Adults are so boring (Halloween)

[FierceFireFairy]

So at a kids party for my sons football group, kids are 4-8 years old. Adults were encouraged to dress up so I've come as a cat, not one adult (apart from the coaches) have dressed up.
This is when I wish I was in America where everyone who does Halloween does it properly, the UK is so nervous about looking silly its so sad. I miss getting dressed up we used to do it every year in my 20's, all my friends are so boring now too.

Do you expect people to buy a costume? Why would I want to waste money on a lot of polyester tat that will end up in landfill?

When ds was small I was working full time, being a single mum, renovating our home and raising my child. I didn't have time to make a costume or paint my face.

I wasn't keen on teaching my child to beg for sweets either. Horrible.

That exact situation happened to me. I went to the Beavers halloween bash, that was held outside, so campfire ect. No adults wore costumes at all, just me in my cat costume. Really boring in general.

It’s nothing to do with ‘being silly’ or otherwise. I just don’t care about Halloween really. It’s for kids, and I’m not one.
It wasn’t really a thing when I was young, along with Christmas Eve boxes, Halloween gifts, World book Day costumes, Easter or other seasonal decorations, furnishings etc.
But then, there was no Amazon when I was a kid either!

edit for typo

I like Halloween in its place but the UK isn't it.

Overconsumption of plastic crap.

A lot of people don't like fancy dress, no matter what their age.

I'm not wasting money on a costume I'll wear once

Did you buy your costume and the kids? It’s not cheap. Why a cat?

Not dressing up for a kids football event does not make people boring, or mean that they are "afraid to look silly". I enjoy Halloween, have amazing decorations ive gathered through the years, always decorate the house & garden, love trick or treaters calling, halloween games etc. If I was going to a fun adults night out with fancy dress that I was choosing to attend I would dress up...a kids event or a work event I couldnt be bothered! Doesnt mean Im boring, I'd say I have a pretty fun filled life, but what your describing is a fun event for the kids not adults, and my workplace I just wouldnt be bothered there to get involved in something like that I am there to work the hours I need to, do a good job, and to get paid (I have friends at work who would definitely feel the same.)
I think a lot of these football/other events parents really could do without it taking up their evening and likely have places to be before/after, probably rushing to make it after work etc its not exactly most adults idea of a really fun evening so they probably just dont have the interest in this particular event or dont have the time.
I think saying people are boring for not dressing up for a kids event is a bit of a strange remark but each to their own.

Me too. It's nothing to do with being boring. It costs money and time that I simply don't have. It has snowballed over the years- not interested

'Unfortunately' you're a parent?! Charming....

Yes it's really sad! Not halloween related but did go to a fancy dress party and got in full themed costume last week, snd encouraged DH to, and was worried who else would but was pleasantly suprised to see most had.Depends on the crowd i think.I don't have a halloween costume but was thinking I do need to get one really as I think it's good to see kids having a sense of humour and getting in the spirit.

I don't have children but I don't mind fancy dress. The fun of it isn't in spending money on a crappy witches' costume from Primark or wherever, it's in creating a costume from what you have, or finding things in charity shops that you can use. It's satisfying when you find one item or prop that pulls the whole costume together.

Each to their own, though - no one should feel forced to take part!

I wouldn’t dress up f or t Halloween- the day has no significance or interest for me, it was a very, very low key thing when I was a child but quite fun, definitely for children though. the depressing onslaught of plastic single use crap, themed food and general pressure to spend money has ruined the fun of it.

I think I prefer spontaneous silliness rather than prescribed.

My kids love it - but they are teens who will be dressed as ‘sexy vampires’ or similar and taking the excuse for a party. It’s just a themed party night for them.

Lots of people really don’t like it for religious reasons or because they’ve had a traumatic experience or bereavement, it would be nice if more people were thoughtful about that. Lots of people, especially if elderly and alone, will have a horrible evening tonight feeling frightened of all the overexcited/ out of control kids banging on doors and chucking eggs.

I find the assumption that everyone should want to join in really odd - we are careful these days to acknowledge that not everyone celebrates Christmas, and Halloween only became as big as it is now today the last decade or so.

I remember hosting a fancy dress party for my daughter, and no one turned up in costume! Just me, my husband and kids were dressed up. The guests all smirked at us like we were stupid?! Kids had a great time and the invited children asked their parents why they didn’t come in costume too?! It was a bit weird of them really. Perhaps it’s a British thing where they’re too embarrassed to look different and join in?! Like on holiday and they refused to join in the dancing!

If someone gave me a costume I'd wear it, but to be honest I'm so time poor and shattered it would just be another thing on my never ending to do list. I work full time and have 3 & 5 year olds so very much in survival mode atm, and as much as I like Halloween costumes not my priority right now 🙃.

I was a bit worried when I saw the devil walking up my garden path, then I realised it was my neighbour out with his grandchildren!

it’s just a bit of fun

As has been said upthread, Halloween has been celebrated in Scotland for centuries. Last time I looked it was part of the UK.

it's not some new American thing.

But most of the uk is not Scotland. The commercialisation and huge amount of plastic crap and themed foods for s definitely new and I don’t think it started in Scotland.

I love Halloween. You just need to find your people. I doubt I’ll be dressing up this year as I have a new baby and barely have time to get dressed but will put on my “Freddie cruger” black and red top at the very least to go round to my sisters and dook for apples etc. But a lovely woman stopped and chatted to me in the street yesterday (about my baby) and midway through nice chat she apologied for her hands being all stained, she said they were red with fake blood from her putting it all over her kitchen cabinets to surprise her kids coming down for breakfast. Not all adults are boring!

I mean, some people go the other way. I’ve always loathed fancy dress and disliked parties. Now that I have small, excited and extroverted children, we host Halloween parties 😂 we “strongly encourage” parents to dress up too, and I’ve been so happy that many of them embrace that! I take care to reassure the rest that they’re actually my people, and pour them an extra glass of wine 😉

I never dressed up for Hallowe'en as a child so why should I as an adult?

Good point i don't remember having anything to do with Halloween as a child myself yet if i (any of us) don't dress up other grown adults think they know the reason why we chose not to and think they have the right to call us boring because thry chose to do something and we don't?

Quite, Polly. It was very much only young children when we were young, not teens. We used to carve a pumpkin and turn the lights off and that was about it, When I was at uni (partying hard) there was absolutely nothing Halloween.

‘ Brenda, I’m sure you put a lot of effort into the Sexy Zombie costume, but it’s the weekend, and I’ve just wrestled Junior into her Malificient gear, and now I’d like a drink and not to have you whinging about me not even wearing a skeleton onesie, OK?’