what you think of halloween?

[adam7485]

. ok. halloween can be a fantastic time for all people kids and everyone, but am i the only person to think it brings the worst out of people? 2019 before covid i got a taxi to a local pub who were having a halloween party and we almost had a nasty accident as some kids threw something in front of the car. how we didn't have an accident was probably more luck than judgement. to think that a good celebration and fun has become tainted by the actions of a certain group of people?

Fucking awful. Commercialised tat adding to landfill and stupid consumerism at its finest.

I hate it, I hate masks and I hate seeing kids chap on strangers doors looking for sweets! No thanks, I’ll pass on halloween.

I grew up in the States so I love it. We carve pumpkins and the kids had a great time trick o' treating when young. Now we are happy to be seeing all the fab costumes. The best year was when the Bake Off final was the same night - after going out I ordered in pizza for the girls and they had a great time.
I do think it's for little kids - teenagers can feel threatening en masse. We blow the jack o lanterns out about 8pm and it's pretty much done by then anyway.

Love it here, but am Irish in Ireland. We started the whole thing so we definitely do it properly (wink). Like most things in life there can be some dickheads that try to ruin it or use it as an excuse to act stupid but in general, love love LOVE!

I think it has become much more family friendly and there isn’t nearly as much trouble as there was when I was a kid.

Where we live we haven’t had any issues at Halloween, but I do admit I’m a bit of a Halloween Scrooge. I don’t like it, I won’t be taking DD trick or treating, but we get in a selection of treats for any kids that do come (but very few ever do due to the location of the house).

@ChrissyPlummer

Nothing whatsoever to get excited or otherwise about. It’s a non-event.

I also think it brings out contrary attitudes in parents; my ex-p wouldn’t let his DC walk to/from school “in case he gets kidnapped”, but was fine with him walking around knocking on strangers doors in the dark with just another primary-age kid for company “because it’s hallowe’en”.

I agree with this,

It goes against all the stranger danger stuff we teach the rest of the year.

It goes against everything we teach about kindness and not threatening others into getting something you want.

So many sweets, plastic crap and flammable costumes.

Scary things like scream masks and scary clowns can be very threatening.

I think the civilised version of pumpkin hunts, organised parties or having a pumpkin outside system is slightly better but I still don’t let my kids do it.

Also hate it; Halloween wasn't like this when I was young. All the local kids would spend ages creating a 'Penny for the Guy', and we all trailed along (not wearing Halloweeny wear, but this was the North West) and 'knocked on' to known houses who'd give us 5p or 10p which we then spent on fireworks on November 5th.

These days, and with my own - who admittedly are coming to the end of their interest, age wise - I buy sweets, light a pumpkin, they go out and return with their boots and everyone's in bed by 10pm.

*booty

I think it should be banned now.
People knocking on old people’s doors upsetting and scaring them, and kids knocking on strangers doors begging for sweets.
When my kids used to do it I went with them to make sure they behaved, and I only let them knock on doors where there was decorations outside.

Hate it. We do Harry Potter day instead. Watch HP films and then have a Hogwarts feast!

I don't think it's specifically Halloween that's the problem. Before kids went out trick or treating here in the UK mischief night (aka miggy night) was a big thing. It was around the same time as Halloween and kids did some really dangerous stuff back then. Halloween round here is really nice all the kids with parents or behaving and is generally a really nice way of getting to meet your neighbors. At least it's a way of socialising and better than being sat in front of TV or gaming like every other night. Good excuse for crafting too!

I'm Scottish so grew up with guising and all the kids doing a wee turn.
Seriously can't be arsed with the effort that goes into to costumes now though - what happened to an old sheet with holes?!

I love Halloween and have never experienced any negative behaviour. I used to go to a bar or club in my younger years, now I do something with my DD. We dished out sweets to Trick or Treaters when she was younger and now do a local Halloween trail or go Trick or Treating.

I can imagine it could cause trouble though, it's any excuse for some people.

Halloween is ruined by the yobs around here. Plus they have "mischief night" to wreak havoc.

I think it should be banned now.
People knocking on old people’s doors upsetting and scaring them, and kids knocking on strangers doors begging for sweets.
When my kids used to do it I went with them to make sure they behaved, and I only let them knock on doors where there was decorations outside.

Or people could take responsibility for their children? People only approach houses that are decorated in my area - why should it be banned because of the minority of people that can't behave?

It's Samhain for me, not Halloween.

Looking forward to being out in the forest to celebrate it, with nice food and my fellow Pagans,

I love Halloween! Pumpkins and cute kids in costumes are great. Plus it’s a great excuse to have sweets in.

Some of the houses near me have great displays. I can’t wait to go out and see them .

I see we have the annual predictable 'begging' comments. Yawn.

How knocking on a door of a house displaying a lit pumpkin and other Halloween decorations, to be offered a sweet or chocolate is 'begging' I'm not sure.

I love it. Our neighborhood goes all out. This year we have a crazy science lab set up. Lots of bangs & potions. My Husband & kids will dress up with lab coats & wigs & chase the local kids through it. Can't wait. It's a good excuse to dress up & have a few drinks with the neighbours

Our estate goes all out for Halloween it's a brilliant atmosphere, some of the houses are amazing the kids all know not to go to doors that aren't decorated but there's not many that aren't. Our decorations are up all ready and the kids have their route planned. We all have open front gardens no hedges or fences so we can see the kids and door openers from the pavements.
We also go a bit ott at Christmas having a big charity singalong where we all walk round to see folks lights and have mulled wine and cookies.
It's a great place for kids to grow up.

So far, the places I've lived in the UK haven't had much involvement with Halloween - last year some put pumpkin pictures in the window for little ones to spot, but in the years before that, we might get a couple knocks on the door, if that. We've recently moved so it'll be interesting to see how it goes this year.

We celebrate Día de Muertos in my home, but my kids are old enough that they can celebrate with their friends as they wish as I either trust them or I trust the parents of their friends enough that it doesn't bother me. Yes, I have my box of tat that I'll be putting up later this week along with the photos. Thankfully no new additions this year for it, but as they're getting older, we'll likely be discussing our dead more. Still some debate on what foods to serve.

As others said, I don't think mischief is new. There is a long history of holidays being a time some take advantage of the revelry and take things too far. My parent's house was toilet papered as a kid.

I stick a sign up saying no trick or treaters and they still knock.

@longestlurkerever

I love Halloween. It gives me a glimpse of what Christmas could be without all the stress of present buying and family angst. Costumes, meeting friends after dark. Sweets. Job done, magical for the kids and a real sense of community where we live. I honestly think if my kids had to choose between Halloween and Christmas they'd choose Halloween. We're on holiday this week and there was a choice between coming home on Friday or Sunday and I had to pick Friday so we were home for Halloween

Couldn’t agree more. It’s like a brilliant, stress free Christmas. I love Halloween. Anyone of the viewpoint that it’s in any way satanic - it’s not. It’s one of several pagan festivals a year - and as pagans don’t believe in God, they don’t believe in Satan.

I’m an American who loathes Halloween. People poke their noses in supposed occult nonsense. Mercy Brown was a perfectly respectable local poor farmer’s daughter who died of tuberculosis c.1890. She did not call her siblings to the grave; TB is very contagious. No one dug her up as a vampire or believed in voodoo, despite sensational journalism. It’s just an excuse to mess about in cemeteries and do vandalism. Begging for treats never struck me as suitable. As a Puritan born and bred, Day of the Dead rituals seem idolatrous and morbid. It’s good when all this rubbish is over.