Halloween

[Garden Manager]

Probably been discussed before but i was wondering what fellow A4Allers though of it. Personally i dont see the point in it. I grew up before it became a really big commercial thing in the UK, i never went out trick or treating and only a couple of times as a child did we do the pumpkin thing. These days when Halloween comes around i disconnect the door bell, turn out the hall light an ignore any knocks at the door (pretending to be out). Might sound like i am a bit of a meanie but when you see all the tat in the shops leading up to halloween you realise that its just another over commercialised american money spinner, like christmas, far removed from the original religious event (All hallows or souls eve). I think bonfire night is more worthy of celebration, at least it actualy means something (and is in fact closer to the original celtic 'halloween', Samain)

Rant over.

[Garden Manager]

[pumkinlover]

When I had been at work since 7 am I did the same, but now I quite enjoy making pumpkin muffins and carving a (small!) pumpkin out for the local kids. If you put something out they call, we are lucky in that the neighbourhood does not have trouble makers scaring people, usually the neighbours kids are the ones who come.
Totally agree about over commercialisation, do not get me on about Christmas!!

[lottie lou]

I always thought it was duck apple night, when we used to duck for apples.  Sent OH outo to buy some sweets just in case some kiddies came round though but the night is cold and wet.

[the_snail]

I agree that halloween has become commercialised live everything else nowadays but it is nice to see the children dressed up (with there parents) going around looking for sweeties 

[Digeroo]

We did not get any knocks yesterday, I think the rain kept them away.

I used to do an annual ghost hunting event.  This is similar to halloween but not trick or treating.  It involved turning out the lights and using torches and making a huge amount of noise and going into every nook and cranny and chasing away anything spooky that might be lurking there.  It rather reassures children that there is in fact nothing lurking there and so there is no need for them to be afraid of the dark.  It was a very popular event.

It never occurred to me to allowed my children to impinge on my neighbours by allowing them to go knocking on their doors.

Other parents arranged trick or treating on a carefully prearranged route of participating families.

[ACE]

Too wet around here for trick or treaters last night. Pity I was going to test my electrified gate Let's hope it is the same all this weekend when the fireworks start as they will not wait for monday when it is the proper day. Chumley has not had any experience of them yet, so what is the best way to minimise the trauma he is likely to suffer. I know some reassurance will help but it never worked with Flynn he ran and hid before we even heard them.

[goodlife]

We had only couple of knocks early in the evening and then the blessed rain came and scared the kids away..and the fireworks.. ..very peaceful evening! I admit being VERY 'meanie' with Halloween, Christmas etc..they are all wasted on me..don't like it and don't want it..though if other people want to do the fuss..that's their business. What ever we 'do' with pressies is just for the dearest friends and family.
These 'modern' festivities just don't appeal to me....I see much more sense with original 'folk customs' and when there is such a 'parties' they are much joyous affairs with much more meaning behind it.

AND BUYING a pumpking to carve it and put candle inside....BAH..what a waste of perfectly good food!

[ACE]

I did have a packet of Fishermens Friends to hand out but nobody made it to the door. It would be up to them to work out if it was trick or treat

[Morris]

I did have a packet of Fishermens Friends to hand out but nobody made it to the door. It would be up to them to work out if it was trick or treat

Hahaha!! 

[galina]

Same here - the rain was pelting down and no callers and the pumpkin with the tealight in stayed indoors!  The big bag of mini Kit-kats is still intact, much to OH's delight!

I like the idea of tricking and treating with participating parents, because there is a certain danger element in allowing kids to go and potentially being lured into somebody's house who is up to no good.

We usually get more carollers before Christmas than trick and treaters here.  Must make sure to get another bag of sweets

[ACE]

Chumley was out doing his business in the garden when some unexpected exploding rockets went off nearby, he just ignored them. Perhaps it is because part of his breed is a gundog and it is inbred. But I still wonder why some animals just shrug it off and others turn to cowering wrecks.

I shall still keep him in tomorrow just in case it was a one off.

[pumkinlover]

Friend next door has springers and they ignore fireworks too, so you may be lucky!

[Garden Manager]

Is it just me getting old or are Firework Nights sounding more and more like a war has broken out nearby? An organised display in our town last night had fireworks that were so loud it sounded like bombs going off. My dad passed comment that it must have been what bombing in the Blitz would have sounded like. Other older people locally made similar comments.

I always remember various pet cats we had being if not frightened, then certainly upset by it. Many dogs it seems don't seem to be that bothered by it, even young dogs who haven't experienced Bonfire Night before.