Halloween scares my DGC

There is a long history in the NE and Scotland of celebrating Halloween. Children went door to door but were expected to do a 'party piece' when it was answered, sing or recite a poem. Years ago my children always had to visit an 80 year old neighbour in their costumes and sing for him. He remembered doing the same in his childhood. So it's not all imported from the USA although I agree the commercialization is.

Two years ago in October half term I took GS1 & GS2 to the Dean Heritage Centre in the Forest of Dean as we had been in the summer for their delightful Gruffalo Trail. In October the Trail was flooded, but we had paid to go in so explored an interesting museum and then looked at an air raid shelter (great as they had been studying WW2) and then into a 40s cottages. With absolutely NO warning a ghost jumped out. Loud "spooky" noises rang through the building. There had been no signage that there was any "Hallowe'en" theme anywhere. GS2 had nightmares and didn't want trips with granny for a bit. Some adults think this fun; after that I don't!!

Fireworks in back gardens only please!

Agree about the overly gruesome stuff. What I like least is the menace of 'trick or treat' which is where some deluded and increasingly young children retaliate, if not offered a treat, (and for some it has to be a treat that they want or you get "Is that ALL?), by trampling on the garden, throwing eggs and in one instance, scratching my neighbour's car. I remember it as fun, apple bobbing, on string or in water, melting lead and deciding what the resulting blob represents, peeling apples in one piece and throwing it over your shoulder to find your true love's initial, telling ghost stories, dressing as witches or ghosts etc. Nostalgia, Aah.

Why aren't the British ashamed of themselves for allowing this
Americanisation ? Leave them their own foolishness , and concentrate on our own customs : used to be Penny for the Guy and Bonfire Night in my day .....home-made guys trundled round to doors in wheelbarrows , and boys out foraging for wood for bonfires . Parkin , bonfire toffee , jacket potatoes . The only expense was a ( small ) box of Standard fireworks ...

My son has just been called a killjoy by his wife ( still sounds odd saying that) because he wasn't excited by hallowe'en. We used to dres the up as witches, wizards etc because the rugby club has a party otherwise we wouldn't bother.

did anyone cast spells ? I remember one year peeling an apple & then throwing it over my shoulder to see the initial of my true love . I don't think it made recognisable letter.

Back on topic , I so't mind really obvious fake stuff but some is too realistic

Zombies, yes. For some reason 'young adults' made up and dressed as zombies have been roaming central Birmingham for several weeks. Oddly and unconvincingly they rush about about often giggling, I don't think anyone will be signing them up as background artists for the latest zombie film epic. They are allowed on public transport, I hope all that blood won't rub off on anyone unfortunate enough to have to sit next to them.

A halloween costume consultant - FFS!

The world has gone mad.

Colleges in the US are appointing Halloween Costume Consultants. Gotta lurve the US of A for entertainment value if nothing else .

Not long till our colleges start this too?

I hate Halloween too....horrible. Saw a shop keeper on the news yesterday who had been made to remove his window display with chopped up body parts, knives and lots of blood.He said the children loved it.

I don't think so somehow. All souls is about the departed not violence , murder and cruelty.

thatbags Ditto.

Add me to the bah humbug list. Minibags asked me to buy her some Halloween stuff the other day. My reply: "I don't do Halloween; never have, never will. Spend your own money."

I've nothing against a bit of apple bobbing but all the zombie stuff, no thanks.

I think it's ghastly - and, yes, a huge money-making scam.

tiggypro - agree with you (and others) entirely. It is all a huge money making scam, as is Guy Fawkes' night. In fact, the two seem to get rolled into one these days and the whole thing lasts a week or more. And don't get me started on Christmas/New Year..............!

I am totally bah humbug about the whole thing and struggle to find anything positive about Halloween now. I shall be closing my curtains and battening down the hatches as soon as it is dark (if not before).
As for the dreadful things on sale I saw a new shop in the local small market town this week. It was selling nothing but horrendous Halloween 'stuff' so no doubt will be gone next week. I do wonder what will happen to everything which is not sold as the shop appeared to be very well stocked.

We've just been to our local Tesco and remarked that we didn't like some of the things on display. They have got much more gruesome in the last couple of years and I wouldn't want my DGC subjected to it. They are in USA which (justifiably) gets the blame for the rise of Halloween activities. They look forward to Halloween parties but their costumes are not at all gory: fairies, spacemen, soldiers etc.

I haven't looked too closely in our local Tesco but there was a big Hallowe'en display where the chocolates and sweets normally are.

Yes, rosequartz, it was the same. Very big of Tesco to remove the offensive displays - in Colchester!!
What about the rest of the country??

Younger children around here always have a hovering adult in the background. In some areas of London residents take children around the streets they are familiar with in groups, the children love it and anyone not wanting to be involed doesn't answer the door.
Last year youngest grandson's friend erupted through the front door with a toilet roll and a request from his mum that we made him into a mummy. A roll of sellotape and some splashes of fake blood later they all set off to return with the usual generous loot. The morning of November 1st found me, supermarket bound, roaming the streets trying to look casual as I filled my handbag and pockets with what appeared to be bloodstained loo roll!!

I have to agree...Tesco are the worst offenders, with ghastly stuff just inside the door so you have to go past.Once witnessed a very frightened toddler crying while his Mum browsed the blood spattered offerings!

Just a money spinner for the shop keepers. Our GC understand it is just pretend but they get nothing more scary than a witch costume. I am totally against allowing young children to ring doorbells especially in our area where we have a lot of flats, occupancy changes frequently and even adults don't really know who our neighbours are.

I think that was the one mentioned in the link in my post above Elrel.
Just horrible

Since unstoppable profit muscled in there has been no stopping Halloween. A modest turnip lantern in the 1940s, bobbing for apples at parties in the '50s with home made costumes - look at it now!!
A few days ago I saw in a newspaper a disgusting sugar head Tesco was selling. Based on the Mexican Day of the Dead (which I don't particularly mind) the thing was eating a rat. The mother of scared children complained and it was taken off display - in that store!! What about the rest?

Not a fuddy-duddy. I absolutely agree. Why do we have this nonsense? It is quite beyond me. Of course it is scary - it is meant to be! - but why inflict that on children? - answer comes there none.

www.afyontoday.com/news/1055503/parents-outrage-terrifying-tesco-halloween-displays

You are not alone, MoBrown. It used to be a bit of fun for children - apple bobbing and similar fun - but now adults dress up in the most horrendous costumes. I sometimes think I must be an old fuddy duddy!

Roll on All Saints' Day

Of course, the fireworks have started too, and will probably be heard from now until New Year's Eve!