Halloween costumes

The Christian churches in the main don’t encourage it .That being said there’s no harm in a pumpkin .I think it’s the mischief that comes with it sometimes. And people opening their doors to witches and the like . The Salvation Army welcome volunteers and not all of them are Christians let alone Salvationists . Anyone who asks to volunteer doesn’t go through a grilling process but I agree she could have explained more kindly

I think there's a lot of fun to be had for children and no harm in pumpkins, apples, spiders and other such things. What I detest is a) all the tat in the shops which only adds to the mountain of plastic waste and b) the way adults have taken over and made it much more scary. Some people are copying the Americans and putting horribly frightening displays in their front gardens. I'm talking about severed bloody heads and frightening monsters, which can be very upsetting for young children walking past. My little grandson was always very scared at Halloween and I don't see why he should have to see such things just walking down the street.

We always had a party for Halloween with family and friends children and adults. Had 40 + here last year. DC and nieces nephews etc went trick or treat then pinato hitting, apple bobbing, and pass the parcel. 2 DC knocked the door with parents and ran in, sat down and played pass the parcel with us all. Didn't mind at all and parents came in too. I cooked hot dogs burgers and salad, fruit and chocolate fountain, gateau etc. Family all brought something to share was a good night. Last party though as we're moving away.

I've always loved Halloween ? When my DD's was younger I always took them out & we've celebrated with DGC since the youngest was born 11 years ago. Dd1 & I used to take eldest DGD out & we always painted our faces. We followed the same rule, no lit pumpkin ? then no door knocking. You would always know which houses would be decorated the best.
We have passed our love of Halloween onto the younger ones & as our half term holiday always in Halloween week Dd1 has a party for all the dgc & their friends. Both dds make decorations out of loo rolls etc & use the same decs each year. Children & parents alike have a fabulous time then mum & dad take the little ones out trick or treating after tea.

Growing up in Scotland in the 1960, Hallowe'en was MASSIVE. We used to get dressed up in costumes and go around in groups, knocking at doors, being invited inside to do a "party piece" (gosh, the very thought of that now!! lol) and being rewarded with monkey nuts, tablet, toffee apples or maybe a sixpence if you were REALLY lucky.

No thoughts of Trick or Treat. We'd not DARE play tricks on anyone. If people said no, we said thank you and moved on to the next house.

It was a lovely night. Our Sunday School at church used to have a Hallowe'en party for the children with party games, apple dooking, eating treacle scones that were dangling from a string with your hands behind your back etc.

I get quite irritated when it's described as "more American nonsense" as we were going out "guising" long before Trick or Treat made its way across the Atlantic.

Oh its lots of fun for the children, but a great way to get people talking and interacting too!
Down our road we all make a dish (I am always asked to make Bacon Clanger!) we have a BBQ, sparklers for the kids, bobbing for apples, and some fireworks at the end of the night.
There is no harm in any of it, ok the plastic, but most of the children seem to like wearing the cardboard masks we have in our village.
It started off over here, and while America do it on a huge scale (the theme parks really go overboard, I love it!) it can be a time where everyone gets together!
My gc have already started making posters and pictures to be hung outside round the close, so yes lol, forgetting my waffle, the charity shop lady just sounded like she has never had a fun Halloween to me, and thats just sad!

Lilyflower and Llamidos

I recommend to you (and anyone else) episode 4 of Motherland, BBC2 Monday 10pm or iPlayer.
Halloween hilarity.

Like it or not, Halloween IS a Pagan Festival ... along with many other Christian Festivals - simply google any of them and you'll see for yourselves.

images.app.goo.gl/LBJ3Dq64bjV78jPx6

Paganism – What is It?
Paganism has been broadly defined as anyone involved in any religious act, practice, or ceremony which is not Christian

Flora I also live in Scotland and was brought up in Balloch, near Loch Lomond. We called it going out in the gloshes, not sure if that's how it should be spelled. We did the same and went door to door for apples, clementines, nuts and sweets and sometimes some money, usually coppers, and only from the most well off neighbours and you had to sing, tell jokes, say a poem or do some sort of dance while humming the music at the same time. It was such a huge thing when I was young back in the '60's.

The SA are particularly anti Halloween .

There was never Hallowean when I was growing up. When I had my children in 1979, 80 and 83 two of them being born on 31st October ?‍♀️ they grew up having some fabulous fancy dress birthday parties and all the local children knew to knock on our door because we always had a house full of witches ready to hand out party treats. I think it’s important that children know only to knock at doors where there are lit pumpkins and similar decorations. As kids we always made a guy and took them out for penny for the guy for fireworks night and we never see that any more, I think Hallowean has taken over and is now celebrated much more.

There actually is a Christian origin to Halloween. November 1 is All Saints' Day, and November 2 is All Souls Day. It is theorized that at least part of the origin of trick-or-treating was the practice of going "a-souling". Children would go to neighbours' houses and ask for "soul cakes", special cakes that were baked at this time of year. In exchange, they would offer to pray for the souls of family members who had died during the previous year.

As I mentioned in a previous post I remember quite clearly it being a big event for children in the north of Scotland from around 1950. I would also add that my DGS attends a Catholic Primary School and they always have their Halloween Disco a couple of days before Halloween itself.

In Yorkshire we had mischief night which was 4 November. Children went round knocking on doors and running away, sometimes it was more serious such as taking off garden gates or setting fire to bonfires what had been built ready for 5 November. The police have issued warnings about such anti-social behaviour. There was a letter in one of the national newspapers today about the disposal of Hallowe'en costumes adding to landfill or even being sent to the Third World as some surplus clothing is - where there are often open fires close to where children might be wearing our Hallowe'en cast-offs. On Hallowe'en my grand daughter goes round the small estate where she lives, everyone knows her and it's harmless fun.

Its begging imo. I don't agree with knocking peoples doors and asking for treats/sewers or more often money. I'm not a grumpy old lady lady either, I'm late 40s. I never allowed my child to do it. We did have the odd Halloween party, she didn't completely miss out....

Not sewers ??, sweets

As children we always marked halloween as a neighborhood,(and again on bonfire night)-all us kids& some of our mums trudged around our street in costumes and said trick or treat- but there were always sweet treats,so no need for tricks- and my kids did same and our neighbours kids still come around too.(my younger GC still do so but its more of a halloween party in their own homes these days)all good harmless dress-up fun,but yes our church does focus more on all souls day especially in catholic schools,they have a special mass for it.

Purplepoppies, its NOT begging,you killjoy,its just little kids,showing off their costumes,and they dont ask for sweets or money- we generously GIVE IT AWAY FREE- sweeties,or if we've run out near end of evening,yes we give healthier stuff even like apples,or chuck in a few coins! Im glad you 'allowed' your child to have the occasional party....sounds like great fun.

But yes i agree with chestnut about some adults turning into something more bizarre,it should not be frightening for the young children who want to have a bit of harmless fun.

All souls day is day after hallowee'n.

I'm sure there must be some decent Christians who don't find Halloween offensive.

Personally, I think it's absolutely horrible and I don't understand why so many people buy into it. Any "buy" is the operative word - all the supermarkets selling Halloween food, costumes and any amount of tat. I hadn't really thought about the terrible waste of resources that goes into producing this rubbish but now I wonder why anybody people who professes to be concerned about the environment would still "celebrate" this ghastly gore fest.

I don't really see it as - "Christians shouldn't participate." I'm not a Christian or religious in any way but I don't like the most unpleasant images and ideas that Halloween conveys.

My friends and I never marked Halloween and I can't think of anyone else who did - only Guy Fawkes Night - and I never really thought about the fact that the guy actually represented a real person being burnt to death. That's horrible as well.

I agree with some others,that its as commercial as you make it- mainly a lot of little kids outfits seem to be home-made or using face masks made out of card and decorated/painted, all so proud to show off what they've helped to make,and of course the best lanterns are made out of a real pumpkin,and making soup next day out of the pumpkin flesh is the yummiest recycling ever!(in my day some used turnips or swedes,like in older times) its more of a northern thing it seems,I'm from northern england.Ive not heard of having to put a pumpkin in the window so they know to call though,people just seem to call anyway.

Yes your right pen50,i just got my days/dates mixed up.apologies.

Mischief night was a well known thing in yorkshire,when i was a child,yes on 4th november,people (usually the older boys) in our neighbourhood,would throw eggs at doors/windows,or knock& run away etc.. I'm now in northwest but it doesn't seem to be as big a thing these days,certainly not where i live,so (hopefully) its died out.

I’ve never really been into Halloween, it was very big in Scotland when I lived there in the 80’s.
My DIL is really into any celebration that requires dressing up and brings the 2 grandchildren round on the night dressed to the nines. They’ve even tried to get me & DH to join in!
We get little groups of young children (with adults in tow) knocking but they only knock on houses with pumpkins on show which is good.
Must admit I wasn’t keen in our last house as we were bombarded by older children who had made no real effort to dress up and were more troublesome.
I guess each area is different.