Anyone else spend the evening traipsing around with their kids last night, knocking on strangers’ doors demanding sweets and chocolates? I’ve done this a few times now and wonder whether it is just me who feels incredibly awkward when we’re doing this or whether it is basically a weird thing to do - just not really very British.
Anyway, over the last couple of years I’ve noticed that people have started to ‘advertise’ that they’re participating by putting pumpkins and various other paraphernalia outside their front doors. I wonder how many people know this new ‘rule’ – my kids certainly do and I have to say, it is a welcome development because it takes a lot of the awkwardness out of the situation.
Also, I suspect there were a lot of people who hadn’t followed this rule wondering why they hadn’t had many knocks on their doors and why they were left with a big box of chocolates.
My kids do it every year, but we only go to neighbours we know and places like you say, that have pumpkins or Halloween decorations. The kids love it. All a bit of fun, if done correctly.
Not a fan of the US import… but we live in a village with a lot of kids that do and I have an 11 year old who likes hand out the sweets - There is sort of a golden rule you describe, by putting out a lit up carved pumpkin or somethong you say its ok to come round… when we are done, we take it in and dont get disturbed so it works really well - kids stay away from any place not ‘advertising’ - way I see it, when the wee scrotes grow up, hopefully they will remember our genorosity and not throw stones at the old mad, wierd fucker’s house
But the whole ‘putting pumpkins etc out to advertise you’re participating’ seems to be a new development. I don’t recall this happening when I was a kid. We just went to every house and made a nuisance of ourselves. Also, since when did people wish you a ‘happy Halloween’? Loads of people said it last night.
Incidentally, my kids came back with a massive haul. I am afraid it will be subject to a supertax.
Halloween is a biggie in the streets around where I live because of the number of American families locally (on secondment from the US and an American school down the road)
You can tell who they are by the OTT displays of pumpkins etc in their front gardens.
They follow the rules and don’t knock where there are no decorations. Mrs C_S said only our immediate neighbours called last night (eldest baby-sits for them)
The weird / scary thing is the parents also dressing up which is downright odd / borderline illegal if you ask me… .
That’s why you spent last night being interviewed by Her Majesties Constabulary for breaking and entering into a number of properties with the intention of committing unspecified offences of a sexual nature
I know that many of us don’t believe in gods or religions or the supernatural.
However, as the Usual Suspects told us, the devil’s greatest trick was convincing the world he didn’t exist. Perhaps that’s why you see adverts buzzing about town advertising a show called Lucifer when it might have attracted widespread complaint years ago.
Anyway, if the bugger is extant, he’ll surely be laughing his hooves off at Hallowe’en. An entire holiday devoted to the malign. Christmas must be particularly pleasing too. Once a period of religious contemplation and goodwill to your fellow man. Now a materialistic orgy kicking off with Black Friday after the Americans have stuffed themselves silly with food and are in fightin’ mood.
I went to the fancy dress shop yesterday afternoon, wanted a Dracula costume but they gave me an ill fitting suit and a Boris Johnson mask. “You misheard me” i said, “I wanted to look like a Count”.
