to defend Hallowe'en

[antoinettechigur]

Why do people keep referring to Hallowe'en as an "imported tradition" or saying it is American?

I have always understood Hallowe'en to be a Scottish festival, though we have turnips and guising rather than pumpkins and trick or treating.

I know this to be true. My Nana talked about going out guising, it is not a new thing.

I dont like the modern variation of halloween but love halloween. Dont like trick or treaters. But dont mind a bit of fancy dress and parties.

What size are these turnips you have all been carving? turnips are only tiny things arent they?

Whoo-hoo! Happy hallowe'en, and happy extra hour!

I've made lanterns (out of jam jars, it's a spare-time speciality of mine) in the hope that some kids will actually knock this year. Nobody came last year; I ended up with a huge bowl of chocolate bars & fruit that Must Be Eaten (oh, what a pity). When I was little, we had apple-bobbing parties and sausages in a bun - to eat, not duck for underwater - it was like a fancy dress rehearsal for bonfire night [hsmile]

We made Guys and begged for firework money in those days, so I reckon trick-or-treat is fair exchange.

I don't like Hallowe'en as a Christian personally, but you go ahead and have a good time. My kids do Light Parties instead, where we focus on wearing bright clothes and our faith. Tomorrow, as our church isn't having a Light Party this year, I've planned a feast for my kids and their friends, with an alternative Pumpkin, some games and a chocolate coin hunt. We'll link this up to our own faith through a song they know or a prayer. But that said, I have no problem with anyone else doing Hallowe'en if that's what they want to do and so long as they don't pressurise us to join in either. This country is big enough for people to go their own ways I think.
However, I don't like the fact that everyone is suffering from the recession this year and that the grocery stores like Tesco, Asda etc have really pushed their Hallowe'en wares more than ever in a cynical attempt to boost sales. Obviously, they already do that with Christmas (which I also don't like) but now they're adding something else to it all. I just feel the major retailers have to get an angle on everything and exploit it and us and it makes me mad...
Have a good last day of October folks.

Your Light party sounds nice, Thruaglassdarkly. You know the festival of All Saints was moved to coincide with the pagan one? I think some parishes have been promoting parades & stuff, with the kids dressing up assaints - don't know how that's progressing, though. Back in my apple-bobbing days we called it All Hallows Eve, which kept my massively religious grandmother happy.

We're also going to be bobbing apples tomorrow. Well, why not, lol? I think the whole Light Party thing was developed by the churches to give their kids something to do on Hallowe'en, so they didn't feel they were missing out but didn't have to get into the whole witches and ghosts thing either. My 6 year old said she didn't care about not going to Hallowe'en parties, she just wanted to have some fun. I'm trying to provide her with the fun without the scary bits that are going to keep her up at nights on account of her being so young.

Have got my DDs first turnip to carve today! My Dad says I will be getting pay back for the years he cut himself making them for my sister and I! Has to have a string handle as well!

DancingIceDragons The turnips in question are what English people call swedes. As my mother never used to tire of telling me when I grew up.

I was the only child with a "swede lantern" ( and psychologically scarred for life from growing up in a Scottish housing estate with posh parents ).

I am the child of Irish parents and we did Halloween 40 years ago so it is not an American import although trick or treating is new. We just used to dress up, do apple bobbing and play a flour game, when you cut away until you got the coin. Was in Ireland a couple of weeks ago and they really go for it.