we were only allowed in our road nowhere else. Not sure trick or treat had hit our shores during the 60's and 70's if it had I knew nothing of it.
When I moved too Harlow onto the estate I joined in all the children came with parents were very polite and the older children accepted no if the sweets had all gone.
I didn't do it at the new house last year we had only been here a week, not sure how popular it is in the village. I will possibly opt out due to having to keep shutting Dillon in and answering the door. At the other house we had a stable door so life was easier.

I would go around with my mum and some friends when I was little. But we are talking early 90's. Later on I would go with friends or my siblings and later I would take my little sister with my OH and our dog. She was scared of the costumes we would see out and about so would hang on to poor Cookie, which is the reason we took him. He loved it though and would wait at the end of the path with either my OH or I while the other one went to the door with her. But we would only do our neighbours or friends or people with lots of decorations who were obviously into it.
We are throwing a small party this year, just some family really. But all getting dressed up and having a laugh. Mainly an excuse to have everyone over but looking forwards to it.