Halloween - grump edition
Discussion
The day is here, and will be over tomorrow.
Trouble now is I have a child growing up around it all, it's all in the shops, his nursery are running pumpkin competitions, the carers talking about halloween a month (yes a month) before...
Closer to home the Neighbours in the close try and become some sort of Hollywood set for the night usually (he's not done much as of this morning), its basically a tent with him dressed as the grim reaper giving out haribo, this attracts feral kids/parents from effectively the whole town to pilfer and not actually give anything back in return, we well and truly do not get involved.
It really is all a complete farce.
Am I the only one in this boat of cynicism?
Trouble now is I have a child growing up around it all, it's all in the shops, his nursery are running pumpkin competitions, the carers talking about halloween a month (yes a month) before...
Closer to home the Neighbours in the close try and become some sort of Hollywood set for the night usually (he's not done much as of this morning), its basically a tent with him dressed as the grim reaper giving out haribo, this attracts feral kids/parents from effectively the whole town to pilfer and not actually give anything back in return, we well and truly do not get involved.
It really is all a complete farce.
Am I the only one in this boat of cynicism?
fourstardan said:
The day is here, and will be over tomorrow.
Trouble now is I have a child growing up around it all, it's all in the shops, his nursery are running pumpkin competitions, the carers talking about halloween a month (yes a month) before...
Closer to home the Neighbours in the close try and become some sort of Hollywood set for the night usually (he's not done much as of this morning), its basically a tent with him dressed as the grim reaper giving out haribo, this attracts feral kids/parents from effectively the whole town to pilfer and not actually give anything back in return, we well and truly do not get involved.
It really is all a complete farce.
Am I the only one in this boat of cynicism?
Just ignore it.Trouble now is I have a child growing up around it all, it's all in the shops, his nursery are running pumpkin competitions, the carers talking about halloween a month (yes a month) before...
Closer to home the Neighbours in the close try and become some sort of Hollywood set for the night usually (he's not done much as of this morning), its basically a tent with him dressed as the grim reaper giving out haribo, this attracts feral kids/parents from effectively the whole town to pilfer and not actually give anything back in return, we well and truly do not get involved.
It really is all a complete farce.
Am I the only one in this boat of cynicism?
I keep the blinds shut and don't answer the door, that about serves me okay!
Its bonfire night I cant stand. Council will happily fine someone for throwing a chocolate bar wrapper out the window, but don't bat an eye when thousands of households decide to fire cardboard into the air, with loud bangs throughout the night?
Go figure.
I've had pets my entire life, dog's have mainly been okay with it, but still on edge, cat's I've had have been petrified, all in the name of an old bloke with a dodgy tash who failed to blow up a building.
Its bonfire night I cant stand. Council will happily fine someone for throwing a chocolate bar wrapper out the window, but don't bat an eye when thousands of households decide to fire cardboard into the air, with loud bangs throughout the night?
Go figure.
I've had pets my entire life, dog's have mainly been okay with it, but still on edge, cat's I've had have been petrified, all in the name of an old bloke with a dodgy tash who failed to blow up a building.
Pica-Pica said:
I was. But here kids come round with their parents, so it is a case of making contact with them and their parents. These kids grow up to be teenagers - a bit of fun and connection goes a long way later on.
Never thought of it that way, something to ponder! GraciasIt doesn't phase me, it's a bit of fun with the kids. We get some pumpkins and the kids design theirs and we carve them.
We take the kids trick or treating for a bit but they're only little and I wouldn't let them go out if they were old enough to go on their own, I firmly believe it should be little'uns who are supervised.
I don't need an excuse to watch a good horror movie! haha
We take the kids trick or treating for a bit but they're only little and I wouldn't let them go out if they were old enough to go on their own, I firmly believe it should be little'uns who are supervised.
I don't need an excuse to watch a good horror movie! haha
In the grand scheme of things its another corporate event for people to spend their money on.
But on the other hand it only comes around once a year and the majority of kids get lots of enjoyment from it. My daughter has been to 3 separate 'Halloween' themed events and enjoyed them all and has carved 3 pumpkins of varying success. She is very excided to dress up and go out to collect sweets. She complains that not all the houses decorate and its difficult to explain to an exited 7 year old why other people don't share the excitement.
So overall even if I didn't have a child I would still partake just for others enjoyment
But on the other hand it only comes around once a year and the majority of kids get lots of enjoyment from it. My daughter has been to 3 separate 'Halloween' themed events and enjoyed them all and has carved 3 pumpkins of varying success. She is very excided to dress up and go out to collect sweets. She complains that not all the houses decorate and its difficult to explain to an exited 7 year old why other people don't share the excitement.
So overall even if I didn't have a child I would still partake just for others enjoyment
I'm the same as Axel with regards to it.
However - I think Halloween is great and as your kid grows up will present opportunities to make lasting memories. Find out where your nearest pumpkin patch is and spend an afternoon picking one whilst having a hot chocolate. Then do the carving with them and no matter how bad it is they'll remember you being cool for doing it. Spend a few hours in the kitchen making spiced pumpkin soup with them (it actually tastes good).
For sure there's the Haribo brigade but even that's just spending £5 for a multipack if someone does come round but as already suggested if you don't want to do that then turn off the lights to the front of the house and ignore them.
ETA - I embraced Halloween early with my one
However - I think Halloween is great and as your kid grows up will present opportunities to make lasting memories. Find out where your nearest pumpkin patch is and spend an afternoon picking one whilst having a hot chocolate. Then do the carving with them and no matter how bad it is they'll remember you being cool for doing it. Spend a few hours in the kitchen making spiced pumpkin soup with them (it actually tastes good).
For sure there's the Haribo brigade but even that's just spending £5 for a multipack if someone does come round but as already suggested if you don't want to do that then turn off the lights to the front of the house and ignore them.
ETA - I embraced Halloween early with my one
Edited by Petrus1983 on Thursday 31st October 10:35
I don't have kids so it holds no interest for me. At the moment we live down the end of a lane in the middle of nowhere and there are no young children nearby, so it's not an issue. In our last house, the village adhered to the aforementioned "no decorations; no knock" rule, which worked well.
That said, if you're going to do it, you should do it properly. Going back a few years, a friend of mine worked at the BBC and he was friends with a chap who worked in the special effects unit. This chap decided to borrow a few effects from work for Halloween, and so when the kids knocked on his door, they were greeted by a bloke in a "bloodstained" white coat, with a machete in one hand and what appeared to be a freshly severed human head, still dripping blood, in the other.
He showed me pictures and it was truly brilliant and worryingly realistic - apparently there were several complaints!
That said, if you're going to do it, you should do it properly. Going back a few years, a friend of mine worked at the BBC and he was friends with a chap who worked in the special effects unit. This chap decided to borrow a few effects from work for Halloween, and so when the kids knocked on his door, they were greeted by a bloke in a "bloodstained" white coat, with a machete in one hand and what appeared to be a freshly severed human head, still dripping blood, in the other.
He showed me pictures and it was truly brilliant and worryingly realistic - apparently there were several complaints!
Petrus1983 said:
I'm the same as Axel with regards to it.
However - I think Halloween is great and as your kid grows up will present opportunities to make lasting memories. Find out where your nearest pumpkin patch is and spend an afternoon picking one whilst having a hot chocolate. Then do the carving with them and no matter how bad it is they'll remember you being cool for doing it. Spend a few hours in the kitchen making spiced pumpkin soup with them (it actually tastes good).
For sure there's the Haribo brigade but even that's just spending £5 for a multipack if someone does come round but as already suggested if you don't want to do that then turn off the lights to the front of the house and ignore them.
ETA - I embraced Halloween early with my one
Haha that's a great photo. However - I think Halloween is great and as your kid grows up will present opportunities to make lasting memories. Find out where your nearest pumpkin patch is and spend an afternoon picking one whilst having a hot chocolate. Then do the carving with them and no matter how bad it is they'll remember you being cool for doing it. Spend a few hours in the kitchen making spiced pumpkin soup with them (it actually tastes good).
For sure there's the Haribo brigade but even that's just spending £5 for a multipack if someone does come round but as already suggested if you don't want to do that then turn off the lights to the front of the house and ignore them.
ETA - I embraced Halloween early with my one
Edited by Petrus1983 on Thursday 31st October 10:35
I think that's it, the kids have fun, it's an activity to enjoy with them even if you don't go trick or treating.
As it happened, we put our pumpkins in the fireplace and had to bin them yesterday where they'd gone a tad ripe but the kids didn't mind.
It's an excuse for some fun (not at the expense at others) but I wouldn't spent fortunes on it all. I got the kids light up masks from AliExpress for under a fiver each.
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