Trick or treat: Time to end a tradition?

Over the weekend many parents of young children will be getting ready to go out trick-or-treating for Halloween on Monday. 

This can be an exciting time for many who enjoy going out with their friends and getting dressed up as their favourite scary character. 

Emily Sales from Strood in Kent loves to decorate her home and celebrates the Halloween season with family. 

“Every year I take my son trick or treating, he loves to get dressed up and he really gets into it. It’s really nice also I think on the houses that he knocks at when the adults get involved with giving the sweets out to the children, it makes such a difference,” said Miss Sales.

Unfortunately, this time of year is not fun for everyone. Some people are anxious as they do not want unwanted visitors knocking on their doors. This is especially true for the vulnerable who fear they will be taken advantage of. 

I am standing outside 72-year-old Jane Russell’s home in Rainham, and she hates the Halloween season. She said: “If there is no decorations the people aren’t interested so leave them alone, whereas if they have got pumpkins and lights outside their house and decorations, then obviously they do want to be a part of it.”

Jane and her husband Michael have had bad experiences at this time of year and in the past, they have had eggs thrown at their windows. They both feel nervous about opening their door at night and Halloween puts them in a position where they feel like they must. 

“Now we are older we feel more vulnerable, at one time we might have been able to chase them down the road, but we haven’t got a chase in us now, we have got a notice in our window saying that we don’t want people knocking, unsolicited calls, so they should take notice of that,” said Mrs Russell.

If you are planning to go trick or treating over the Halloween period, please be mindful of those who do not celebrate the occasion and appreciate that not everyone will want a knock at their door.