h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thank you for this Entry to inform the uninitiated about the phenomenon

I was just subjected to a local Christmas tradition that has made me scared ever since I was a child - Christmas trick or treating for charity... Halloween is very respectable round here, that trick or treaters only visit people who have agreed beforehand, but the Christmas trick or treaters visit every house... Luckily they play loud music as they go, so I get a 5 minute warning to turn off all the lights and hide. Luckily this year they only rang the doorbell once and went away, but there have been years when they ring the doorbell three times and bang on the door five times, which is not pleasant...

I much rather give to charity in daylight.

Christmas trick or treating? Not heard that one before.
I've heard of carol singers knocking on doors, singing a song and collecting for charity, but to not bother with singing and to just play loud music instead sounds half-hearted at best. I'd be inclined to think, 'if you're not prepared to sing carols you're clearly not upholding your end of the bargain, so you can't expect to receive money in return.'

If you know who the charity is I'd be inclined to provide feedback explaining that you, and almost certainly many others, find their behaviour intimidating and thus using scare tactics reflects badly on their charity.

<BB<

'if you're not prepared to sing carols you're clearly not upholding your end of the bargain, so you can't expect to receive money in return.'

Indeed

The charity does have a reputation, but they must get something from my street each year to encourage them to keep doing it... (they stopped visiting my parents' street a few years ago, because 100% of people turned their lights off and hid ). At least it was an improvement on last year, that they only rang the doorbell once, but it is still not a charity I am keen to support...

That's the thing, their methods have discouraged you from supporting them on other occasions and makes you potentially question their integrity. It can also be a serious issue with charities expected to engage in ethical behaviour:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33490964
http://www.charityclarity.org.uk/2017/11/how-to-complain-about-bad-charities/

I remember when I was young the local Rotary Club had a float which would drive round the streets of Sandown with a grotto on the back, so children would go in and get a little of sweets from meeting and they had collecting buckets which adults would chuck money into. That approach worked, so it is better to encourage donations with the carrot than the stick.

<BB<

Ah, you hit the nail on the head there... That is very useful information about the alternative approaches that are possible for the same charity - carrot rather than stick indeed. I shall find a way of passing that on, so that my local branch can understand how to use their float more responsibly in future...