Halloween, bonfire night and Christmas

[Toastycornflakes]

I’m just interested in considering how different these events will be this year. I’m guessing there will be no trick or treating and have already explained to my kids that we will have to give it a miss this year. Also the town’s bonfire and fireworks night is obviously cancelled as around 2k people normally attend. What are you doing instead for these events? I was thinking sweet hunt maybe for Halloween and a film and maybe fireworks in the garden for bonfire night.

Also Christmas! I haven’t thought that far ahead really but how different are you expecting it to be and what are you thinking of doing this year instead? Or are you hoping to pretty much do as you normally do?

Halloween - we never do anything so no change

Bonfire night - big display run by Scouts cancelled. Sparklers in the garden. No fireworks at home because we would frighten all the dogs, horses, sheep nearby

Christmas - we are not going to bother this year apart from the day itself. Assuming all normal events will be cancelled. Good excuse not to have to see relatives we don’t want to see.

Bonfire Night should be easy enough, as we have a garden. Bonfire there, sparklers. Not doing fireworks as I don't like doing them in a private garden, but enough people near me do that there'll be plenty to hear. Halloween, I think we may well still do in some capacity. Just do packeted sweets. Christmas is the most complicated.

I’m also pretty gutted about the children’s Christmas concerts being cancelled (although I totally understand why). Just such a special part of Christmas!

Not arsed about Halloween really, I don’t enjoy trick or treating anyway and the kids won’t be too fussed. We have got tickets to pumpkin picking/carving at a local farm.
We don’t tend to go to big fireworks displays as they finish too late for the young DC. We will toast marshmallows in the garden and have some sparklers, maybe make toffee apples.
The main thing I’m gutted about is the lack of nativity/carol concert etc. They’re the things that really make Christmas for me. Our village usually does a lovely (outdoor) event at the beginning of December where the children from the local schools sing carols and the cafe on the market place serves hot chocolate and mulled wine, which has been cancelled.
They are the things that make the dark nights and awful weather bearable, and they won’t be happening. It’s going to be a long winter I think.

Halloween we will do pick you own pumpkin and do some carving. My kids are too young to consider trick or treating but I like the idea of doing a sweetie hunt in the garden. Maybe some Halloween crafts.
Bonfire night obviously local fireworks displays have been cancelled but probably wouldn’t of gone this year as DC2 is only 1.
Christmas I will most likely be working (NHS) not much point trying to battle with my colleagues to have it off as it will be low key this year. My DC are still young enough that we can move Christmas Day to the 26th and they will be none the wiser 😉. Hopefully the Santa we see at the local farm park is still on this year. The set up is good for socially distancing as they never encouraged kids to sit on his lap, they would sit on little tree stumps next to him whilst they did their meet and greet.

We are planning to keep things very small over this Autumn and Winter and are already trying to book things for the wider family in the Spring instead.

Looks like the Edinburgh Market is still going ahead, will just be a bit different. We might go to that. I'm guessing the school Christmas fares won't be going ahead this year which is disappointing. I always like going to them.
Halloween, we had a party in here last year for grown ups and kids, so doubt that will be able to happen again plus I'm pregnant so don't really want to host this time.
Fireworks, I'm not really bothered about. Might get the fire pit out, and let the kids toast marshmallows with the neighbours kids.

If trick or treating goes ahead we will be doing it, well Dh & the younger two will as DD and I will be at Harry Potter studios.

Bonfire night we never do anyway, I dont like fireworks. Such cruelty to animals so glad it will not go ahead.

Xmas, I'll be doing the same as every previous year.

We are going to Alton Towers on Halloween and for fireworks, both events still going ahead although fireworks tickets aren’t available yet. They’ll is is exactly what we did last year. Christmas we just do the 4 of us at home so Christmas Day will be the same as always but some of our build up stuff will be different with no markets or panto but the other things we like to do in the build up, the zoo, National trust stuff all looks to be going ahead. The only thing different is we have done the last ten New Years at butlins, it’s brilliant bit but it’s a sell out with all the big events venues packed out, I don’t see how we can do it this year so we are anticipating not being able to go.

Any updates on Hogmanay in edinburgh yet? Obviously the street party won’t be on but i wonder if they’ll still do fireworks? hope so as we can see them from the hill behind the house and it just won’t be the same without them.

@ExmoorPony

Why are we getting the government ruin our lives???

Why don't you have a little think about that, instead of posting such a pathetic question on the Internet?!

I've never done anything for Halloween, but will certainly miss going to a bonfire and fireworks party, but am resigned to that as it just is what it is and falls into the same category for me as all the other social get togethers that we've all had to miss.
I will be sad to miss all the traditions around Christmas that involve singing though. I will miss the 'Carols on the Green', the midnight service, my choir concert, and the other concerts and service I love to go to and sing all the traditional Christmas music.

Our little boy has just turned three so this is the first year he’s really excited about Halloween, Xmas etc. Obviously there will be only the three of us but I want to try and make it fun for DS.

Halloween - we are dressing up (doing face paints etc) a little buffet, Halloween sweets and having a little disco/dance party.

Bonfire night- wrap up warm and go for a walk in the afternoon collecting leaves and pine cones etc, hot chocolate when we get home, having hotdogs with onions for dinner, sparklers in the garden when it’s dark and I’m sure some idiot around where we live will set off fireworks (they always do) so if they do we will stand in our garden and look (if not I’ll find some on YouTube to put on the tv )

Christmas Eve - I’ve got a little Christmas Eve box with craft activities, some easy Xmas themed baking, colouring book etc- just things to keep him busy all day. Then buffet food and a disco in the afternoon (having a disco is one my 3 year olds favourite things!) Then maybe a Christmas film in the evening before bedtime.

Christmas Day - family matching pjs on in the morning, open presents, nice breakfast (not quite sure what yet), let DS play with his toys etc, go for a walk to get some fresh air, then we’re having lamb as our roast dinner and then a buffet of picky bits in the eve (with leftovers to do Boxing Day too)