AIBU to hate Halloween and Bonfire night.

I always thought Halloween came from "all souls eve" or something?
A religious thing.
I'm afraid that is all I know, but I'm interested to know it's origins.

Billybob4491

I am a Christian so Halloween is a definite no no.

I'm probably going to regret asking, but why?

Not trying to start an argument, it's a serous question.

My children never did Trick or Treat or had fireworks. They chose a little present instead . One year they wanted fireworks so I bought some and we had a little display in the garden. They were disappointed and said it was a waste of money. Public fireworks displays are no better. The one at our local cricket club has been taken over by louts from all over town and there’s always trouble there. Last year there was a stabbing.

You are entitled to like or dislike anything you want!

I grew up in Scotland and loved halloween, as we celebrated it then, but I dislike all the American ghosts and tombstones you see now.

I always hated Bonfire Night, which fortunately was hardly celebrated in Scotland. Buring the guy seem so hideously cruel to me, as did Punch and Judy shows which were popular at children's parties.

Why on earth would you choose to celebrate the fact that criminals were executed formerly?

From across the pond, Florida. I lived in London in the 1960s. I enjoyed learning about your custom of celebrating Guy Fawkes. There were so many porches decorated with “the Guy”. My neighbors had a bonfire with us, sausage rolls and Scotch eggs from MS. ‘A Penny for the Guy”. Nice memories. Agree concerns with fireworks, rubbish, etc. I love hearing how all of you have done decorating. BlessScones for all her work. AND grown in the garden not to mention how hard they are to carve. To each his own. Enjoy! I miss those sausage rolls.

Always made pumpkin soup out of our pumpkins… and chopped up the remains after Hallowe’en into smaller parts for the wildlife in the garden. Nothing got wasted

I am a Christian so Halloween is a definite no no.

I am a right grumps
2 things bother me
So many poor people can’t feed their kids etc
And money wasted on fireworks and people starving
And pumpkins used for a carving

Wouldn’t mind the pumpkin carving if I heard that the pumpkins were also used for food

And the cost to buy canned pumpkin !

I used to love Hallowe’en… always dressed up with my young daughter, and decorated our hallway and front door. When the door was opened we had a huge inflatable pumpkin, pretend webs, spiders, cauldrons and the like..

In 2010, I lost my Mum, so Hallowe’en wasn’t on our agenda as we were still grieving.

Had lots of knocks on the door, but didn’t answer it. Then heard a loud bang at the front door and walking to open it I heard a voice say ‘Open the door you B****! Bring out the sweets! Then another say ‘The big fat c@!* is probably inside stuffing them down her throat!’

In fury I pulled the door open to find four 10-11 year olds that I’d happily provided treats for, for the previous 5 years. They’d thrown a brick at the door, expecting me not to answer.

Well, they (and their parents!) certainly met a witch from hell that night. I must have gone from scary to gruesome in the space of two seconds.

Haven’t done Hallowe’en since then… nice to see the little ones dressed up and having fun with their parents though. When they’re supervised it’s nice… when the kids are out on their own is when it becomes nasty.

You can print off a poster now from the internet to put on your door to say no Trick or Treaters.

Halloween is British not American they just made it tackier. The little children love the dressing up and seeing all the shops decorated. Trowbridge has a pumpkin trail which we will be taking our two grandchildren to explore around the town tomorrow. They are 4 and 2 and will have fun counting the ? and once they get bored I will tell then they have found enough to have a trip to the park then a warm chocolate at the coffee shop. Then on Sunday they will come here with their parents for a Halloween tea in costume. I’ve celebrated All Hallows’ Eve most of my life and decorate my house with homemade felt decks, like bats and friendly ghosts and knitted pumpkins as well as a few cuddly black cats.
Unlike bonfire night which I dislike all my cats over the years have hated the loud bangs. I wish it was only allowed on the day plus the nearest Saturday for public displays.

Thank you Newquay.

Halloween has definitely got americanised since my day. As children, we went to people we knew and asked for our Halloween. We had to sing, or dance or tell a joke to earn it - it was good fun, none of the threats. I thought the Treat or treating was confined to Aberdeen where there were a lot of Americans living. When we moved to Harrogate it was definitely Trick or Treating, they came by the car loads probably from Leeds. Since we moved to the North of Harrogate we haven't had one trick or greater!!

Since our DD off loaded her dog on us, we have been unable to go to the firework display, the poor dog is absolutely terrified, w couldn't possibly leave her. I did love the display, but hate the way fireworks go off willy nilly, day or night scaring the poor dog.

I do not mind Halloween and used to put a pumpkin out and get sweets for the children. For the past two years I haven't, due to illness and Covid and I won't this year.
Bonfire night and fireworks is another matter. One of the neighbours had a bonfire gathering on a local swing park last Saturday - no warning. They were very close and loud and my poor animals were so scared. One was a quivering wreck hiding under the stairs behind a recycling bin. The other just hid somewhere. They should be for organised displays and one night only - bah humbug

Oh timetogo you’re a woman after my own heart ?
We’ve never celebrated Halloween-why celebrate something evil not good?
We lived on a new housing estate full of young families when our DDs were born. Some American students came to the local primary school and introduced this nonsense. There then followed misery-including involving the Police! The school head said how much she regretted it ?
I agree about fireworks too-what on earth folks who have arrived here seeking safety from war zones will think I can’t begin to imagine!

I’m not a fan of either but it isn’t an American import it’s originally from Ireland. When we were visiting our GC in NY we saw a totally different celebration to the U.K. style, very family orientated with the whole community joining in. We really enjoyed it. We collected the children from school and like all of their classmates they were in fancy dress but not ghosts and ghouls, my GD was Snow White and my GS a pirate. As we walked home through the streets of Brooklyn, shopkeepers had their doors wide open and the children went in, had to say ‘trick or treat?’ and were rewarded with wrapped sweets. By the time we’d reached home, their pumpkin buckets were full. We went inside, quickly emptied the sweets away , then back out to join a carnival led by a brass band and parades through the streets to the park where dancing took place. The children loved it, people were happy and friendly and it changed my opinion of Halloween.

Halloween wasn’t nearly so much of a thing when I was little, but there was the odd party (no tat in the shops then, you had to make everything). I remember ‘ducking’ for apples, though - presumably that word is from the same root as the Dutch one a pp mentioned.
I adored Bonfire Night and still enjoy seeing fireworks - although I do feel sorry for animals, our dog used to be scared but I’d put music on to try to drown out the noise to some extent. Classic FM usually do some specially soothing music on the day - not sure whether it’s on this year but worth checking.

Elder Gdcs adore Halloween - I had all 3 yesterday morning (6, 5, 22 months) while dd had a zoom interview - we went shopping first, and found ‘witches’ fingers’ in the Coop at £1 a pack - white finger extensions with long red talons. Anti-tat though I am, afraid to say I bought some for the two elder, they were delighted and brandishing them all over town.

Of course some woman outside a shop had to tell me she didn’t hold with Halloween - I might think it was all right, but as a true Christian she found it thoroughly wicked.

I said it was just a bit of fun for children, and took them off, but Gdd (6) had picked up what she said and was bothered, perhaps especially since Gdcs go to a lovely C of E primary.

So I had to say that some very extreme Christians didn’t like it, but it was just a bit of fun, and to take no notice.
I just wish the miserable old killjoy bag had mind her own business though!

We’re Christians....so no....hate Halloween and everything it stands for. Bonfire night we do love.

Children learn all about Guy Fawkes in a fun way. I suppose you could say the fireworks side of things have a potential to be dangerous, and frightening for people who have experienced war perhaps, and of course, animals can suffer too, but done in a responsible way, it should be safe fun for everyone.

Halloween is all about celebrating bad spirits, who most people don’t believe in, but that’s another discussion.

You’re not being unreasonable at all. None of it is obligatory, and to be honest, in my opinion, your grandchildren are much safer not being involved.

Used to have a ceramic pumpkin I put out with a candle in so Kiddies knew they could come to mine. One little girl used to call me Pumpkin Lady & tell her Mum it was ok to knock at mine! Loved it till one year Yobs ruined it all by egging my property & taking my Pumpkin! So last couple of years do not bother! Fireworks worry me because of the stray cat we feed & care for as my indoor cat will not let her in no matter what we try. We have ‘problem’ neighbours with young children. Children are ok just the mother who loves causing trouble. There will be loud fireworks probably all day well into the night as she does nothing by halves! Will be glad when it is all over!

I think the thought of encouraging your children to knock on strangers doors and accept sweets from those people is a dangerous idea. We usually have a party for the grandchildren and their friends, because although we think Halloween is a silly idea, it’s unfair to stop the children enjoying it if all of their class mates are doing. I sound like a party pooper but I don’t like bonfire night fireworks displays either. Even at the organised ones, you hear reports of people getting hurt. I actually got burned at an organised display that I took my own children to years ago . We take a flask of hot chocolate and some treats and drive to a high vantage point near by and watch all the firework displays for miles around from there.

Whatever happened to 'Penny for the Guy' in the streets and a Guy on top of the bonfire?
Remember Renember the 5th of November....not any more.
Now it's all Halloween.
Each to their own though. Had my children still been young I expect I would have been swept up in all the commercialism.

I grew up in Ireland where we always had Halloween but no bonfire night. It wasn't as Americanised then as it is now. But I think it's a nice way of cheering up the darkening nights and adding a bit of excitement to half term.

My only problem is the fireworks and bangers going off for weeks beforehand. Absolutely no way should private fireworks displays be allowed any other night than Halloween itself, and even then only up to a certain time, not continuing until 1 or 2 in the morning.

annodomini We had Halloween parties where we 'dooked' for apples.

...and also hung slices of bread spread with treacle from a washing line which you then tried to eat with your hands behind your back.

(Obligatory educational comment: 'Duiken' is the Dutch word for diving, which is where 'dooking' comes from)

Sorry, Grandma Batty. I hadn't read your post before I just plunged in. We are in complete agreement!

I seem to have to do this every year: Halloween is not an American tradition. It crossed the Atlantic with Scottish (and probably Irish) migrants. When I was a wee girl in Scotland - 70+ years ago), we made our own fun at Halloween. We went round friends' and neighbours' homes and offered to do a turn in exchange for maybe an apple or some sweeties. None of this 'trick or treat' nonsense which is an American addition. We had Halloween parties where we 'dooked' for apples. My mum filled an old zinc bath with water and floated some apples. We knelt on a chair and held a fork our mouth, attempting to spear an apple from above. We made our own 'false faces' (masks) in the art period at school. There were no supermarkets crammed with garish costumes, made in China. We improvised our own. Since there were no pumpkins in the shops in those days, we made lanterns from turnips (swedes) - or more likely the dads did the hard work!

It does seem to have taken off in a big way since mine were little.

The other day I helped one of my DGSs to carve a face on a pumpkin and the knife slipped and there was an unintentional slit from eye to mouth. He went over to where his Mum was and, in a stage whisper that I was not meant to hear, he said to her "Mum, it's a disaster!" - I am afraid that reduced me to a fit of giggles. We retrieved the situation though by using pen to turn it into a scar, complete with drops of blood - he was content.