To find Halloween utterly tedious?

[TheGigglingGazelle]

Just that, really. I get why it's fun for kids, but grown adults getting excited about it, and the way everything that happens any time around Hallowe'en has to have a 'spooky' theme? casts a sidelong glance at Strictly while typing Each to their own, but... I just don't get it.

Is it just me?

There’s nothing to get. Just like Christmas it’s all about hyping it up so you spend money.

This is so joyless. Honestly, I don't personally celebrate some holidays, but why be resentful of others who it makes happy. Just let people do their thing. I like seeing others happy. It's nice. I am not crazy about Halloween and don't enjoy dressing up, but if others do all power to them.

It's like all these threads pissing on people's baby showers, weddings, Christmas, anything that brings joy to people. It's bizarre.

What I dont like is stuff like a group I go to every week, someones just written on our group messenger that to "celebrate halloween" the activity (artistic) is going to have a "spooky" theme and for us to dress up.

Exactly. Similar here, in a theatre group and every year there are cries of 'let's do something spooky!' around this time of year.

Not as tedious as bonfire night/guy fawkes with the inevitable dickheads setting off fireworks for days before and after, usually when I am trying to put my young child and/or after midnight!

When I’m trying to put my young child to bed I mean

I can’t stand the plastic crap / disposable costume side of things. Beyond that, each to their own - I won’t take my 2 year old to do it / dress her up, but if she wants to when she’s bigger that’s fine.

I always wear my old karate uniform on such occasions .

Yeah I don't get it either. I don't agree with trick or treating. I think it's annoying how the whole month of October is overtaken by halloween, including going to places in half term and everything having a 'spooky' theme. Spiders, skeletons, ghosts etc. I just don't like any of it. But it's kind of difficult not liking it when I have 2 young DC who want to be a part of it all! There needs to be a Halloween equivalent of 'Bah, humbug'!

Signing in as a Hallowe'en bore.

I don't mind it to a mild extent but I can't get that excited about it - last year someone had bought a HP outfit for DS2 so I put him in that for a picture, and this year someone got him a vampire costume, so I will stick him in that as we are going to a party, but the other mums at the party are like "Shall we dress up too?!" and my immediate reaction was God, no :o

DS1 wants a costume and I just cannot be arsed

I also think there ought to be something in February, Valentine's Day doesn't count, because it's rubbish. Unfortunately in the South of Germany we have Fasching in February which is like Hallowe'en all over again - all the hassle of finding/making costumes again and the parades in this part of the country are bloody terrifying. Plus it's outside which is shit because it's still freezing.

If I was rich I'd go on holiday every year in February or make it the time of year that I visit far away friends/family.

Well I don't like all the cringy stuff they do on the telly, b it t wer heaving a party for the kids and adults next week 🤷‍♀️ only trouble is all the shops round here seem to have stopped selling thaoween stuff now 🤔 just Christmas stuff that's out!

My DC and I love Halloween, been decorating the house this afternoon in preparation! We are having a big get together with our neighbours and we've invited some school friends round. Each to their own, but for us it's a really fun day/evening. Will only be knocking on doors with pumpkins though! I completely get that the excess consumerism/waste is terrible though. We are reusing all costumes/accessories/decorations from years before, I haven't bought anything new.

It's the plastic tat that annoys me, such a waste.

It's like all these threads pissing on people's baby showers, weddings, Christmas, anything that brings joy to people. It's bizarre

Halloween doesn’t bring joy to everyone though does it. Unless you think having eggs thrown at your window is fun?
I’ve had this happen to me.
Little fuckers.

I didn't really like Halloween before I had kids but now I love it as my kids are at the perfect ages to really enjoy it. We make great memories doing the pumpkins, them getting dressed up and going trick or treating.

I hate it.

It's like all these threads pissing on people's baby showers, weddings, Christmas, anything that brings joy to people. It's bizarre.

Not really. Asking why someone enjoys something isn't the same thing as wanting to take that enjoyment away.

Yanbu. I didn't "get" Halloween when my children were little but made myself go along with it for their sakes. I'm so glad they are too old for Trick or Treating now. I won't do a pumpkin and won't be buying sweets for the little kids near me. I have no problem if that makes me a curmudgeon.

In all honesty it's just a field day for the supermarkets.

I’m not really arsed about Halloween possibly because I wasn’t allowed to celebrate it when I was a kid due to my mum being a Christian and banning it. However, my children love it so I force myself to summon up the enthusiasm to join in and take them trick or treating, put up a few decorations and carve pumpkins but draw the line at dressing up myself or hosting a party or anything.

I just went to Sainsbury's. One of their big stores. Before you can even cross the threshold you have to side step a huge display of pumpkins and a "Happy Halloween" banner. Tut.

I like Strictly but find their Halloween week tedious and infantile.

YANBU. Halloween is not a thing and people who try to make it a thing are annoying, to say the least!

"YANBU. Halloween is not a thing and people who try to make it a thing are annoying, to say the least!"

Sigh.

@Bofster37

YANBU. Halloween is not a thing...

Er, yes it is.

YANBU. Halloween is not a thing and people who try to make it a thing are annoying, to say the least!

Halloween is a very old Celtic tradition and is most definitely a thing

I love Halloween and have since I was a nipper in the 70's, even at my Catholic school Halloween was recognised and we'd read appropriate books and make decorations. The back-end of October and the beginning of November are hugely evocative times for me, my dad taking us to the park on a dusky afternoon whilst the leaves turned and then coming back to the smell of lamb roasting and a fire blazing whilst Joni Mitchell played in the background, and I'd sit and cook my legs reading whichever spooky book I'd got from the library before dinner, where there were always interested people invited.

The smell of charred turnip has evolved into the smell of charred pumpkin, but we always had a Halloween party, (we did live in the States from '78-'80 so maybe we re-imported some ideas!), my dad would take a variety of objects mixed with very washing-up liquid heavy, slimy water, and pass them round us whilst we were blindfolded and spin a tale.

Then we'd play murder in the dark followed by hide and sèek in the dark and all have something to eat by candlelight. Wondedful.

And knowing that bonfire-night was just days away and there was more opportunity for fun.

I think you're missing a trick if you don't do Halloween. It's an ancient Celtic/pagan festival, it marks the passage of the year.

That's really important amd very grounding for children I think. The cycles, and the excitement associated with the festivals.

Well I am pagan so obviously it has significance for me. But I think let people have something they enjoy. All trick or treaters around here only knock at houses with pumpkins outside, so no one else is disturbed. I like all the spooky stuff. I have bought ceramic decorations so I don't add to the plastic problem.