Halloween

For 'democrat', read 'Labourite'

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Oh, gawd, done it again, sorry.

Iam64 - 'things change' - so true, and so easy to just look back instead of forward. Thanks for the reminder.

Iam64 - 'things change' - so true, and so easy to just look back instead of forward. Thanks for the reminder.

One of my daughters is a pagan and has always celebrated all hallows in a very positive way.

Like so many others on this forum, my memory of Halloween is ducking for apples and telling ghost stories in the dark whilst eating the apples you ducked for and roasted potatoes, chewing toffees, all rare treats in the 50's I think.

My own children ducked for apples, told ghost stories and dressed up as witches or wizards. In their teens, they went out with groups of pals, dressed in various costumes.

I tend to turn the lights off at the front of the house and largely ignore the door after 7. Anyone who knocks before 7 is likely to be a tiny one in some costume or other, accompanied by a parent. I give them a treat of some kind or other. I don't mind the Americanisation of Halloween, it's life isn't it, things change.

I hate it. It always caused rows because I wouldn't let my children bother the neighbourhood.
I would find a few friends and take them there.
Our local park has an evening where children can dress up- that seems better.
I have nothing against Halloween parties - just begging for sweets from strangers.

nottoo I can't wait for the next HM either.

I think I saw an article in the DM (I know, I know) last week where certain costumes were set alight. And they all caught fire very quickly.

All are available in supermarkets.

I don't mind the kids calling to be honest, I like the interaction with people but we do live in a village so maybe that makes a subtle difference. We don't have any problems which is good.

My GD and I did something different last year and we will do the same if she is with me this year (she might be on a sleepover elsewhere).

We went trick or treating but 'we gave' to those who opened the door. It was really funny to see their faces as they didn't expect it. Some of the older people found it amusing to be given 'sweeties' and it actually turned out to be a friendly, happy exercise that hopefully taught my DGD giving is as good as receiving. She really took to the idea and still had 'treats' given to her in her bootybag as well. It was a very pleasant night actually.

I do think a lot of people 'advertise' the fact they are happy to get involved monanny and your granddaughters are perhaps looking forward to it.

I have to confess I do not really like it. Thankfully we live too far away from civilization for anyone to bother us with trick or treat. It is that element of threat (however benign its intention) that I do not like.

And it has now become so commercialized - just an excuse to make a bit more cash from families.

I am not aware that my GC make much of it.

gettingonabit - you are right about All Hallows' Eve being English, of course. I really meant the 'trick or treating' bit being American. I certainly do remember that scene in Wolf Hall. What a fantastic book that is - also the TV programme, of course. Hilary Mantel is said to be writing a third book in the series, which should be interesting.

Re the Halloween costumes, I read somewhere recently that they would be fireproofed this year after Claudia Winkelman drew attention to them. However, I saw some in B&M today that looked the same as every year although I didn't check the labels as it would have meant finding my specs in my bag and I was overloaded with shopping.

I suppose it was called guising because they are in disguise.

I Never knew it was called "guising" but in the NE there is a strong tradition of going to houses on Halloween. I had a neighbour in his 80s when my kids were small and they always had to go and see him. He asked for a poem or song and gave them sweets in return. The Americans may have appropriated the celebration but we should steal it back.

Shysal apparently the same non-fireproof costumes are available as usual. Let's hope people are sensible enough to not buy them.

I hope the tatty costumes sold this year will be fireproof, following the incident last year with Claudia Winkleman's daughter . Beware of flames everyone please!

I used to hate it, now I don't mind so much. A couple of pumpkins, loads of cheap sweets and it's over in a few hours.

As to its being an American thing, I thought it was a British custom exported to America then imported back? Used to be All Hallows'Eve? Does anyone remember the bit in Wolf Hall where Cromwell is 'visited' by his dead wife and daughter?

For us as kids Halloween meant dressing up in a sheet and ducking apples. All very tame and simply a precursor to the real event of Bonfire Night.

I loathe it. In a magazine the other day somebody asked for suitably gruesome food for a child's Halloween party, and one of the suggestions that particularly disgusted me was for a dish that looked like vomit. I just find the whole concept of Halloween depressing.

Having said that, I think my grandchildren will probably go trick or treating since the whole Halloween thing has become almost obligatory now and even schools seem to be reinforcing this largely commercially driven frenzy.

I will be dressed in my best witch outfit, DGD and DD will be calling and we will have fun with DGD in her outfit, nothing more nor less, she will go home with her little bucket filled with sweets and have eaten a couple of Halloween treats. She wont be allowed to go to strangers houses and will have her parents with her at all times. Its pure fun.

DD lives in a nice little group of houses where the children can call on each other without annoying anyone. We've got a couple of families with small children near us so I keep a few sweets in the cupboard in case we get visited. We don't have ant problem teenagers, probably because we all know their parents!

I enjoy it, cupcake1, though I've never come across the "trick" option, which sounds horrendous. Round here we just have 5 or 6 little groups knocking at the door, from the adorable tinies with their mums and dads at teatime to a few gangly youths at 9ish. I have a plastic cauldron which I stock with spooky sweets from the supermarket and just hand these out. I'll be decorating the windows with cobwebs, spiders, bats, pumpkin lanterns and tat, and keeping it all up for the Halloween lunch I'm doing for the DGSs the day after. Mummy sausages wrapped in strips of pastry, spooky mini pizza faces, tomato soup in a cauldron, buns like shysal's, etc. I'll be resplendent in my best witch's garb.

I remember us trying to scare people in the 60s with our turnip lanterns and blackened faces, and doing some nasty tricks on Mischief Night, 4 November. What loopylou describes though is inexcusable criminal behaviour.

Sorry grandson 3. He'd be miffed if he thought I said he was a girl!

Halloween is a big celebration in my DD's house. She already has all her decorations up! She is bringing her family up as Pagans therefore Samhain is a major festival. It is the Day of the Dead, they honour loved ones who are dead and set out a plate of food for them. Light their pumpkin lanterns and go out trick or treating with their friends. They give thanks for the harvest and look forward to the new pagan year. DD and her family make quite a big celebration over two days 31 Oct. 1Nov. It is also a big party for DGD 3 whose birthday is on 30th October.

I hate it.

What on earth is going on when it's thought acceptable to ask total strangers for sweets etc and threaten them if they're not forthcoming?

When we first moved here from a very rural area the local yobs from a nearby village thought it fun to post dog excrement and bags of urine through the letter boxes of anyone who either didn't open the door or who declined.

I absolutely refused to open my door (sat with the lights off) to the ghastly teenagers so not only got that treatment but also my car keyed.
Police didn't want to know although 9 houses received that treatment. It's making me feel ill, the thought of it coming soon.

I loathe this American import, just a way for shops to sell tatty rubbish.
Every time I see "Happy Halloween" I point out that there's nothing happy about it , it's when we remember the dead.
Too late now, it's completely ousted Guy Fawkes Night and small children do love dressing up in unsuitable costumes. Does anyone tell them what vampires, mummies etc are?

LullyDully, I was thinking of the Mafia ( the horses head!)