To be a bit annoyed about all the fuss about halloween?

[Karlakitten1]

I've had childrn at school asking why they have to go to school on Halloween. I think this is ridiculous and although it's all a bit of fun on the day, I just don't see the need for a big fuss and think going trick or treating is like begging IMHO. Am I a miserable git?

Yes.

It's not compulsory to go in for Hallowee'en in a big way (especially all the US trimmings), but guising is a considerably older tradition.

No yanbu at all. My dc keep asking me what we're doing for Halloween They're really unimpressed when I say nothing!

Your kids are going to have a lovely childhood if you sneer at things. Kids like Halloween so why can't you suck it up for them?

I hate Hallowe'en. It's too commercial and I too think of it as 'glorified begging'.

Can't wait until it's over.

To be fair, Halloween is normally in half term, so they'll be used to having it off, like you're off for Easter and Christmas (though obviously Halloween is coincidental).

Aye - the first halloween thread - a Mumsnet tradition

This thread happens every year. It's a big tradition up here in Scotland (and not an American import). My DCs are practicing their "turns" and thinking about costumes and that's just fine.

Yawn, yawn and more yawns. Enjoy - I'm pottering off now.....

I love Halloween. Cultural traditions are such good fun for kids that I think it is a bit mean spirited not to make a bit of an effort.

Soz - crosspost - yawns not directed at weebarra just at the thread in general!!

Yer' mardy gets ....I love!!! Halloween!! ...we're big halloween ers!

I love Halloween. I love all the seasonal celebrations actually. Round here, houses that want to take part in trick or treating put a pumpkin out, and it's a lovely community evening. I love having all the kids come round, seeing the costumes etc.

I am with you.

Im not a big fan of halloween. Dont really see the point of it. Maybe it is because we didnt do it as kids.

And so the anti-Hallowe'en Mopey Dicks are out already?

Do something.

Don't do anything.

Explain wjy in an unpatronising way.

Smile and move on.

I have a party because I'm in a foreign country and the locals are curious. DS' schoolfriends love it! We don't do trick or treating. Just fancy dress, cobwebs, food that looks like mummies, bobbing for apples, that kind of thing.

I'm 41. Hallowe'en was a big thing when I was a nipper. I fondly remember my mum making an orange cake with black cobwebbing and a spider! Others went out trick or treating, my sister and I didn't. No biggie.

weebarra its not big where i am from in scotland.

Yes. It's not begging if people join in, I get sweets for trick a treaters, love seeing excited kids dressed up.

I still do not understand why Americans go all out for Hallowe'en.
Lots of places banned Harry Potter for glorifying the occult. Surely a witch on Hallowe'en is the same as a witch in HP?

Different strokes - its a big enough thing where I live in the UK. Its also the first day of the midterm break so my kids aren't at school. There are lots of things I don't think are worth fussing over - but I understand why other people do and I'm not one for pissing on peoples chips.

Halloween activities aren't usually in the daytime, so plenty of time for them after school.

I think what annoys me is that there isnt one rule for trick or treaters.

I dont decorate my house and neither do half of my neighbours but we still get people knocking.

I don't trick or treat and I don't open the door to trick or treaters... I feel as someone else has said it is like begging plus it just wouldn't be safe where I grew up sadly.
BUT Halloween is a massive celebration in my house, usually complete with a party and full house of decorations. Me and dp fight (in a teasing way) over which is bigger, Christmas or Halloween, my birthday is also around this time and dd is due around then aswell xD huge haloweeners in our house (yes that is a term we use xD)

When I was young in the olden days guising was at Halloween and was for money, not sweets.

We had to do our 'party piece' - a song, poem or joke - and wear fancy dress. We visited all the neighbours and they gave us money FOR FIREWORKS which we bought to set off at home on guy fawkes night. (I always thought guising was from the word 'guy' but I guess it's from 'disguise')

We also ducked for apples and tried to eat bread and treacle hung from a string - great fun and a big celebration in Scotland years ago.