[Misc] HALLOWEEN - It's a stupid American event and we should have nothing to do with it, discuss

[Brovion]

I must admit I thought that 'Trick or Treat' was a recent American import, however the other day I was watching one of my favourite horror films, 'Night of the Demon', and there were British kids in there playing Trick or Treat. And that was made in 1957!

I've long moaned at people who think 'soccer' is an American word, I may have to change my view that Trick or Treat is (largely) an American invention.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ kids love it so whats the problem? Don't want to let your kids get involved don't, don't want people knocking on your door turn the lights off and hide. Simple.

The police advise older people to put a notice on their door, saying No Trick or Treat here.

 

[Insel affe]

Big deal in Spain. Three day fiesta in many parts. Especially 1st November when loads of people go back to their roots and visit their relatives' graves.

Again a pagan festival, that was carried across the oceans that resonated with the local natural inhabitants & helped create another festival day of the dead.

Hate the way the Christian rulers would see these festivals and make up another festival to counter or that would pacify the local customs.

 

[GT49er]

Halloween may be as old as the hills, but the commercialisation of it is relatively new and very unwelcome. I think Trick or Treating itself is the element that has probably come from America -they don't have Guy Fawkes night to celebrate after all. I put a notice up I my window that I don't do trick or treating - but hope you have a good evening - and that seems to work.

What I think is the worst thing about it is that it seems to have pretty much eclipsed all the fun of bonfire night (although obviously not in Lewes and other parts od Sussex, obviously!) but kids don't make guys and collect sacks of leaves and old bits of timber to make bonfires any more. So, no more bonfires with baked potatoes, just a few expensive fireworks, or more likely just going out to watch a commercial display.

 

[spence]

Love it. Great time of the year seeing lit up pumpkin faces,ghosts,bats and other nasties. Fun for kids and adults

 

[Insel affe]

Good points but the way it's celebrated has certainly been hijacked by the Americans, pumped up, over hyped and sent back over here, bloody hate it!

Hmmm did we not do the same with Christmas, another pagan festival meddled with by Christian rulers.

I do not believe in the Christian Church be it Catholic or otherwise, so think the same you think about Halloween about Christmas.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The police advise older people to put a notice on their door, saying No Trick or Treat here.

Personally I find this notice to be quite effective

 

[Taybha]

It's a bit odd , you spend lots of time trying to educate the nippers about the dangers of accepting sweets from strangers and telling them that playing postmans knock is a bad thing , then once a year you dress them up like count dracula and send them off to knock on strangers doors begging for sweets .

 

[jonnyrovers]

Conscientious objection is the only thing you can do these days cos it isn't going away no matter how much we moan about it. I manage it by telling my 3 kids that I'm ok with it as long as the shops don't get my money. They make their own costumes, get pumpkins from the allotment blokes etc.

I did have some fun one year though. Me & a mate got a load of theatrical make up, spent hours getting done up a zombie car crash victims, hid behind a bush in my garden. I had baseball bat, he had a hockey stick (He's 50 and was done up as a mutilated cheerleader!). We jumped adults and kids on my driveway, screaming like lunatics and swinging our weapons, literally screaming our heads off! Chased people up the street like we meant it. It didn't go down well. Visibly shaken parents consoling sobbing, terrified kids. My missus gave us an almighty bo!!ocking. Loads of our neighbours looked the other way for months afterwards. I think we proved a point in there somewhere but I haven't figured it out yet.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Hmmm did we not do the same with Christmas, another pagan festival meddled with by Christian rulers.

I do not believe in the Christian Church be it Catholic or otherwise, so think the same you think about Halloween about Christmas.

No actually I'm with you all the way, Christmas is a commercial festival we all pretend we care so much about but it's focal point is commercialisation, alcohol and outdoing thy neighbour! People become Christians for a hour and a half on Christmas Eve for the kiddies Carol Service and then zip off to the pub ignoring the poverty, need and fear around them!

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I quite like All Hallows Eve.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Agreed.

As you're new to Yorkshire, look out for Mischief Night on November 4th. It's all trick and no treat. Pouring sticky stuff all over the door handles, eggs throw at the windows/doors, and tying door handles to dustbin lids, etc.

 

[Notters]

As you're new to Yorkshire, look out for Mischief Night on November 4th. It's all trick and no treat. Pouring sticky stuff all over the door handles, eggs throw at the windows/doors, and tying door handles to dustbin lids, etc.

FFS, I'll look forward to that.

There are quite a few bonfires round here but I'm really missing the Sussex ones.

 

[Insel affe]

No actually I'm with you all the way, Christmas is a commercial festival we all pretend we care so much about but it's focal point is commercialisation, alcohol and outdoing thy neighbour! People become Christians for a hour and a half on Christmas Eve for the kiddies Carol Service and then zip off to the pub ignoring the poverty, need and fear around them!

Agreed, hate the whole ethos surrounding Christmas, never is egotistical bollox more on show than this period of the year, judging people on what they give and receive. Unfortunately it is hammered into children from a very early age and from September....

I get my daughter to laugh at the adverts with me of say some new nerf gun or pretty pink unicorn set, when they have perfect children playing with these toys who are clearly way to old and should be hanging round the bus stop or skate park.........oh ive gone off on one....... sorry

 

[pearl]

Personally I find this notice to be quite effective

Bah Humbug!

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

What I think is the worst thing about it is that it seems to have pretty much eclipsed all the fun of bonfire night (although obviously not in Lewes and other parts od Sussex, obviously!) but kids don't make guys and collect sacks of leaves and old bits of timber to make bonfires any more. So, no more bonfires with baked potatoes, just a few expensive fireworks, or more likely just going out to watch a commercial display.

And no more Penny for the Guy with 10 year old kids on the corner of the street with a manky looking Guy and a collecting tin and then nipping in to the corner shop to buy bangers (or cigarettes!)

I used to enjoy that - the bangers, not the cigarettes.

 

[RandyWanger]

Capitalism.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

It's a bit odd , you spend lots of time trying to educate the nippers about the dangers of accepting sweets from strangers and telling them that playing postmans knock is a bad thing , then once a year you dress them up like count dracula and send them off to knock on strangers doors begging for sweets .

Who said Postmans Knock is a bad thing?

Nobody told me!!!!

 

[Notters]

No actually I'm with you all the way, Christmas is a commercial festival we all pretend we care so much about but it's focal point is commercialisation, alcohol and outdoing thy neighbour! People become Christians for a hour and a half on Christmas Eve for the kiddies Carol Service and then zip off to the pub ignoring the poverty, need and fear around them!

At least (most) people get some time off work at Christmas to spend with friends and family. Halloween just involves putting up tatty plastic decorations (whilst the government are trying to ban straws FFS), scaring vulnerable people an eroding he great british Guy Fawkes tradition.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Agreed, hate the whole ethos surrounding Christmas, never is egotistical bollox more on show than this period of the year, judging people on what they give and receive. Unfortunately it is hammered into children from a very early age and from September....

I get my daughter to laugh at the adverts with me of say some new nerf gun or pretty pink unicorn set, when they have perfect children playing with these toys who are clearly way to old and should be hanging round the bus stop or skate park.........oh ive gone off on one....... sorry

Just imagine for a minute that for just one Christmas we all took the money we spend on food, decorations, presents, Christmas parties, cards, wrapping paper, booze and travel and put it to better use, cancer research, hospices, the homeless or the NHS, how much would that add up to?