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Original poster

Crap halloween givers

337 replies

WashingAt30 · 31/10/2023 19:15

It's nice when someone opens the door to you, and they at least smile, and maybe have a little chat about the DC's costumes. My god, some people don't even look happy, just shove a bag of sweets at you as close the door! I wouldn't be surprised if one creepy man we met was on some kind of offenders register. Why bother if you're not going to get into the spirt?!

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Moreempatheticmyarse · 01/11/2023 21:19

I think there was a post referring to a Celtic Welsh celebration. How lovely.

Not just Welsh either, the Cornish had their version of Nos Kalan Gwav as well

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 01/11/2023 21:21

K4tM · 01/11/2023 21:15

I mean referring to Guy Fawkes leaping off the scaffold. I was once at a bonfir party in Hackney where they burned an effigy of the Houses of Parliament. I mean, I can unnerstan how that happened, but it’s not really how the night is meant to go ..!

Well Lewes (I’ve been here for this) is even worse re burning things:-

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewes_Bonfire

I’m not sure that burning an effigy of the Houses of Parliament is right but really if Guy Fawkes had had his way, this is what would’ve happened.

A few years back because I was looking at the vaulted area in Houses of Parliament for a history project we were shown around the area where the plot would’ve taken place. That was interesting.

Lewes Bonfire - Wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewes_Bonfire

K4tM · 01/11/2023 21:38

There are Celtic peoples all along the west coast of Europe, from Portugal up until Scotland. They includes Portuguese, Spanish (?), French, Cornish, Welsh, Irish and Scottish.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Events & celebrations
Moreempatheticmyarse · 01/11/2023 21:59

K4tM · 01/11/2023 21:38

There are Celtic peoples all along the west coast of Europe, from Portugal up until Scotland. They includes Portuguese, Spanish (?), French, Cornish, Welsh, Irish and Scottish.

Exactly, plus a whole load of what is now England was celtic originally

I think that's why there was a denial of Welsh heritage. Because once you accept that Irish and Scottish aren't the only people with Celtic heritage then this whole thing of "pockets of England near the Scottish border and where Irish people settled" thing falls away. Because whole swathes of England will also have celtic heritage and customs in their festivals and celebrations

OhDoPutASockInItDear · 02/11/2023 00:50

I hate T or T. I don't begrudge children having fun. I'm not a fun sponge. I don't mind giving children sweets. I just hate the idea that if you don't answer the door or give them something they feel they are allowed to play a prank on you. Often nasty or wasteful ones too. Didn't March 2020 teach these people not to waste eggs and loo roll?

x2boys · 02/11/2023 09:30

OhDoPutASockInItDear · 02/11/2023 00:50

I hate T or T. I don't begrudge children having fun. I'm not a fun sponge. I don't mind giving children sweets. I just hate the idea that if you don't answer the door or give them something they feel they are allowed to play a prank on you. Often nasty or wasteful ones too. Didn't March 2020 teach these people not to waste eggs and loo roll?

Does this actually happen? Or is it just a mums net myth ?
I live in a really rough area and never once has anybody played a prank with if we don't participate in trick or treating.

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 02/11/2023 09:47

x2boys · 02/11/2023 09:30

Does this actually happen? Or is it just a mums net myth ?
I live in a really rough area and never once has anybody played a prank with if we don't participate in trick or treating.

Show quote history

Back in the olden days (70s onwards) kids would sometimes flour and egg doors who wouldn’t answer or give treats out. My DM’s elderly neighbour had this happen to her.

But I think this stopped long ago.

WrongSwanson · 02/11/2023 12:36

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 02/11/2023 09:47

Back in the olden days (70s onwards) kids would sometimes flour and egg doors who wouldn’t answer or give treats out. My DM’s elderly neighbour had this happen to her.

But I think this stopped long ago.

Show quote history

Yes it used to happen to us in the 80s, we had a very large and prominent house in the village though. We would give out sweets if anyone rang the door but I think there was an element who just wanted to cause chaos.

We wouldn't be able to go out if it still happened now as my children are severely allergic to egg.

LoreleiG · 02/11/2023 17:03

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 01/11/2023 19:37

I’ve done a bit of research and apparently ET in the 80s encouraged trick or treating and made it more of a thing here. I definitely remember trick or treating before that as a child though. To be fair I only recall us going trick or treating from when I was 6 or 7 or so, so 1976/77 onwards. There weren’t hordes of kids around though and Penny for the Guy for Guy Fawkes Night was more popular, lots of kids would make a guy out of old clothes and a hat and newspaper and collect money for fireworks either door to door or outside certain shops or places in town. I don’t see kids making guys now.

I think Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night are similar in popularity now from what I see as loads of kids do both, but as I said before there was always a cross over due to the dates inbetween.

I have no idea of how Scottish, northern England or Irish people celebrated Halloween as I’m from SE/SW London, but my stepdad is Irish. I can’t recall him actually saying anything about Halloween and how it was celebrated in Ireland.

As a PP said, yes the variety of what was on sale then was far less. You had fancy dress shops which sold Halloween costumes, and maybe in a toy shop and Woolworths you could buy basic costumes but a lot of us made them, including cardboard witches hats and white sheets for ghosts with holes cut out. There weren’t whole aisles in supermarkets dedicated to this. But you could definitely buy pumpkins and toffee apples in supermarkets or greengrocers.

This is my memory of it too including homemade guys and cardboard hats.

Makes sense (to my personal timeline) that ET made T&T more popular.

LoreleiG · 02/11/2023 17:23

I am guessing, with Irish immigrants being everywhere, that Halloween was/is celebrated many places but the US over time made it more of a commercial thing and that’s what has been transported to the UK (via 80s films) not the actual Halloween celebrating which was done by many if not all, in a more low key key way than now. Turnips were carved often, Halloween or not (source: Topsy and Tim’s Bonfire night)

ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs · 02/11/2023 17:36

I'm afraid I didn't have much chat, just handed out the sweets! 2 reasons

  1. It was dark and I had no idea who they were/ couldn't really see costumes v. Well
  2. My dog was going berserk every time people came to the door!
Sorry! At least they got some sweets (and we didn't have the house decorated, as forgot!)
EvilElsa · 02/11/2023 18:02

My autistic child wanted to open the door with the sweets. He may well be one of the "miserable" ones mentioned as he won't speak or look anyone in the eye. He loves to make other people happy and give gifts, he just can't say that with words.

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