Hi Mary-that sounds appalling! Never liked 'Hallowe-en'-though it's been reimported here from you guys with some improvements.One worries about becoming too 'Americanised'-but it's the commercialisation of these ancient Christian rites and traditions that worry,not the 'American' flavour.As I say thanks to you guys its' reimportation has improved it.Had become just an excuse for kids making a nuisance of themselves even more than usual!
I understand it's a bit easier for 'Girls' like us to 'come out' though! I shall stay in and read an improving book!xxxx

I suppose I'll just get the old French Maid dress and frilly knickers out again. Not very original I know but I enjoy wearing it, (I think I might be a bit kinky!)

My pleasure Lucy.
From last year.
(You'll just have to imagine the knickers!)

No plans just stay home as usual Boooorrrrrriiiiinnnng

In the part of Northern Scotland where I was brought up Halloween was a children's holiday. It was traditional for boys to dress as girls and vice versa ( you can understand why I liked it so much!) and go around the houses "guisin".
This consisted of doing a "turn" which could be a song, a dance, or a recitation for which a small reward (usually money) was given.
There was an unwritten rule. No "turn" no reward this wasn't begging.
Guisin as far as I can see has been completely wiped out by trick or treating.

Hi Mary Grace,

Last year I went to a friend's kid's Halloween Party dressed as an old witch. "Errr, is that a costume?"

No plans yet for this year.

Best,
Melody

I won't be standing outside the front door shouting. ''Would you children like some sweeties'', lol and cackling like an old crone.

Perhaps I will just put a tray of laxative chocolate out on the doorstep for them to help themselves.

I'll be in Fla so I have no idea what's going to happen.
Though my cousins wife called & told me we were going to have fun this year.

Yes we do celebrate Halloween, Mary. As Nina hinted, it’s changed a bit since I was a kid. We never used to have trick or treating over here, though I remember watching it on the “Peanuts” cartoons (Snoopy was a hero of mine) and thinking wow, all those sweets…!
All the kids are doing it now, how did I miss out on that?
Pumpkins (usually made into lanterns) are prevalent in the shops from October, along with all the plastic masks, fangs, witches’ hats etc etc. It’s much more commercialised than it used to be, but then isn’t everything.
As for fancy dress, Canal Street can be a sight to behold on Halloween, any excuse for trannies to dress up, and of course people everywhere have their own parties. But I’d say the costumes tend mostly to be more relevant to Halloween, so it’s pretty much all witches and ghouls rather than Mad Hatters and French Maids. I think that’s changing too though, so soon it’ll be anything goes.
I for one would love to see Janis in her French Maid dress and frilly knickers!
xx

Oh you spoilsport, Janis.
But very cute though.
xx

It's kind of dying off here. Last year I was home that night so I bought a bunch of candy to hand out. I didn't see one kid on the street trick or treating. And thats a shame. Holloween use to be a great night for kids. We'd fill pillow cases full of candy. Everyone was out on the streets having fun & I mean everyone. I have some great memorys of those nights.

Hi Karen,

It's the same here. I moved into my house in 1996 and for the first 5 or 6 years there were no trick-or-treaters. Kinda surprised me because I live in new nice suburb development which is surrounded by small working class homes. Thought the kids would make a beeline to my neighborhood cause the chances were better to get the good candy. Now I just close the shades turn out the lights and block the dogs so they can't get to the front door to bark if anyone does show up.

I ended up eating all that candy for the years that I bought it for Halloween. Great for a day or two, then bleech!

Turns out the kids all go to community centers where they do the costume thing at parties. The mother across the street told me nobody wants to let their kids go door to door after the stories of kidnapped kids, poisoned candy and apples with razor blades in them back in the 1980's.

Another tradition bites the dust.

Best,
Melody

I've always liked Halloween. Not as it is today but for what it used to be. It is / was an old Celtic festival called Samhain and 'Halloween' was the Christian name given to it when the original festivals where hijacked by the early Christians. It was a time when farmers celebrated the end of the growing season and the celebrations would last for up to two weeks starting after the first frost.