Knock, knock, ginger

Knock, knock, Ginger (in Canada), knock-a-door run (in England), ding-dong ditch (in the United States), chappy (in Scotland), knock-a-dolly (in Ireland), bobby knock (in Wales), ding dong dash (in Australia), or pinpon dash (in Japan), sometimes referred to as "knick-knocking", is a game played by children in many cultures. It involves knocking on the front door of (or ringing the doorbell of) a victim, then running away before the door can be answered. The game has been played since the 19th century.

It is called "Klingelpütz" or "Klingelstreich" or "Schellekloppe" or "Schellemännchen"/ "Klingelmännchen" in Germany and "belletje trekken" in Flanders (Belgium) and The Netherlands. Victims of this prank are not likely to call the Police, but if they decide to, the "doorbell ditcher" can face charges of Trespassing, and Disturbing the Peace.

Other names

3

Name Variations

The game or variants are known by different names geographically, including commonly the following:

• Knock and run
• Knock-down Ginger
• Knock-up Ginger
• Knock-a-door-run
• Knock, knock Ginger
• Ding dong ditch
• Ring and Run (Poland/Germany/Canada)
• Knick-knocking
• Ding dong dash Italy
• Knicky Knicky Nine Doors
• Nicky Nicky Nine Door (Southern Ontario)
• Nick Nock Tick Tock (London)
• Doorbell Ditch
• Knocker Knocker (Wales)
• Bellfast Sweden
• Knock Off Ginger
• Ring the Bell and Run like Hell (New York)
• Rin Raje (Argentina)

Variations

Sardines

"Sardines" A group knocks on the door and either lies down on the driveway or front lawn/step. The last person to leave wins the game.

Knicky, knicky, nine door

"Run By" Running down a street knocking on as many doors as possible and waiting to see all the neighbors come out at one time.

• knicky, knocky, nine door
• knicky, knicky, nine door (Canada)
• knocky nine door (North East England)
• knocky nine doors
• knicky, knocky, nino
• Boby Knocking (Swansea)

Other variations

There are several variants of Knock Knock Ginger:

"3 Step" To be played with two people. The knocker is blindfolded and led up to the door by a partner. The unblindfolded partner knocks on the door and runs away, taking the blindfold off his/her partner. The person left at the door has 3 steps to attempt a getaway. They must stop on their 3rd step in the best hiding place they can think of on that spot. - created by the Australian comedy duo Hamish and Andy

"Sour Puss" A person presses the doorbell of the victim and then says, "sour puss" (or any previously determined phrase) several times when they open the door.

"All Doors." A group rings and bangs on the front door, back door, garage door, and any other doors on the victims house.

"Ding Dong Drive" A group rings a door bell, then gets into a car and waits for the victim to come outside then proceed to drive away

"Knock and don't run". In which one, or a group, rings a doorbell, and stays there. The longer they keep the door open, the more "points" they get. Another variation of this is popular in Britain and it is called "Gnoming or Clay-gnoming" which is the knocking at a door or pressing of the doorbell of a house and waiting on the doorstep for the house-owner. When the door is opened the "Gnomer" stands very still. If the house-owner speaks to the Gnomer, they are to fall over. Only once the house-owner has gone back inside their house may the Gnomer leave. Both these circumstances are usually seen at Halloween as the practicer usually wears a mask to hide their identity

"Dance Dance Doormat" When they answer the door you start dancing until they get mad at you.

"The Phantom" A friendly variation similar in concept to a chain letter. Around Halloween, a bag of candy, a sign, and a letter are left on the doorstep of the recipient. The letter asks the recipient to make three copies of both the letter and sign, post the sign on their front door to announce that they have been "hit," and give three bags of candy (with letter and sign) to friends or neighbors. This is also known as "Booing". Also, Some times nasty comments are left in letters too, some pranks have been put in the cups as well.

"Note" A person rings the doorbell and then leaves a note saying, "Hi" or "Hello" then when they answer the door the person reads the note and goes back inside. Then the Ding Dong Ditcher comes back and leaves a note saying, "What's up?" or "How are you?" and rings the bell then they carry on with an entire conversation.

"Ding Dong Flash" A person rings the doorbell and then flashes a bright light into the eyes of the person who answers the door and then runs. Best done at night.

"Knock Door ABC" A person rings the door bell and while they are waiting for the door to open they go through the alphabet until the door is opened and whatever letter they are on they ask if a certain person is home and the name of the person they ask for must be beginning with the letter they land on.

"Rock The Doorbell" A person keeps ringing the doorbell until the victim opens the door and the persons say something and runs.

"Ding Dong Sack-Whack" Someone rings the doorbell and once the owner answers the door they are punched in the groin, after which the assailant flees the area.

"Alarm Bells" Tape is placed on a door bell, so that the bell rings continously, by the time the door is answered the prankster is gone.

"Tapping" A small piece of fishing line about 3 inches long is tied to the door knob. Then the other end of that string is attached to a bolt. Then a large piece of fishing line about 20 - 30 feet long is attached to the bolt. Then take cover as far away as the long fishing line will let you. Once you find a hiding spot make sure to get rid of any slack the rope has. Then from your hiding spot pull the fishing line towards your body then give the line some slack like a knocking motion it will tap their door as if someone were knocking on it. You can keep doing this until they discover the string.

Popular culture

• In the novel and film of the same name To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the 2 main characters, Scout and Jem Finch, played knock-down ginger on the "devil's" door - the devil being Boo Radley, who later rescues them when they are attacked following the trial.

• In the movie Monster House, one of the kids ding dong ditches the house to see if it was really alive.
• In the movie The Benchwarmers, Reggie Jackson teaches the guys to ding dong ditch to improve their motor skills.
• The comedian Ross Noble tells of an experience when during a visit to 11 Downing Street he knocked on the door of 10 Downing Street then ran away, only then realising there is a security fence with armed police at the end of the street.

• On the Fieldy's Dreams album Rock'n Roll Gangster on the song Child Vigilante, Fieldy mentions Ding Dong Ditch

• Also known in Angus, Scotland as Chicky Melly. Chicky ( as in chicken if you don't do it) Melly (from the French melee meaning the ensuing fracas if you were caught ). In the tenements of the city of Dundee a full dust bin was taken one floor up from the victims front door and tied with a washing line (sometimes the victims own) to the door handle, when the victim tried to open their door they thought someone was holding the other side, giving an almighty heave they brought the dustbin tumbling down to their door strewing rubbish everywhere.

• Also known as Ratatat Ginger

• In Maniac Mansion this is used as a means to distract Nurse Edna while a second member of your party accesses a hidden vault.

• In a segment of the Australian TV show Rove '99 called 'Pranking Australia' they did a session on knick-knocking which ends in Pete getting arrested

• In the movie Billy Madison, Billy and his friends leave a flaming bag of feces on a doorstep of an elderly man.

• This prank was shown in the music video for Hoppípolla, by the Icelandic Post-rock band Sigur Rós.

• Ding Dong Ditch is also used in a Windex commercial where one of the crows plays the prank on a man sitting on his patio. While he is answering the door, another crow closes the sliding glass door leading to the patio. The man walks back to the patio, and he walks into the door, because Windex "leaves a streak-free shine."

• In the cartoon Rocko's Modern Life, the characters Heffer Wolfe and Filbert repeatedly pull this prank in one episode until they finally send a victim into a rage and pay the price for their actions.

• In the Pingu episode "Pingu's Lavatory Story", Pingu plays ding dong ditch at his house in order to get his father out of the bathroom so he can use the toilet.

• In the Ed, Edd n Eddy episode "The Ed Touchables", Eddy plays ding dong ditch with Edd. When Edd answers the door the first time, no one is there. The second time, Edd pushes the doorbell button to make sure he is not hearing things. The third time, Edd gets hit with a bucket of water. The fourth time, Edd gets a fish thrown in his face. Finally, Eddy appears at the door the fifth time. Edd asks Eddy if he was the one ringing his doorbell, to which Eddy replies, "Who, me? Nah!"

• In the Beavis and Butt-head episode Ding Dong Ditch, Beavis and Butt-head attempt this prank with various results. They run away after the person answers the door and even run and hide when not ringing the doorbell.

• Another example of this prank can also be seen in the movie Dennis The Menace. The movie also showed a method of retaliation to deter pranksters (taping a thumbtack to the doorbell).

• In the video game Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories, the character Axel holds the world-record for ding dong ditches.

• The English rock group Arctic Monkeys recorded a song on their 2005 demo entitled "Knock a Door Run". It appears on the compilation Beneath the Boardwalk

• There are two Canadian indie-pop bands whose names involve this game. Knock-Down-Ginger out of Vancouver, BC who first formed in 1995 had released a couple indie albums and subsequently broke up 2 years after their formation and all members went on to form other bands. Knock Knock Ginger, a pop quintet out of Waterloo, Ontario have been together since 2004 and have two self-produced EPs in their discography that have reached the top 10 on campus radio. KKG's music is also played frequently on CBC Radio 3. They currently perform in local venues across Southern Ontario and have also performed at Waterloo's Canada Day celebration hosted by the University of Waterloo and have also played the Halifax Pop Explosion. Upcoming projects as of Sept 2007 include a full length LP.

• In 2006, the American Pop music band Matt & Figgy released a song entitled "Ding Dong Ditch" on their debut album, "Hey Man, How's it Goin'?".

• In 2004, The Scottish band J. Vorhees Goes to the Post Office released a song entitled "knock a door ninja". It charted poorly, but remains a fan favourite, being performed regularly live.

• In the British TV Series Balls of Steel, Knock and don't run is played by Neg on one occasion.

• In the movie Disturbia with Shia Laboeuf kids light a bag of anal excretions on fire. They ring the doorbell, leave the bag on the porch and run away.