Halloween commercialism why ?

[fossyant]

Some old gits on here...........it's a bit of fun for the kids............. young ones like....not so convinced by the older ones..........

Where I live, those 'expecting' the kids to visit put lanterns up, and various decorations. If the house has no decorations, you don't go. Just got dragged round with a few other families round the local streets - only went to 'halloween' themed houses.......... kids went up to house, adults just checked passing traffic etc. None of the kids called on any houses that 'weren't 'up for it'.

 

[Maz]

err .. I was singing at our local church's patronal festival (All Saints) this morning. So not quite long since forgotten!

I apologise for any offence which my post may have caused.

 

[Fab Foodie]

As stated it IS an old festival. Monday (tomorow) is a national holiday in many European countries because of it. I also remember celebrating with apple-bobbing etc. as a kid, it was low-key and fun.
BUT, Halloween is now promoted purely for profit without any reference to it's origins, much like Christmas is becoming. It's a time for retailers to 'promote' a bit more retail joy...

 

[Deleted member 1258]

We've had a no trick or treaters sign on the door for the last couple of halloweens and have been left alone,which is what we wanted. We have never celebrated halloween in the past and this new trick or treat thing that's come along is a just nuisance.

 

[brokenbetty]

I like the new Halloween. It feels like a Saturnalia. There was a gap in the calendar for that sort of festival.

 

[brokenbetty]

Also, I don't think many kids do just call on strangers doors. Every year I buy a bag of treats just in case but I don't think we've had a trick or treater in seven years.

 

[summerdays]

Also, I don't think many kids do just call on strangers doors. Every year I buy a bag of treats just in case but I don't think we've had a trick or treater in seven years.

I don't like "trick or treating" for the reason of knocking on strangers doors and asking for sweets ... isn't it going against everything we told our children not to do?

Nobody called on our door despite the kids getting in some sweets just in case .. me I wanted to give them the horrible licorice ones that have been sitting at the back of the cupboard for ages ... and I would have done if it had been the two kids who live at the bottom of our road and are rude to my children when I'm not there.

 

[yello]

sure I remember trick or treating as a kid

Ah bless!

You're showing your youth dear boy. Ne'er a trick or treater in my day.

If it's any consolation, I've looked at new things (technology gubbins for instance) and thought to myself 'yes but why?' The 'why' is invariably answered as Mr Paul suggests - 'to make money'.

And now, to upstage even Meldrew, I'll say that business doesn't care whether you need, or even want, they just want you to buy. And I fall for it just as much as anyone else - I've got outdoorsy, climb everest, urban rambler type clothes that I wear to walk the dog in. Complete overspec, just because it appeals to a rugged outdoors image that panders to my ego.

Years of R&D go into designing a light weight, sub zero garment that will only ever see use in a home counties country park on Boxing Day. It makes you want to laugh, or weep. But do XYZ Outdoors plc care about that? Hell no, it's all money in the bank.

 

[Bill Gates]

I'm invited to a Guy Fawkes night party on Friday, AND a Diwali celebration.

Is it going to be baked potatoes, bland sausages and apple bobbing, or...... Mmmmmmm.

Don't they have a guy?


Re trick or treating. One call last night and they didn't hang around with three Jack Russells barking madly behind the front door.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I don't like "trick or treating" for the reason of knocking on strangers doors and asking for sweets ... isn't it going against everything we told our children not to do?

Nobody called on our door despite the kids getting in some sweets just in case .. me I wanted to give them the horrible licorice ones that have been sitting at the back of the cupboard for ages ... and I would have done if it had been the two kids who live at the bottom of our road and are rude to my children when I'm not there.

Its the same as Christmas, all year long we tell them to be wary of strangers and not to accept things from them, then at Christmas we tell them a strange man in a red suit is going to come down the chimney and bring them gifts, no wonder they get confused sometimes.

 

[MacB]

The commercialism sticks in the throat a bit, as it does with Xmas, Easter, Mothers and Fathers days etc, but Halloween does seem fun for the kids, it's the only one we've really adopted.

When the boys were young we had Halloween parties several years running, Jane and I would dress up, along with the kids and their friends. I was generally Frankenstein or a zombie, makeup not required and all that. I think 2 dozen kids was about the biggest it got, bung on some Halloween themed junk party food and round off with a mini firework display, never later than about 7pm.

But we see Halloween as something for the younger kids and think anyone dressed up, and knocking the doors, is pushing it beyond about 8 years old. But we still do pumpkins, the boys spent time yesterday afternoon carving them, we've got coloured LED candles for inside and then they sit outside the front door. We've still got a big plastic witches cauldron which we fill with Halloween themed sweets and welcome allcomers to the door.

We don't give out money, carol singers get knocked back as well, we don't do the 'trick' bit and, when the boys have knocked on doors, it's only been pre-arranged family and friends.

Oh yeah, we also have pumpkin soup now as well

 

[beanzontoast]

We have a very nice door sign provided by some local partnership or other which politely but clearly says 'No Trick or Treaters, thank you'. We haven't had anyone call on Hallow'een since we started using it about 3 years ago.

I think the best version of these things nowadays is when the parents arrange (and accompany) their kids calling on friends and neighbours who have been asked in advance if it would be ok. Anything other is a bit dodgy, especially as someone has said, where older poeple are concerned.

 

[yello]

Monday (tomorow) is a national holiday in many European countries because of it.

Indeed it is. Pretty much every thing closed today. People will be visiting the graves of the dearly departed etc... taking chrysanthemums by the score. Talk about commercialism, shops are full of chrysanths just for this day. And therein lay a cautionary tale.

Never give chrysanthemums as a birthday/thank you gift to a French person... they are associated with death!

 

[Archie_tect]

In Leeds in the 60s we called it "Michievous Night" and lads would wander round doing un-malicious practical jokes on people or their property. didn't hang around for treats though, would've had a clip round their ears!..... they just scarpered when the dogs started barking!

Typically, lifting gates off and turning them round do they opened outwards onto the street. Tying string to door handles and the dustbin lids, then knocking on the door. Putting treacle on door knobs just before the owners returned from the pub...

 

[brokenbetty]

I really like the idea of a festival where you interact with neighbours rather than exclusively family and friends. I think it's really sad that people find children dressing up and asking for sweets for a few hours once a year a nuisance.

I guess in the States adults are happy to play their part because they enjoyed it themselves as children.

There's an interesting comment on the BBC website about Halloween. Among other points, it suggests it became a popular community event in the states because it was areligious (in practice if not in origin) and therefore easy for immigrants from different backgrounds to join in.