Steph101 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I'm not into taking the kids trick or treating, it just reminds me of begging, and feels like a mini protection racket. However, I love autumn and it's colours, but many people find the nights drawing in a bit depressing. It's that back to school feeling, and the expense of Christmas is looming around the corner. I always fancy doing something for Halloween, or going somewhere, as it seems a shame that bonfire night is losing it's appeal in this country, with all the health and safety regulations. We used to let off fireworks in the garden, do lots of hearty warming food, light a little fire... this is all out of the question now of course, we have chickens! What does everybody else do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 (edited) its coming up to my favourite time of the year now, I love Autumn and winter so take Halloween and bonfire night very seriously! We go totally over the top with halloween, the entire outside of the house is decorated with ghosts, ghouls, fake blood, coffins on the lawn and dead monster bodies next to tombstones, cobwebs on the porch and door, and a CD playing ghostly screams and horror music to approaching trick or treaters. We have a couldron full of bagged sweets, last year I bagged 60 sweet bags and they all went quite an acomplishment seeing as we live in a small rural village! Everyone around here loves it though, we dont have children ourselves but enjoy the look on the kids faces when they see the house and the sweets! Edited August 28, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I am with you - can't abide trick & treating I am afraid. The closest we get to celebrating it is having my famous Halloween Mince for supper & pigging out on Candy Corn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 We have a horror film fest for the weekend, we take a long weekend for Hallowe'en as it's a nice mid Autumn break and we make hearty stews etc Buffie x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I don't do halloween either. We do put on a big party for the village kids at the church though - call it a Bright Lights Party and have loads of games and treats for the children. It just means that the ones who don't want to do halloween have an alternative and the children don't feel left out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Last year we had a bonfire in a brazier outside. We had hot ribena to drink and sausages in rolls and roasted carrots to eat. We had some sparklers and did some apple bobbing. We hate Halloween too and we all enjoyed this alternative so we'll be doing it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexgirl73 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I'm with Chelsea on this one I LOVE Halloween. We have a large collection of spooky bits and pieces that come out every year, and we hunt through the shops the first week of November to find new pieces to add for next years. We go all out with the cobwebs, and scary music as well, and my OH HAS to dres up We have the candle lanterns as well that we put up the driveway to make it extra spooky. I take our 2 girls out trick or treating while he answers the door at ours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 When we were little we'd put an old sheet over our heads with eyes cut out and dad would take us around the neighbours that we knew and he'd tie apples to the washing line and we had to try and bite them with our hands behind our backs. We were never allowed out on our own. Mum always made a pumpkin head/face thing with a candle in it. I think it's a nice thing for kids to do but only accompanied with an adult and make the effort to dress up a bit. We just buy some cheap sweets from Asda or something, we never give money or anything extravagent. I think anything that makes a child's childhood that bit more magical is okay with me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I love autumn but am not keen on vaguely threatening teenagers coming to the door after dark and spraying silly string flour and Tesco value eggs all over the cars if we don't provide a treat....so it is the one night of the year that our gates are locked I'm afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 we've never had that problem but then we don't answer the door after about 7pm-ish. Most of the little ones come btwn 4pm-6pm, the older ones come later so we don't bother answering as we know the little ones should be tucked up by then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angels4 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Halloween is a very special time in my neck of the woods and brings back such fond memories of my childhood growing up in "Salem Village" scene of the famous "Salem Witch Hunt". When I was a child we lived in a neighborhood which was called "Witchcraft Heights" our cul de das was named "Gallows Hill Road" and every house was decked out in the scariest version of a cemetery, complete with head stones, ghosts, and gobblins. Mom and dad used to do a haunted house and in order to get treats you had to venture inside and try to make it through (if you dared.) However that was back in the 60's and 70's things have changed quite a bit. Present time Ann Marie and I take the boys from Groveland down to Salem Village where they particiapate in an All Ghouls Parade, which winds itself through downtown Salem and finishes at the Olde Salem Common, which is directly across the street from the Salem Witch Museam and the evening finishes with a giant bonfire. It's great to see all the children wandering through the streets in thier scariest. Merchants along the "parade" route have candy and such available throught the week. Adults from all over the world bring thier children to Salem Village for a week of celebrations called Haunted Happenings. Check it out if you dare. http://www.hauntedhappenings.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Sounds much more fun done that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutrix Farmers Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 We host a Bright Nights party at our church for all the local children (and their parents) as an alternative to Halloween. We play games, do crafts and generally have a good time! Last year we had over 150 people come along, including some older residents who were too frightened to stay indoors on their own! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Lancashire is famous for its witch trials, especially Pendle. I think there is some sort of torchlight parade at Halloween up to the top of the hill but unfortunately at Halloween it gets invaded by yobs and everywhere (including the pubs) shut up shop! (allegedly) Another example of the 'out of control' element in this country spoiling things for everyone else They should be put in the stocks and pelted with rotten eggs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I love autumn - my favourite time of year - but don't celebrate Hallowe'en as such, and don't open the door to any trick or treaters. When my nephews were getting stroppy last year, I told them the sweeties were just a modern invention and all about the ancient festival of samhain and the autumn equinox. Kinda forgot my brother's family are very devout christian and my little chat didn't go down well. Won't be mentioning it again this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I'd far rather celebrate All Hallows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph101 Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 Halloween is a very special time in my neck of the woods and brings back such fond memories of my childhood growing up in "Salem Village" scene of the famous "Salem Witch Hunt".When I was a child we lived in a neighborhood which was called "Witchcraft Heights" our cul de das was named "Gallows Hill Road" and every house was decked out in the scariest version of a cemetery, complete with head stones, ghosts, and gobblins. Mom and dad used to do a haunted house and in order to get treats you had to venture inside and try to make it through (if you dared.) However that was back in the 60's and 70's things have changed quite a bit. Present time Ann Marie and I take the boys from Groveland down to Salem Village where they particiapate in an All Ghouls Parade, which winds itself through downtown Salem and finishes at the Olde Salem Common, which is directly across the street from the Salem Witch Museam and the evening finishes with a giant bonfire. It's great to see all the children wandering through the streets in thier scariest. Merchants along the "parade" route have candy and such available throught the week. Adults from all over the world bring thier children to Salem Village for a week of celebrations called Haunted Happenings. Check it out if you dare. http://www.hauntedhappenings.org This is what I'm talking about! No one does Halloween like the Americans. Where I live, it'll be a few hoodies coming to the door saying trick or treat in a menacing voice, before egging your house and keying your car! They seem to celebrate it properly in more rural parts of England too though; and Ireland of course, where it all orginated. I think it depends on the kind of community you live in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phonix Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I used to love halloween - when we were little we'd really make the effort to dress up and make a pumpkin and stuff and go trick or treating but only to people we (or the parents) knew. We lived in a cul de sac so one of the parents would have the little party each year with food and apple bobbing and snatch apple. Im only 21 now and a couple of years ago I took my friends 6year old and she got all dressed up and even dressed up her dog but i couldn't believe how miserable people were shouting at her to go away and such. Ruined it for her a bit - it was only 5pm-ish too so still light and obviously a child at the door I do hate the older ones who don't dress up and just expect money - half of the fun (other than dressing up) when we went was to see what we got in the bag when we got home and then divide everything equally! Just don't answer the door to them! I would LOVE to live in the States for Halloween though as long as its like it is in the movies - or down the road from Chelsea lol! xXx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexgirl73 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 This is my OH and the girls last Halloween Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumpty Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 wow Angels4, Halloween sounds great in USA, it's boring here, so we don't bother, the kids are allways asking to go trick or treating, but that's all it is, knock on a door, get some sweets, come home I'd love to be a part of your Halloween celebrations, maybe a tript to USA at that time mmm..., it is the school holidays here then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I would love to go to America for Halloween it always looks soooooo much fun unfortunately school holidays mean that I will never get there (unless I change jobs, become a lady of leisure - Kev needs to put a lot more hours in ) we dont do halloween here, we normally just go to the pub cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph101 Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 That is a shame. I'm a Christian (but a very open minded one, you understand ) and I see no harm in it whatsoever. As long as you're not dabbling in the occult or anything (each to their own, eh - don't want to offend anyone, etc). I did attend a church once where they were really anti Halloween; they heard I'd been to a fancy dress party (saw the photos in fact!) and weren't too impressed! By the way, Halloween in New England looks awesome - would love to go there one day. Disclaimer: Not all Christians are killjoy dullards. Fact! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ana's flock Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 We do celebrate Halloween although we call it Samhain, its original name. It's one of the only times when we get to talk to the neighbours, as we dress up and go trick or treating, we also get lots of treats for the neighbourhood's children, although we meet most of them doing the 'rounds'. It's great fun! A few people put crosses on their doors and signs saying that they don't want to be bothered by 'heathen' customs - we respect that (but they miss on the fun!). Still, most of our neighbours (Jewish, Christian, Sikh and Muslims - it's a multicultural area we live in!) love having a look at the fancy dresses and have sweeties for the little ones. We also give it an spiritual meaning, it's not only about sweeties. It's the beginning of nature's new year, when all fruits and produce has been harvested and we're heading towards the darkest time, just before the Winter Solstice (in fact is a half way point between the Autumn Equinox and the Solstice). Traditionally it was the time of the year when most of the old and fragile people would die, hence the associations with the dead, and the celebration of the departed friends and relatives' lives. It's also time of remembrance and introspection. We eat pomegranate and tell the story of Demeter and her daughter Persephone. So yes, it's an important date for us. But it's not coming yet, neither is Christmas. First we celebrate the Autumn Equinox, harvest time and time to be grateful. Have a bountiful rest of summer everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph101 Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 This is my OH and the girls last Halloween Wow, alexgirl - brilliant photos! Looks really good fun; you certainly make the effort! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexgirl73 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 That is a shame. I'm a Christian (but a very open minded one, you understand ) and I see no harm in it whatsoever. As long as you're not dabbling in the occult or anything (each to their own, eh - don't want to offend anyone, etc). I did attend a church once where they were really anti Halloween; they heard I'd been to a fancy dress party (saw the photos in fact!) and weren't too impressed! By the way, Halloween in New England looks awesome - would love to go there one day. Disclaimer: Not all Christians are killjoy dullards. Fact! Hurrah!! Another like minded Christian I also see no harm in it, It's a bit of fun where kids get to dress up. I also have been given disapproving looks by others because I let my girls go trick or treating but I stick my tongue out to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
