Hallowe'en

dh's family are northern irish, so halloween is absolutely a holiday for us. we have a party at his mom's for the kids. she decorates the living room with cobwebs & ghosties and we bob for apples & play games. i just wish we could work the trick or treating into the mix. 

or maybe even better, filled with jell-o (jelly!!!)

Yes!!  That's even better!

I remember one year when I was very little I was sick on Halloween and my Dad took me out trick-or-treating the next night!  I vaguely remember people thinking I was so cute and saying, "hold on a minute, I'm sure I've got some candy left."

I think it depends on where you live here in the UK - maybe?  I've got friends with children here - they attend their local CoE school & it seems the kiddies have Halloween parties & dress up & all that.  Plus the two places I've worked have encouraged employees to dress up on Halloween day & I think they also take up a collection for charity at the same time.

We have had a few trick-or-treaters in our neighborhood -- but the first year I didn't buy candy because I wasn't expecting any, and then we weren't home another year, and then we just weren't in the habit of buying candy for them.  Last year, I think there may have been one or two knock (ignored ) -- which hardly justified going all out for it.  Plus, by the time we get home from work, it's quite dark & maybe getting late for the wee ones to be out here?  (perhaps explaining why there weren't many who knocked?)

Steve doesn't see what the big deal is -- bah humbug.   Plus, he says - just wait a few days & then you've got Bonfire Night - with fireworks, setting the man on fire, toffee apples & parkin cake.

One thing I don't get here - related, but different holiday...  When I was a kid, I used to enjoy going Christmas caroling (in the US) either with my friends or with church groups, and it was a cool thing to do -- seen as being nice to your neighbors & elderly shut-ins, etc.  We didn't go caroling to get anything - although sometimes you might get offered a cookie or some apple cider, etc.  Here the Christmas carollers expect you to pay them money!   So then (like one time we didn't have any change on us) you don't answer the door, cos if you do - they carol you & think you're cheap if you don't pay them.  What's up with that?

Ooh, haven't heard of that. Thanks for the warning though!

Ooh, haven't heard of that. Thanks for the warning though!

Yeah, thanks for the warning!  Come to think of it I do remember from the different versions of "A Christmas Carol" ("Scrooge") that the kids were doing just that--caroling for money--and of course got not a penny from Ebenezer!

...and of course got not a penny from Ebenezer!

Just call me Scrooge!  The first time they came - I was thinking, 'oh how nice!'  Then Steve says - 'Got any money?'  And I'm thinking - 'What?  Why?!'  (We gave them some change.)

And then I think we did another time, but then it was annoying cos we had to scramble for some change.

And then we stopped answering the door - which is kind of sad, but still.  I don't even know what the money is supposed to be going for?  If it's for some kind of charity - well ok, maybe, but you really don't know.

Just call me Scrooge!  The first time they came - I was thinking, 'oh how nice!'  Then Steve says - 'Got any money?'  And I'm thinking - 'What?  Why?!'  (We gave them some change.)

And then I think we did another time, but then it was annoying cos we had to scramble for some change.

And then we stopped answering the door - which is kind of sad, but still.  I don't even know what the money is supposed to be going for?  If it's for some kind of charity - well ok, maybe, but you really don't know.

We had carolers once. I made the mistake of opening the door and there were 2 kids standing there looking really bored and gave a really boring rendition of 'We wish you a Merry Christmas' They looked like they couldnt be bothered, they were looking at the floor and shuffling their feet. When they finished they just stopped and stared at me. I just kind of clapped and said 'very nice' and they just kept staring so I said 'ok, have a good holiday. Good night' and I closed the door.
How was I to know I was supposed to give them money? And they werent even that good so they wouldnt have received a penny from me anyway.

One thing I don't get here - related, but different holiday...  When I was a kid, I used to enjoy going Christmas caroling (in the US) either with my friends or with church groups, and it was a cool thing to do -- seen as being nice to your neighbors & elderly shut-ins, etc.  We didn't go caroling to get anything - although sometimes you might get offered a cookie or some apple cider, etc.  Here the Christmas carollers expect you to pay them money!   So then (like one time we didn't have any change on us) you don't answer the door, cos if you do - they carol you & think you're cheap if you don't pay them.  What's up with that?

They do it to raise money for charity. So, yes, you are cheap! 

(At least, the ones around here are doing it for charity. Maybe in your neck of the woods the carolers are a bit more mercenary!)

Well yeah - I'd be down with that, if they said - it's for thus & such charity.  I'd even be willing to give some loose change for one of the local community churches - believe it or not - lol!  (Not the JWs though, but they don't celebrate Christmas so no worries there!  Ha ha!)  But usually, kind of like what JennyI was explaining - it's a bit of a ragtag bunch & they don't really say 'who' they are.  They sing & then look expectantly, saying nothing.

Well yeah - I'd be down with that, if they said - it's for thus & such charity.  I'd even be willing to give some loose change for one of the local community churches - believe it or not - lol!  (Not the JWs though, but they don't celebrate Christmas so no worries there!  Ha ha!)  But usually, kind of like what JennyI was explaining - it's a bit of a ragtag bunch & they don't really say 'who' they are.  They sing & then look expectantly, saying nothing.

That's weird! Our carolers are much more organised - and, in any case, are usually people I know in the village.

Maybe it's a way for local waifs to raise money for their own Christmas shopping?

We get tons of Christmas carollers at our house here.  No way are they collecting for charity either.  I had the same experience back in the US as Mrs. Robinson - that we went singing as a kindness and without expecting anything - so I didn't think I had to give the ones here anything.  My husband told me they might be expecting money, but I was completely unwilling to do that.  Instead I buy those job-lots of miserable mince pies at the grocery, and pass one of those out to anybody who comes to sing for us.  Only one group of kids has been brave enough to actually ask for money and I just said "Oh no, we never give out money...that's not in the spirit of Christmas at all is it?"  They had no answer.  So I guess you can call me Scrooge too!

By the way, my kids are way excited about the Harry Potter style trick-or-treat thing, and I love the idea of severed hands!   

Maybe it's a way for local waifs to raise money for their own Christmas shopping?

Hmmm... not a bad idea! 

On another note.. what's the difference between Hallowe'en and spelling it Halloween.  We were discussing this at work as our Halloween poster is spelled with the - 'en.  The guy at head office said it's because that's how the americans spell it.  I said I have never seen it that way until now.   Now I know it's a derivative of Hallow's Eve but I have hadnt' ever seen it spelled the way the title of the thread is til I am came over here.

My perception of why a lot of British people I know don't care for Halloween is because I find this culture doesn't like change to well - in anything that's done.  I have seen it and witnessed it first hand.  But give it the next generation growing up and I am quite sure Halloween will be very popular. I love Halloween. We dont' have any kids but I used to host a party for all my co-workers kids and they all had lots of fun.  I decorate and do the whole pumpkin bit.  I find it strange that there are a lot of people who say they don't approve of it, yet every store I go into sells something to go along with the holiday. So someone is buying the stuff!

Now, where's my bag of candy corn???

Yummmm - Candy Corn!  (Got the in-laws hooked on it after my wedding.)   

Its perfectly normal & understandable to miss the nostalgia from home.  Before I moved over I noticed less and less kids going trick or treating in the neighborhood I grew up in.  Either that or they just skipped our house.