What does Halloween mean/mean to you?

[FlouncerInDenial]

Interested in what others may say.

So, for me. I'm not a Christian, but went to a CofE school in the 70s.
I'm sure we were told that Halloween was a biblical thing. The day (night, probably) before All Saints Day.
This was before trick or treating was a "thing". Although we had begun to hear about that as being a thing in America.

So, what is it to you?

[sanityisamyth]

@Nomnomarrgh

A massive waste of money that the Americans pushed into a huge financial event. Or nothing.

I try to be nice about it for dd, but to me its a non-event.

Pretty much this. I don't understand why we are celebrating "scary things" when there are a lot more happy and friendly things in the world we can celebrate.

[nosswith]

Something I do not celebrate in any way. We are not the 51st state. I don't believe in banning it, but would have extra taxes on Halloween themed products, if only to raise money for charity or some other worthy cause.

[FourTeaFallOut]

What does it mean to me? It's a communal event, a shared experience, it's dressing up and performance, theatre, it's doing something for my children that I did - albeit with a turnip lanturn and a bin bag dress, that my Mum did and my Gran did. It's marking the dark nights, the change in weather and eating your body weight in sweets.

[IceCreamAndCandyfloss]

Nothing religious. I love the day though and we always hosted parties for the children when younger and decorated as love autumn. Mine never went trick or treating but preferred to stay in and hand out candy instead.

Shall miss it this year as usually decorate and enjoy the little ones costumes when they knock but we gets lots and it’s just too risky having contact with that many people

[Carouselfish]

Nothing. Just an American consumerist nonsense.

[FourTeaFallOut]

We are not the 51st state

Halloween didn't just spring from the soil of America, you know? It travelled there with Scottish and Irish immigrants.

[C130]

Nothing. I used to have something in to give to children if they knocked my door. Now people seem to only go to houses where there is decorations up, so now I do not get children at my door.

[Frdd]

@FourTeaFallOut

We are not the 51st state

Halloween didn't just spring from the soil of America, you know? It travelled there with Scottish and Irish immigrants.

This. Halloween went to America from the Celtic nations of the U.K.

It has been reimported but there are vast swathes of the U.K. and of Ireland where it has been celebrated for hundreds of years.

[HunkyPunk]

When the dc were young, we carved a pumpkin and put it outside with a candle and maybe a couple of other low-key decorations (like most of the houses in our area). Round by us this signals that you are 'joining in' and will welcome trick or treaters. I think there are few or no unsolicited visits. A few families go to town with their decirations, which become an enjoyable feature, but most who are participating just have carved pumpkins with candles. Haven't noticed any decorations locally yet.
Parents used to take the children round in little groups after dark dressed in their costumes (v basic - cloak, mask) to garner their stash of sweets! I remember those days with affection. The dc got v excited and it was quite a social occasion bumping into and calling at the houses of people we know. When slightly older they used to go round with friends in their own. Now they've grown out of it/left home, it's just a day like any other.

[TheVanguardSix]

As an American, I think you know what it means to me.
But as a daughter of an Irish immigrant in California, I absolutely ate up all the paganism surrounding Halloween. Loved a good Pookah story.
To me, it's an Irish pagan tradition (Samhain) that's been gloriously messed up and commercially exploited to the hilt and I love it!

[AliceAforethought]

@Raindropsonrosesand

I grew up in Scotland, where guising was always a really big thing.

We planned our costumes and practiced our 'party piece' for weeks, then the night was so exciting - out in the dark with a group of friends - it felt like the night was ours. Carrying a turnip lantern on a string (what English people call a swede - much harder to hollow out and carve than a pumpkin, but small and robust enough to carry around). Friendly adults listening to our poems/jokes/magic tricks and giving us sweets in return. Sharing intelligence with other groups of kids about which houses to go to and which to avoid! Always a dark rumour of some grumpy/shouty adult to add a frisson of fear to the night.

I was so disappointed with Halloween when I moved to England! It took me a few disappointing years of eating the snacks myself to figure out the pumpkin/decorations rule. And then the simple 'trick or treat' seemed so hollow. And some of the older kids barely bothered to dress up! I know it's bound to be more fun as a child than as an adult, but having a party piece and earning the sweets is much more satisfying for both sides I think. I've got used to the English way over the years, and doing cool decorations fills the gap a bit, but I still always think it could be so much more!

DD loves it though, so maybe my disappointment with it is partly a transition to adulthood thing.

Exactly the same here!

Halloween in Scotland in the 70s and early 80s (for me) was such bliss.
Parties, guising, dooking for apples, syrupy scones suspended from the ceiling, homemade costumes, turnip lanterns...
Nothing religious ever mentioned about it.

And naff all to do with America!!

[amusedtodeath1]

For me, it's the night where the veil between the living and the dead is thin (traditionally) and when the spirits of our loved ones come to visit. Our jack-o'-lantern next to the open window guards against malevolent spirits entering whilst allowing our loved ones in. Symbolically you leave a glass of wine and a meal (apple, cheese, bread) for the visitors.

I'm not sure I believe it but it's a nice thought.

[SnowHare]

I just enjoy having some sort of autumnal and winter celebration! It's fun.

[AliceAforethought]

Did any of my fellow Scots sing a terrible song when guising where you’d threaten to “put yer windaes in” to anyone not answering the door?

It was only lighthearted but believe I used to sing that!

[blueangel19]

Means fun for the kids. We have a party every year and they have a blast.

[RedRiverShore]

A big waste of money and a worry for the elderly, also a lot of waste that is bad for the environment

[DuesToTheDirt]

Nothing. I'm glad my kids are grown up now and I don't have to be involved in it at all.

[SnowHare]

A few years ago we were staying in a holiday cottage in a rural area. I took the DCs trick or treating and we knocked on a remote cottage that had a pumpkin out the front.

The door opened to two slightly tipsy women who clapped and said; 'Yay!!!! Someone came to our house!!!!! We have been sititng here drinking G&Ts hoping someone would!!'.

One of my favourite memories. Just such joy!

I have a Jewish dad and Christian mum and their approach to religious festivals growing up was 'Let's celebrate everything going because life is short!'. I try and do that if possible.

[fortran]

Nothing. It's just another plastic tatfest designed to make money for the shops.

[Nonamesavail]

I love it.

Its also not traditionally meant to be scary. Death is not meant to be feared. It has merged with murder and horror which is not my thing but I absolutely love the marking of the seasons and the new year for the wheel of the year.

We usually have a circle/ ritual. Bonfire and decorate pumpkins.

We got a ding dong ditch the other day!

[WitchesSpelleas]

Nothing much. It wasn't made a big thing of where I grew up and I'm not religious so the All Hallows aspect means nothing to me.

I guess it means there might be some good horror films on Freeview next weekend!

[MillieEpple]

It feels like part of my cultural heritage - like i am taking part in festivities that have been going on for hundreds of years. I sort of merge it with bonfire night to be fair. All the fires, apple bobbing, guising, turnip carving. I know its become massive more recently compared to the low key thing of my youth but honestly so has christmas and easter. (Two other things i prefer the pagan bits of)
The only things tgat are a simikar hype to my childhood are shrove tuesday and harvest.

[Anoisagusaris]

I really wish people who say that Halloween is an American concept would do a bit of research. It originates from the Celts and the Samhain festival. Growing up in Ireland in the 80’s, we always celebrated Halloween. Kids would dress up (simple costumes involving masks, witches hats, and the obligatory black bag 😆. For some reasons punks and St Trinian’s school girls were popular as we got a bit older). We would call to houses on our road and say ‘Help the Halloween Party’ rather than trick or treat. People have fruit and nuts, with perhaps one house giving some sweets. And then we would gather in one house and play Halloween games like bobbing for apples. It’s actually pretty similar to what we do now, except it now involves more elaborate costumes and more sweets and treats.

[Anoisagusaris]

And there would be local bonfires that we’d go to later.

[WitchesSpelleas]

I really wish people who say that Halloween is an American concept would do a bit of research.

Noooo - it's a Mumsnet Hallowe'en tradition to have someone come along moaning that trick or treat is an American import, only to have their arse handed to them by Scottish Mumsnetters.