DR expert explains the unwritten rules of Halloween trick-or-treating

Halloween hosts should respect neighbours who do not take part, while trick-or-treaters should be prepared for some houses not to answer, DR lifestyle expert Jacob Mouritzen says.

Mouritzen, known from the television programme Kender du typen and a partner at Obsidian, offers advice for both sides of the door in a guide published by DR.

Homes without Halloween decorations should be left alone, he says. If a home is decorated, residents should expect visitors and have sweets ready, or risk disappointing children.

Hosts can make their homes very frightening, Mouritzen says, as long as they do not create a genuine danger. He recommends warning visitors if the display is particularly intense. Fear researcher Marc Andersen, a lecturer at Aarhus University, told DR that children should be able to choose whether to enter a frightening garden or approach a scary character.

There is no fixed limit on how much candy to give, Mouritzen says, though a house offering just one sweet per child may not be popular. He adds that hosts can give carrots or oranges instead.

Older children should consider whether they are too old to trick-or-treat. Mouritzen says a 16-year-old who is 180 centimetres tall and dressed as a vampire may seem more frightening than cute. Children who arrive without a costume should still be given candy, he says.