Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Why are people bothered about Halloween being American?

152 replies

OgwdihwO · 29/10/2020 10:21

I often hear both on here and irl that Halloween, trick or treating in particular is so American therefore we don’t participate.

Why is it an issue that it’s American?

There are many traditions that are not British! Do these people only celebrate British traditions? Or are they hypocritically getting drunk on Burns Night or celebrating Easter/Christmas (Jesus wasn’t British after all)

OP posts:
Mrsjayy · 29/10/2020 11:26

I did enjoy the burnt turnip smell we also had competitions at Brownies maybe that's why mum did it she wanted to win!

Kittytheteapot · 29/10/2020 11:27

It's not Halloween per se, though as a kid growing up in England in the 60s and 70s, I didn't know anyone who celebrated it. I think I vaguely remember hearing about 'guising' on Blue Peter - something Scottish people did - in the same way as I heard about traditions from other countries. Our autumn was focused around Guy Fawkes Night, making guys, penny for the guy, bonfires, fireworks, bonfire night parades, 3rd.

The objection to Americanism isn't anti American either. I just don't like to see my culture being lost to another country's.

SomethingOnce · 29/10/2020 11:28

But no one's obliged to participate in that element of things, surely.

No, but people judge the shit out of you if you don’t share their enthusiasm for creating landfill.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Events & celebrations
MacDuffsMuff · 29/10/2020 11:29

it’s that it has, following the US example, become yet another commercialised, plastic-y grab-fest.

But that's only because people here have bought into that and actively encourage it. It's not like the Americans have come over here and demanded we follow their take on Halloween 🤪 (I know you don't mean that they do).

Parents buy all that plastic shite and Halloween trees (FFS!) etc. It was completely different when I was a kid and my own two are only 16 and 14 yet I've seen a marked difference in the last 5 years or so when it seems to be parents getting almost hysterical over Halloween. More sweets, more plastic, more throwaway costumes. We've always done stuff with the DC's on Halloween and it's been fun but it's getting so over the top now and that's because of parents not children.

Mrsjayy · 29/10/2020 11:32

Who judges ? I've never seen a post about Halloween scrooges or undecorated houses.

SomethingOnce · 29/10/2020 11:32

(Though the smell of slightly singeing turnip is very evocative...)

I love the smell of cold, slightly singed turnip in the morning Grin

MouseholeCat · 29/10/2020 11:32

As a Brit in the US, British Halloween still feels a long way from how it is over here.

People around me had decorated their mailboxes and put Halloween wreaths up starting in late September. There is one house on my street with massive 9ft Halloween inflatables all over their front lawn. Another house turns their front yard into a graveyard with smoke machines and sound effects and a one-way lighted path you can take to view it. And this is in the middle of the Bible Belt!

MacDuffsMuff · 29/10/2020 11:32

I just don't like to see my culture being lost to another country's.

But it's not been forced on people has it @kittytheteapot? People here are buying all that nonsense. It's people here who have caused things to change so much by copying how it's celebrated in the US.

DGRossetti · 29/10/2020 11:33

@SomethingOnce

But no one's obliged to participate in that element of things, surely.

No, but people judge the shit out of you if you don’t share their enthusiasm for creating landfill.

There's also Trick or Treating being inflicted on unwilling victims. And I don't care how many people line up to say how responsibly they do it, the fact of the matter is there are a lot who don't, and it can be terrifying for some - especially if you are old or vulnerable.

It's probably going a bit too far to say there will be some people who are glad Covid has curtailed such events ... but it's not something I'm going to miss.

elQuintoConyo · 29/10/2020 11:34

Because they're snobby knobheads.

SomethingOnce · 29/10/2020 11:35

Who judges ? I've never seen a post about Halloween scrooges or undecorated houses.

There’s a hint of it on this thread!

Antirrhinum · 29/10/2020 11:36

@Mrsjayy

Scottish /Irish people took Halloween to America trick or treat used to be called guiding, I guess because the US just ran with it and made it a huge celebration. Did England not have Halloween ?

We did in the 70s in NE England, but it wasn't called trick or treating, where we were at least. We didn't go from house to house, but wandered the streets and we said "penny for Halloween", some kids might dress up a bit and and we'd carry turnip (swede to those further south) lanterns, which as a PP says, are a right bugger to carve out Grin

Then there was "penny for the guy" for bonfire night, which was basically a form of scarecrow; old clothes stuffed with straw and a turnip (there's that swede again Wink) head with a cap on. We'd sit on the kerb with a candle with the 'guy' - we lived in a small pit village and there were few cars and ask passers-by.

We also did first-footing in the NE, with similar traditions to Scotland.

Deadringer · 29/10/2020 11:38

@HelloToMyKitty

Halloween is most definitely American. The Irish version is very different (and a bit boring, if I’m being totally honest) and even they’ve taken certain elements back from the States.
Rubbish! Trick or treating is American, not Halloween itself and not remotely boring. I was born in the 60s in Dublin and its always been my favourite time of the year, even when our costumes were a black refuse bag and a shop bought mask and our treats were nuts and fruit. Costumes, decorations, games, ghost stories, scary movies on tv, oh yes and a week off school, what's not to like.
Antirrhinum · 29/10/2020 11:39

@MidnightFlit

In the 70s/80s, Hallowe'en felt genuinely quite spooky for a little kid apple bobbing, telling fortunes with apple peel and turning off the lights to tell ghost stories in candlelight. And of course the turnips. Always the turnips.

The Agatha Christie book 'Halloween Party' features those activities as part of the said party. I think, from memory, that was written in the 60s.

WankPuffins · 29/10/2020 11:39

I know. I hate the term “it’s too American”.

When Krispy Kreme first came out, the tesco I used to live near was one with a factory in, where they would fry them fresh.

A few times I heard people say they wouldn’t buy them because the smelled “too American”. What the hell Confused

I love Halloween. And I’d love to go to America for Halloween one year.

Kittytheteapot · 29/10/2020 11:41

@MacDuffsMuff

I just don't like to see my culture being lost to another country's.

But it's not been forced on people has it @kittytheteapot? People here are buying all that nonsense. It's people here who have caused things to change so much by copying how it's celebrated in the US.

Well it is in a way. Walk into any supermarket right now and you will find Halloween costumes, trick or treat sweets and buckets, and pumpkins in abundance. Children see that and obviously like the look of it all and pressurise their parents to join in. But when was then last time you saw Guy Fawkes Night promoted in the supermarkets? Why arent they selling, e.g. craft kits to make your own guy? Horrendous idea actually, but my point is, our English tradition is being allowed to die out. It is becoming quite hard to find a traditional Guy Fawkes Night parade these days, and if you find anything, it is called Fireworks or Bonfire Night. Give it another 100 years and no-one will remember remember the 5th November.

But I don't have an axe to grind. My children are adults. I resisted the commercial temptations because I value my own culture more, and I made sure my children knew about Guy Fawkes Night. I was just trying to explain to the OP that it isn't Americans (Or Irish or Scottish) people I dislike, I simply wish to preserve my own heritage.

I don't really

Harmarsuperstar · 29/10/2020 11:46

@Mrsjayy

I did enjoy the burnt turnip smell we also had competitions at Brownies maybe that's why mum did it she wanted to win!
Yy that smell, very pungent and unusual. I'm definitely going to get a swede today and make one Halloween Smile
MacDuffsMuff · 29/10/2020 11:49

Well it is in a way. Walk into any supermarket right now and you will find Halloween costumes, trick or treat sweets and buckets, and pumpkins in abundance.

But people only buy it because they want to, it's supply and demand isn't it. People like me (who winge about the amount of tat) don't buy it. People who want that whole commercial thing do buy it. No judgement from me either way, but I think it's important to place the 'blame' appropriately and I believe that it's parents who do this.

romeolovedjulliet · 29/10/2020 11:51

it's technically samhain and the pagan new year's eve which was hijacked like so many other things i.e christmas and easter by christians etc. although we celebrate with a fire and pagan rituals, we respect that others do other things to celebrate.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 29/10/2020 11:57

IMO it’s only become such a big thing in England* at least, since the availability of vast amounts of black and orange plastic tat in the shops.
It’s a tat-seller’s dream.

*I do know that as guising it was always a thing (without all the tat) in Scotland and Ireland.

lotusbell · 29/10/2020 12:01

@Mrsjayy, I do. I'm just offering my opinion on it, which is kind of the purpose of this thread, no? Hmm

halloweenagain · 29/10/2020 12:01

Well pumpkins have overtaken swedes because most people aren't masochistic and value having feeling in their hand.

There isn't a huge difference between guising and trick or treating, although personally I prefer guising it doesn't work well with larger groups.

Currently living in the USA I love Halloween over here it is pretty full on. (But lots of people save decorations year to year)

House decorating is much more of a thing here overall. Brits can just be snobby about the USA without much actual reason.

halloweenagain · 29/10/2020 12:03

I loved Halloween as a kid so why wouldn't English kids when they get the chance.

Sostenueto · 29/10/2020 12:05

Halloween is Scottish. I don't object to Halloween. What I object to is people actually not knowing why they are celebrating festivals like Xmas, Easter, halloween, bonfire night.
Do yr children tricking and treating ( but not the poor kids in Tier 3) realise they are celebrating the dead?not keeping bad spirits away? Do they know the offering should be food not sweets? Do they know on bonfire night they are celebrating burning a Catholic? No they dont. It's like Xmas so totally commercialised that the real meanings of these festivities is completely lost.

FairFridaythe13th · 29/10/2020 12:10

@Blueberries0112

I think what people hate is how big corporations make money off of holidays
When I was a child it was ‘guising’ with a turnip lantern and home made costume. Kids did a ‘party piece’ and were rewarded with sweets, monkey nuts, toffee apples and a few pennies.

This year, here the police are patrolling the park because grown bloody men are prowling in Halloween masks mugging people.