Halloween costumes - a step too far?

I don't think YABU. I think there is a definite line between spooky and poor taste (being for a whole variety of reasons)

One other thing is after what happened to Claudia Winkelman's daughter, why do people persist in putting their children in costumes with yards of flowing flammable fabric?

I completely agree with you, except that I think it's a pity this Halloween thing ever became popular. Having said that, I accept that it is (I have a small grandson, who loves it), but please parents, be reasonable with costumes and be aware that not everyone welcomes it. We're lucky in our area, there is very little unpleasantness and children are usually accompanied by an adult. They also say 'thank you' for any treats!

Hate the whole Halloween thing. I totally agree with you regarding children's costumes. I also don't see the attraction for adults but it's their choice.
Fortunately where we live there are no children near by. In the 30 years we've lived here we've never had trick or treaters at the door.

We have a lot of children living nearby and a lot of callers on Oct 31st- for the five years I have lived here they have all been very well mannered and inventively dressed and have had a lovely time. We seem to have a preponderance of fairies and witches and the odd Shrek I seem to recall but nothing really horrible. My GS does the same thing every year - mad scientist as a tribute to his father - mad scientist , white coat, fright wig and stethoscope- bit of fake blood but nothing much. They have a lovely time and I love to give them some tr.eatstreats.

shishkebab - with you all the way - hate it too. Using imagination and a few bits and pieces to make a fun costume was great - shops full of the stuff (and has everybody forgotten about Claudia's daughter being badly burnt) - which will end up in the bin soon, yuk yuky yuk yuk.

We don't get callers now although there were loads ringing the bell at our previous home. Mostly little and having fun. One or two older and a bit threatening. Not so good. Our little ones love it. Their village uses a lit pumpkin as a sign callers are welcome. No gruesome costumes. I heard on local radio one area had agreed to offer tinned food for the food bank instead of sweets. The children's idea. Liked that one.

It is all good fun, isn't it, but the costume business has gone much too far. It was better when the costumes were home made, that all led up to the fun of the event - rather like Christmas, hanging up the decorations, etc., making it a lovely time for everyone to enjoy. I think too, making costumes makes it a little less 'scary' for those young children who are worried sometimes.

Here in Southend they decorate the trains on the pier and everyone dresses up to go to the restaurant at the end of the pier. It's amazing.

I think the kids costumes are okay, the ones I've seen for sale are all the usual: frankenstein, witch etc..

.. but yeah some of the decorations are a bit gorey - murder scene wall stickers etc.. that's something a bit beyond halloween IMO

I think the gorey zombie costume is all for adults from what I've seen, each to their own.

I wonder if the zombie-play popular with adults at the moment is a way of coping with the world feeling like it's in free-fall? Some people get into prepping to give themselves a false sense of security, others play at zombies to feel they can cope with the unthinkable, which of course they couldn't if the s* hit the fan, but it's a way of dealing with it?

Does that make any sense?

What's 'prepping'?

LOL depends on whether you're in the UK or USA

Here it's stocking up on tinned foods and having an allotment with food supply shortages in mind

In the US its usually having an underground bunker full of guns from what I can tell

Ana I think 'prepping* is one of those nasty American words for preparing ?

Oh, I see, like when the Millennium Bug was going to trigger 'the end of the world as we know it'...(and didn't!)

Some of it is sensible and includes community growing programs, there's a whole spectrum of prepping, some of it is tinfoil hat stuff…

but anyway, I'm just musing if the gore/zombie play trend is a branch of a similar way of processing/coping with the uncertainty in the world today?

I think it's just reflecting the ghastliness of some of the video games and horror movies that are around these days - children shouldn't be watching them but some do and others have just become used to all the gory paraphernalia that seems to go with Halloween now.

Absolutely loathe it. In the hairdressers they had a woman's head with a bridal veil and blood running down her face. It was disgusting and I will never go there again.

When I was a cub leader in the 80s, instead of Hallowe'en we organised a Nasties party. The children were asked to come dressed as any villain. One mother approached me and said that because they were CoE, she was pleased that we were not doing hallowe'en as she would not have sent her sons.

When they tiurned up they had horrific costumes. Bandages and blood from a zombie film. Totally unsuitable in my opinion.

Lol I had lots of fun trying on Dgd black wig, playing with a huge spider and tomorro were Malkin green grunge cupcakes. Absolutely love it. Pumpkin soup next weekend and a little girl with face painted like a ghost. however she is not allowed out alone on Halloween or any night. I will be watching whatever horror film on tv. I've always fancied myself as a witch anyway.

Don't like it at all now, as most US things it's gone too far we used to do simple things with the kids going up the street to known neighbours in some ravishing witches costume cooking poison buns with green colouring and doing a few silly apple games but it's got beyond fun now and I think it's quite threatening

Well I am delighted that so many agree with me. There are so many spooky and inventive costumes people can use and I just think that these ones are entirely unsuitable and in very poor taste

I really don't like Halloween. When my children were small we made costumes ourselves with them such as a witch but only to wear in the house, they were certainly not allowed to go house to house begging and causing mischief (as I wasn't myself when I was small). We did Apple bobbing and such like activities with them which was lots of fun.

We love Halloween in our house and really get into the spirit of it. It's only for one night and all the kids and adults are great. We have lots of props and quite a few on our estate join in with wonderful displays.
Many of the costumes are wonderful too so try and enjoy it everyone or shut the curtains and pretend to be out.

I'm not usually a kill-joy, but when it comes to Halloween I would gladly ban it, the whole concept disturbs me.

I'm with BlueBelle on this. It's an American thing that's gone too far, imo.