To hate Halloween

[Lucydogz]

I went into town today, and there was so much crap merchandise on the Halloween theme, all of which will be in the bin tomorrow. Plus loads of shop assistants wearing related costumes and makeup. I'm so old that my children were brought up pre-trick or treat - I remember watching ET and not knowing what they were doing . I probably come across as a grumpy old woman, but it just seems such a waste.

I think it's awful as well. If you knock on a stranger's door on Halloween you're basically saying 'give me something or I will do something nasty to you'. I can't see the fun in that.

It's all been dreadfully polite round my way. All the children I came across were polite and grateful. No one bothered houses that weren't decorated and those that did were warm and friendly. It was a lovely community event. And this isn't a wholly 'naice' area - we are on the edge of some decidedly rough places.

I live in the south East and love fireworks but bonfire night as observed in some places makes me feel very uncomfortable. What makes me cross is that the same people who complain about Halloween have no problem taking part in a festival so closely linked to burning catholics. Seems inconsistent (and round these parts you really can't fail to make the link).

I hate Hallowe'en too. I've had several sets of kids persistently knock on my door this evening - despite the fact that I had no decorations and I'd turned off all the lights at the front of the house. I just want to be left alone - apparently this is too much to ask.

I didn't realise putting a pumpkin outside was an invitation for all the village's children to wander down my pitch black driveway . I scared them away after they hammered for about 5 mins.

The pumpkin was supposed to be a nice thing to do with DD and to welcome DH home from work. Never had any trick or treaters before (when we bought sweets), so was completely unprepared for 10-15 of them to turn up together with a bunch of parents lurking at the top of the drive like Fagin.

I consider myself educated!

There is plastic tat in the shops every day of the week. You dont have to buy it just the same as you dont have to buy halloween stuff.

Why would I buy halloween decorations then put them in the bin the next day? Mine come out year after year (and i add to them year after year!)

There has been Xmas stuff on the shelves since september but a couple of weeks of halloween stuff is outrageous?

Anyway we had loads of guisers and all dressed up to the nines, some with parents some not, all polite and had to be told to take more than one sweet. Have heard songs and poems and terrible jokes which always brightens up a dark evening. Ds came home with lots of sweets and fruit.

All the mad decorating is worth it in the end I get to see loads of kids having fun with amazing costumes, all excited and vying to do their 'turn' and they get sweets. Win win.

You dont have to like it, thats fine, rudeness and bad behaviour is the same whatever day of the year it happens, its not acceptable, but not all kids or teens are the same some just want to have a bit of fun, they are still kids after all.

I didn't realise putting a pumpkin outside was an invitation for all the village's children to wander down my pitch black driveway

It didn't used to be, AFAIK. But this seems to be the etiquette now, that you don't knock unless people have a pumpkin out.

Anyone had the pleasure of Halloween in Liverpool? I had some kids stuff a lit firework down the back of my coat, and some other tried to blow up my then-girlfriend's car!

I used to love Halloween as a kid, but teenagers, fireworks, anonymity...Not always a great recipe.

It's once a year. Get over it!

I suffr from anxiety. A lot of the time I feel scared. So I don't like Halloween because for me scary stuff is not fun! DD (5) is cross i didn't take her out trick orctreating. I didn't want her seeing frightening costumes and having nightmares plus she starts back at school tomorrow. Maybe next year. She had a treasure hunt at home instead which she enjoyed.

I love Halloween. It is the only festival that has a real community focus, with people all visiting their neighbours. I live on a fairly quiet street and don't get many trick or treaters, which always makes me a bit sad. I was talking to some of the neighbours last night about getting together on October and planning some decorations as a street to lure more trick or treaters in.

I like pumpkin carving but hate the hysterical trick or treating.
Unavoidably had to take my DC out in buggy last night to buy milk at 7pm with nightmarish adult and child dressed-up figures running about in real life. It totally freaked DC out.
Also I resented the fucking stupid adults out 'supervising' who let their attention-seeking kids run up to her pushchair, even if 'only' to shout happy Halloween or 'show off their costumes'. Just fuck off! They don't dress up as cute pumpkiny things, it was all horrible full face plastic horror masks, bloodstained outfits etc. I think the kids wanted to scare us because we weren't dressed up. Fuck that.

It annoys me that DC have been told it's all so 'fun'. why? To be scared of other people? Halloween 'means' fuck all to my DC in terms of 'spirits' being about for one night a year, or whatever the 'true' meaning is meant to be. I don't teach about that shit. The way it seems to be celebrated here it's an American import that (England) copies really badly in a half baked way, e.g. If you don't join in you're fair game for bullying. It's a shit message.

My elderly DM living alone is really frightened on Halloween every year and stays in with all the lights off. Her doors and windows have been egged before 'for not answering the door'. I had to clean it off which took forever as she isn't well enough to do it herself. Turns out eggs on windows are oily fuckers. She felt really singled out and victimised. Really appreciated that bit of 'celebrating'