or am i the only person who hates halloween?

[mummyonvalium]

I think DH thinks I am a bit of a stooge about this time of year but I really have a thing about it I have always disliked it, even as a child I found it frightening. I dislike all of it - the dressing up, the trick or treating and the assumption that you have to give children a treat.

The concept of "trick or treat" - is actually an unpleasant one and reminds me vaguely of being a bully, ie, give me something or I will do something horrid to you. I know in most cases it is innocent but there is a subliminal message there (surely) that says this is okay behaviour.

To top this off last year I had a negative experience. I was struggling to put my children them to bed when I heard the doorbell. I could not get to the door but instead of going away they kept on banging at the door and the next thing I heard was someone trying to turn the handle to get into the house. DS1 heard them and became quite scared. It was really hard to settle him afterwards.

Am I being miserable for not wanting my children to celebrate it? I really don't like what it seems to represent and the fact that it gives an excuse for badly behaved teenagers to behave even worse.

[RedGreenRouge]

I hate it too. Trick or treaters always seem to assume that they deserve a reward for knocking on your door. We hold a Halloween party every year and we play party games which have a vaguely pagan feel. I much prefer it to tramping about in the cold behind my dds and knocking on strangers' doors.

I do like bonfire night, though.

[Sallyingforth]

You're certainly not BU and you're not the only one by any means.

Halloween is a very old tradition but it's only recently that the American habits associated with it have spread over here. It's gone far too far IMO/

[IDismyname]

Its an overblown excuse for a party in my book. Would MUCH rather dance around a bonfire with the odd sparkler.

Anyway, isn't this country in such dire financial straits that we shouldn't be forking out on all that 'tat' ?!

[squoosh]

Yes you're right, we should be making ourseves a charming repast of offal, dust and human hair and scowling at each other in the dark.

Just who do these recession partiers think they are?

Down with this sort of thing.

[adeucalione]

sallyingforth - the term 'trick or treat' is American, but the concept of asking people for treats at Hallowe'en is not; guising and souling predate 'trick or treating' (not to mention 'penny for the guy' and carol singing door-to-door at Christmas, both of which I did as a child but which I personally don't see much of nowadays).

I don't know...done right it can be a lovely celebration, but like anything there is a minority of idiots that give it a bad name, mainly teenagers and their daft parents.

I like the fact that we're still celebrating by dressing up goulishly etc despite the church's best efforts.

[mummyonvalium]

I would agree with the pagan thing if I were a pagan but I am not a pagan, so on top of everything else have no desire to celebrate something I don't believe in.

[cantspel]

I have never celebrated halloween and i have no intention ever to do so.

It just seems to get bigger and tackier every years with more and more orange tat in every supermarket.

[MamaBear17]

Im not a fan of halloween. When my dd is a little older I might let her have a party or go to a party if she wanted, but I dont like trick or treating. My parents never allowed it so I think that is why I feel the way I do.

[80sMum]

I don't like it either. I can't bear all the rampant commercialism and aisles full of tat. The over-the-top commercial aspect is an American import. Somehow it works over there, but I don't think it has travelled well. Halloween was much nicer how it used to be, a much more low-key and together more British affair. It seems a shame that we are turning into a mini copy of the US. School proms are another import that seems to be taking root over here, more's the pity.

[MamaMary]

I just ignore it.

[BoneyBackJefferson]

mummyonvalium

"The concept of "trick or treat" - is actually an unpleasant one and reminds me vaguely of being a bully, ie, give me something or I will do something horrid to you."

The concept was that you gave the children a trick i.e magic etc. or a treat.

[MajesticWhine]

YANBU - I hate it too. I have sadly had to adapt to celebrating it because my DC love it, and because in the area we live it is a big thing.

[Sparklingbroomstick]

I don't see it as 'celebrating' just 'going with it'. It makes my DSs happy and I'm all for that. People are overthinking it.

[BeauNeidel]

I just hate it because as my kids get older it'll be another pointless day where I have to 'spoil' them. There are about 6 other kids within walking distance of our house though so we're not often bothered by trick or treaters!

I absolutely love bonfire night though!