We're the over-the-top Halloween neighbours!
We decorate the front window with lights and pumpkins, dress up in scary costumes and wait for the trick or treaters to arrive.

When they come I pretend to be scared for a bit, then variously play little tricks on them and demand they tell me a joke or sing a song, then I say 'There aren't any REAL devils here though, are there?' and Mr Quar suddenly appears in a scary devil mask.

When they've stopped screaming I make them close their eyes and put a hand in my 'cauldron' for sweets, without looking, being careful in case the snakes and toads in there bite them...

This is a rough estate - there's never any trouble. One year a little group of youths made a half-arsed attempt at bommy-knocking and were chased up the street by Mr Quar in his mask, shouting 'Come back! You haven't had any sweets!'
Poor little sods nearly crapped themselves.

Just a few weeks to go - can't wait!
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Fri 2 Oct 2009, 12:57, 6 replies)

We are, too!
This year, I'm building a faux cemetery in the front yard, complete with Styrofoam 'gravestones', bit-of-broken-mannequin 'zombies' and, if I can talk the spouse into it, a strobe light and a fog machine for the night of Halloween. I plan to dress the spouse as a statue and get him to lurch out at the kids on cue. We give out proper candy, so we know the neighbourhood kids will brave it.
(louveciennes , Volvospotter, Fri 2 Oct 2009, 20:00, closed)

my first year here
i had hardly any trick-or-treaters. i dressed as a vampire, gave out plenty of sweets and word spread.
last year, i was swamped by kids and their parents. less for the sweets and more to see my zombie outfit :)
i love hallowe'en!
( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Fri 2 Oct 2009, 22:04, closed)

Outfits
The best outfit I've seen for scariness was a death outfit. Most of it was your standard fare, but with a thick pair of tights over the face so that the hood looks like an empty black hole. It's surprisingly eerie, but you can still swig your beer through it!
(LittleKitty, Sat 3 Oct 2009, 5:45, closed)

Woohooo, we're all going to have FUN!
Asda has a life-sized moving, talking figure in a top hat. It's 70 quid but I bet they'll sell off a couple half price in November, when I'll swoop.
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Sat 3 Oct 2009, 14:41, closed)

i envy your trickortreaters
in america it seems the practice has largely died out because everyone's afraid of drano hiding in the nougatey centers of the chocolate bars.
(fai is rocking khaz modan server as of, Sun 4 Oct 2009, 2:58, closed)

Well, that's one American custom you can keep to yourselves.
Over here, it just isn't the done thing to poison people; don't you know? :)
(The Incredible Sulk Finally remembered his password on, Sun 4 Oct 2009, 16:16, closed)