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?

[DinkBoo]

Love it!

Grew up in the 80s and 90s, and have fond memories of black bin bag costumes and carving turnips for lanterns, which was traditional in the NW (and eating so much raw turnip we got stomach ache, rather than getting sweets).

My mum wasn't a big fan, and hates trick or treating as 'begging' so we never got to go as kids, but we did go to parties and apple bobbed etc.

I love having little kids come to our door trick or treating (we don't have kids and I feel like it's a privilege to share their excitement). I will really miss that in tier 3 this year.

I've had a Samhainy/Halloweeny themed mantle for the whole of October and it has really lifted my lockdown blues. No 'plastic tat' or consumerism required, just repurposed objects we already had.

[Sudofuckoff]

@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.

So because you personally don't like Halloween because you ignorantly don't know where it's from, the government should tax anything with a pumpkin on it?

What a fucking idiotic take.

[RufustheSniggeringReindeer]

I’m 51

As a child we did apple bobbing, eating an eclair off a string, and peanut rolling as Halloween games

Didn’t decorate or trick and treat

When dh and i got married we started decorating the house and watching scary movies, And carving pumpkins, once we had children we dressed them up and had little parties. Not so much trick or treating children probably have done it about 5 times

We still decorate and play games with the 17 to 24 year olds that are currently in the house...did it yesterday for dd as shes got to go back to uni today

[Giggorata]

It is the old festival of Samhain, when the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is at its thinnest, acknowledged in the Christian appropriation of the festival, as All Souls Night or All Hallows Eve.
It has been a festival in these islands for thousands of years, and I welcome its revival.

People who think it is an American custom are mistaken. Immigrants took their customs to America with them, and carried on celebrating it, whereas it nearly died out in England - not in Scotland or Ireland.

It still exists, and has been revived, in England, as “Souling”, where people dress up as ghoulishly as possible and go round houses intoning a horrible dirge and pleading for “soul cakes”
I have taken part in Souling in Hull. It was a hoot.

For me as a pagan, it is also the time to remember my loved ones who died, and I will have their photographs on display and raise a glass to them. Traditionally, it is also one of the times to practice divination.
And also to use up the insides of the pumpkins with delicious soup and spicy pumpkin pie.

[HappydaysArehere]

Nothing. Just think of it as an American import intended for the commercial market. Some years ago an uncle of dh and his wife were being harassed at this time by a group of lads who were banging a window and calling out. Unfortunately the poor man had a heart attack and died. It went to the coroner’s court where the boys activity was described as being part of the cause.

[SpectralPlot]

Samhain. It's a very special time for me especially as my DD was born in the very early hours of it. My ancestors were southern Irish and I'm aware they would be marking it, celebrating it, for centuries before Christianity was introduced to Ireland. Feels like, getting in touch with my roots in a way.

[stargirl1701]

I'm Scottish so it meant guising from about 3 years old. Guising has a long history in Scotland; hundreds of years.

I spent most of October learning something to perform - poem/song/play/riddle/joke/dance. Then dressed up (in disguise) and went round the neighbour's houses to entertain them. They offered apples/mandarins/sweeties/10p after the performance.

My DC do the same. DD1 has learned a riddle and DD2 a joke this year but we'll need to video them and send to family.

This year we are planning 'dookin for apples', crafts, baking and watching the RSNO CCC Spooky Concert online.

[SpectralPlot]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain

[stargirl1701]

Oh and carving neep lanterns!

[torquewench]

Usually it means hiding out in the back room with lights at the front of the house switched off to make it look like no-ones home until about 9 ish.

[noideaatallreally]

Nothing - and if it is a Celtic 'thing; then my part of Wales didn't get that memo because it was not really celebrated when I was a child either.

I think it is a money making exercise and the reason why yet more plastic will be added to landfills. I hate the banging on the door for sweets, and I am relieved we will not have to endure it this year.

I know that makes me sound like a miserable old had, but I'm really not. I love Christmas and go all out for that. I also lave Ester egg hunts etc. I just don't get the hype about Halloween.

[noideaatallreally]

hag!!! not had

[lazylinguist]

I know that makes me sound like a miserable old had, but I'm really not. I love Christmas and go all out for that. I also lave Ester egg hunts etc. I just don't get the hype about Halloween.

I find it baffling that you can say that Halloween is just a money making exercise but happily go 'all out' for Christmas. Think how much more expense, 'plastic and tat' and excess food consumption (and no doubt huge food waste) is generated by Christmas than Halloween in the UK alone. You're welcome to dislike Halloween, but claiming it's because of consumerism and then going all out for Christmas is massively hypocritical imo.

[HowFastIsTooFast]

It means nothing to me, apart from being another needlessly commercialised US import, to be filed in the same category as Proms and Baby Showers.

Halloween parties when I were a kid were bobbing for apples while wearing a bin bag. The song and dance it's evolved into since then is ridiculous.

[PhilCornwall1]

Nothing, apart from a huge pain in the arse with people banging on the door.

[Elphame]

We celebrate Samhain here every year.

The first of the swede lanterns has been hollowed out already and I’ve added the ingredients for soul cakes to my shopping list.

We’ll be having some friends around for a dumb supper followed by a religious celebration in the garden.

[ChikiTIKI]

I am c of e. Wasn't allowed to trick or treat etc as a child but went to light parties at church instead. I don't remember caring much about it, children tend to go along with these things though I suppose.

I don't have any real interest in it as an adult and have a 3yr old and baby so it hasn't come up in conversation yet.

I'm not totally against joining in at some point I don't think. A lot of people seem to dress up as fun characters from films etc these days rather than spooky stuff.

I think there's a way to avoid celebrating darkness while still joining in somehow.

In my town people are going to decorate their houses in accordance with a "Halloween or movies" theme for a big competition. Over a hundred are joining I think. I am curious to go for some walks and have a look! We won't dress up or decorate our house though (I did think about decorating the house with positive type stuff but don't want to encourage trick or treaters--we are in a tier 3 area and in a bubble with a vulnerable person).

[Anoisagusaris]

@noideaatallreally I used to think it was purely an Irish tradition until I read on MN that it was celebrated in Scotland too. So used Celtic than Irish so as not to offend and give all the credit to Ireland 🤣

[BittyCharleston]

As a kid: dressing up and doing a party piece at all the friendly neighbours houses (sometimes including bobbing for apples if they were really prepared), then returning home and sorting through my haul of sweets, money, and toffee apples. All pretty exciting!

Now: I don't like the US commercialisation of it, or the sexy halloween costumes, but nor do I want to reject it outright. I'm a bit of a goth at heart and I love the creepy spooky stuff and could get quite excited about an elaborate, sophisticated, gothy halloween event! Unfortunately most people I know don't want to take it this seriously, so I'm always a bit disappointed

[tazzy73]

I see Halloween as Oíche Samhain. This is the night when the vail between the living and the dead become thinner. It is a night of celebrations and transition to the longer winter nights. I am Irish.
We, as children did the "help the Halloween party" with nuts and fruits.
In Ireland, there is a ancient prehistoric site near the town of Athboy in Co. Meath. Its called the Hill of Ward (Tlachtga). This is where historians say Halloween originates from. Every year (pre covid) there is a procession from the town upto the hill led by the local pagans and white witches. On the hill there is a celebration of life with torches lit. The names of the dead are called out in a ceremony by the bereaved, it is a lovely ceremony, like a cleansing. I have done it a few times. There's much more to the ceremony, the stories up on the hill.
If anyone is interested in the area, archeology studies have been going on. Its very interesting.

Tazzy.

[JingsMahBucket]

@Mendingfences
I now live in a country that believes halloween is an american import. .....

Where? You mean England? 😂

People on here love to bash Americans and parts of the culture even though they lap it up gleefully. This stupidity happens a lot around Halloween and Christmas traditions a lot Mumsnet. Santa vs Father Christmas, etc. It’s like (English) people on Mumsnet forget there are other countries in the UK besides England who have had influence on other cultures internationally besides them or something.

[JingsMahBucket]

@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.

Exactly @FourTeaFallOut. The deliberate ignorance is staggering at times. They’re also not bashing Canadians either I see, just the Americans. Funny that. 🤔

[HowFastIsTooFast]

Yes yes we all know the Halloween didn't originate in America, but neither did it arrive there as the celebration of plastic crap, random fancy dress and greed that it is now.

That is what it's evolved into before being exported back across the Atlantic.

I grew up in the 80s and 90s and only towards the end of my teen years was Halloween becoming anything more than one night of trick or treating. I certainly don't remember anyone decorating their homes or shops of all descriptions being packed with 'spooky' merchandise. 20 years on and somehow it now drags on for a month?!?

[JingsMahBucket]

@HowFastIsTooFast
20 years on and somehow it now drags on for a month?!?

You mean like Christmas?

[SpeedofaSloth]

I remember bobbing for apples in the 70s.