 |
|
Updated 01 November 2002, 09.54 
Trick or treating takes over the streets on Hallowe'en each year.
But is it a good idea? Is it just simple fun and a chance to get loads of sweets?
Or do kids put themselves at risk - and end up being tough on adults?
Unfortunately this topic is now closed but there are Comments pages on other subjects on the main Chat index.
 You can also vote on whether trick-or-treating is right for kids by clicking here!
 Trick or treating is a corruption of a Scottish tradition called "guising". Lots of people still go guising here. Rather than threatening people with tricks each kid tells a joke or says a poem and in return gets sweets or nuts or sometimes money. Sile, 14, Aberdeen
I think trick or treating is a really good way to spend hallowe'en, Most people are banned from it. They do it in America and get loads of sweets but people here don't give anything! Rosie, 11, Poole
I think trick or treating is stupid because all the children that do it don't get very much out of it. If all you're doing is getting sweets and probably being sick after they have eaten them. Hannah, 9, Redhill
Trick or treating used to be safe and fun but now it is just full of idiots demanding sweets and egging windows. Last year some teenage boys spray painted my neighbour's car because he wouldn't give them anything. Amy, 14, Broxbourne
I used to live in Canada where they Trick or Treat properly and you get everything from sweets to dentists handing out toothbrushes. I think if you feel you have to hide in your own home and hold your evening back because you are intimidated by the children, that gives me no faith in adults. James, 14, Huddersfield
I think trick or treating is a fantastic tradition, and as long as you stay safe there's no harm done!!! It's the only time of year you get to dress up, have fun, get sweets, and get spooky all in one night!! Victoria, 14, Gillingham
It is awful. Both my parents are deaf, and when the kids come with their masks, they cannot understand them. They hand over a hadful of coppers to share out between them. Then later more kids come - how do we know if it is the same kids again as their faces are covered up again. This year we are staying out, probably to a cinema! Paul, 13, London
I think that if people at Halloween collected for a charity as well as collecting sweets for themselves, adults would be less reluctant to give the children some treats. After all, the money would be going to a good cause and the sweets would be a reward for the children collecting for the charity. Katie, 13, London
I think that trick or treating is alright, as long as you know where you are going so you do not get lost or killed by vehicles. Amanda, 13, Bury St Edmonds
I think Halloween is brilliant, but I feel left out because my mum's against it and all of my friends go out trick or treating. Rosie, 11, York
Trick or treating is definitely not a good idea- every year my house gets eggs thrown at it because we don't don't celebrate halloween. I would definitely not encourage them with sweets. Rachel, 15, Berkshire
Trick or treating comes round once a year. It's not like it's every day. There shouldn't be a problem because children have had too many of them this year already. Most children have an auldt with them. It's getting stupid now, because it feels like everyone is banning us having fun! Sarah, 10, Milton Keynes
I think it's a great idea. I used to live in America and now we live on a great little street. We are all going to go trick or treating. It's a lot different from where we used to live! Charlotte, 9, Surrey
I think trick-or treating is a great idea!! I just moved to America and I'm from Norway and even though there was snow and we didn't get many sweets when I went last year, we had such a fun time!! This year I am going with loads of little children and their parents and everyone goes out treating so it is perfectly safe. Also we get to carve pumpkins and dress up for school, it's just like a special holiday when you're with your friends and family to go out, have fun, and u get sweets!! What's the problem with that? Jenna, 13, USA
Trick or treating is only a bit of fun for children. I only think it's wrong when people get hurt or people throw eggs! Lily, 15, Faversham
I think trick or treating is fine. It is just some harmless fun and if you don't pester people it is perfectly reasonable to do. I admit it is best to do it with people you know in your own street because other wise it can be dangerous, but it's good to have a laugh on Hallow'een night! Louise, 9, Belfast
It's a bit dangerous because anyone could snatch the children who go trick or treating. I also think it's rude to ask for candy from strangers and expect things. Rebecca, 12, Birmingham
I think trick-or-treating is OK if you take a parent/guardian with you, if you were going round a big area, but it's fine to go around a small area on your own. It's good fun to do on Hallowe'en. Natasha, 11, Solihull
Trick-or-treating is a very bad idea. It frightens elderly people who don't want to open doors; children can be very cheeky and intimidating and it's yet another awful American influence that shouldn't be allowed. Andrew, 16, Wolverhampton
As long as it is treated sensibly trick-or-treating is fine, however, if mis-handled it could be bad. If people keep it as just fun, it is fine by me! Louise, 13, Poole
After all the grief adults put us through each year we deserve the chance to seek revenge. Trick-or-treating is a harmless bit of fun. Matthew, 12, Crowland
I think it's fine to go trick-or-treating because lots of poeple see you and will recognise you, so you're totally safe. Me and my friends went last year, we didn't get many sweets but we had a great time. Just so long as an adult knows what time you are getting back, it's totally safe. Ruby, 12, Hastings
What's the point of buying a load of sweets just to give them away? And it's not safe nowadays. It's cruel if they play tricks! Laura, 13, Southampton
I think we should be allowed to go trick or treating, it isn't fair to stop just because of a few kids! Hannah, 12, Lancaster
Trick-or-treating is unfair on most people. It can frighten and upset the elderly. In most cases the police could class the tricking as vandalism Laura, 13, West Sussex
I don't really think that trick-or-treating is fair. Older people could get scared or feel threatened and other children might feel left out if their friends are getting sweets and they aren't. Sheridan, 12, Kettering
Many young children seem to be going without adults nowadays. It is very dangerous in today's society and completely unfair on other adults. Gaby, 13, Norfolk
I think trick-or-treating is a completely good idea as Halloween only comes round once a year! It gives children time to dress up and have fun even though the days are shorter and dark and cold! Anita, 14, Tyrone
I think trick-or-treating is OK because it is safe as there are no accidents and there are usually four to nine people who go. Julian, 12, London
I don't think trick-or-treating is bad for children. But I don't think you should do it before the 31st. Sarah, 13, Berwick
I think that trick-or-treating is fine if you are being supervised by an adult, but can be very risky going out by
yourself. Ashleigh, 10, Stockton
I've always loved trick-or-treating! Now I'm a bit old but I still take my little sister and her friends out round our local streets. I think it's a great way for all the local community to bond with each other. It's a great experience for the little ones. When they're older they realise that it's just a bit of fun. It's not begging! Amy, 16, Canvey Island
I think that it is a bad idea because it is really just forcing adults to give you sweets or money, it is not much better than blackmailing! Also it is dangerous for children to be out at night and it also might scare the elderly or even shock them enough to give them a heart attack if they have a serious medical condition. I would never go trick-or-treating and I try to discourage it. Emily, 11, Ashbourne
I haven't ever been trick or treating but I don't think it's a good idea because it's not fair if adults have to give money to children they don't know. I think it could be unsafe as well if children want to dress up as someone from their favourite sports team there might be a crazy fan that supports a team that has a rivalry with the team the child supports. Daniel, 11, Aberdeen
I think it is a bad idea to go trick-or-treating in England because children dress up as horrible, ghostly figures that make people afraid and scared. In Canada children dress up as anything and have a good time instead of being dressed up very horribly. Christopher, 10, Coventry
I think Halloween is bad for children, it costs quite a lot of money for the costumes and it's dangerous to take sweets from a stranger. Sarah, 10, Dartford
Well, I see what you mean about parents, but I think it's OK because it's a fun night for kids. We have quite a lot of old people living around us which we normally leave alone, so why not! Chloe, 11, Woolaston
I think children should be out celebrating happiness and love, not evil, the work of the Devil which is what Halloween is about!!! Carmel, 15, Glossop
I don't think trick-or-treating is good, many children are putting themselves in danger if they knock on doors of people that they do not know, I think it is a form of begging, also I worry about vulnerable people like the elderly or disabled as they often don't know who is knocking on their door and they can get frightened. It can be a nuisance to the elderly and disabled and it often puts them in a lot of danger. Robert, 11, Newcastle upon Tyne
I don't like Halloween because you're disturbing older people and I get fed up with everybody knocking on our door. Daniel, 11, Leeds
Going on a trick-or-treat is absolutely fine. If nobody trick-or-treats then what's the point of Halloween! Tom, 13, Harrold
I think the Americans have got the right idea! They get high school kids to take out younger children trick-or-treating and look after them. I think this is a really good idea because the children are safe and all the people at home know that it's happening and therefore they know that they have nothing to be 'freaked out' about and it gives the kids a chance to get all dressed up and have some fun! My mum sees it as begging but I don't see how it is. It's all just harmless fun! Tess, 12, Bristol
Trick-or-treating is not a good idea as it can be dangerous and unfair to adults. Trick-or-treating usually happens when the sun has set and sometimes near busy city centres. I think that trick-or-treating could be OK, but the only way that would be is if adults went with the children to guarantee safety. Jafa, 15, London
|
|
|
|
|
Vote on trick-or-treating
