As I walked home this evening, through gatherings of ghouls and little devils out with their Mums (I didn't see any Dads) collecting sweets from the decorated houses in the neighbourhood, I reflected on how the traditions in the UK have changed since I was a girl. In those days, Halloween got barely a mention but we would be excited about 5 November and those youngsters that were not under the strict rule of parents who forbade it, would go door to door with their home made guy fawkes in a wheelbarrow, asking for a penny for the guy.
When my boys were young, the tradition of trick or treat was just getting established, but I don't remember it being a community event - just kids, going randomly around the streets knocking on doors and asking for treats often in a menacing sort of way. My two boys were encouraged not to participate. I remember being out one year (always my deliberate ploy) at a time when we had some live-in long term guests on a Princes Trust scheme. When I came back they had raided the cupboards and given away whatever they could, much to my indignation.
Well now, it all seems to be a well behaved and orderly affair with children going out in groups with their parents to prearranged houses and those decorated with carved pumpkins, lights and skeletons etc. Despite my inbuilt distaste for all things Halloween, there was a community spirit to it that I couldn't deny.
Anyway, these pumpkins were being sold (or not) at the side of the road in front of a church, on one of our drives around Cape Cod on holiday.
I expect the pumpkins weren't there for long. The States celebrate Halloween in a big way.
It was never celebrated when I was a child, but my girls did dress up as witches when they were small on occasion and have some of their friends round for a bit of a party, but they never went door to door.
Oh I'd forgot about penny for the guy. I also seem to remember the 4th November used to be mischievous night. Some traditions are best forgotten I think.
@suzanne234 Yes you are probably right. Always seemed a strange thing to do - collect money for an effigy and then burn it. But at least there was some British history attached to it.
Good shot! I'm not a huge fan of Halloween either. In my childhood it was a minor holiday. We did dress up and go door to door but only within our neighborhood. And most of the time we went by ourselves (no parents along). When my sons were young, Jeff and I brought them around to relative's houses as most of them wanted to see the boys, but we didn't go door to door. During their elementary years we stopped doing it altogether and would take them out to dinner then go to a movie. Sometimes I'd just buy them a bag of candy so they'd not feel left out from the goodies. In that decade many of the decorations and such were very scary and violent. The last thing I needed was two children with nightmares. It also became a little less safe to let your children go alone. Nowadays it has changed again. In the communities that still have door to door trick or treating whole families go out in costume, it's very family friendly (hardly any gore) and there's a curfew when children have to be home. Other communities do what they call a "trunk or treat"- sort of a party where kids go from car to car in a big parking lot instead of door to door. It's a lot safer as the kids are contained to one area and not running around on the streets. I still don't like Halloween- but this year I was pleased to see lots of character costumes and not so much blood and guts when they had a Halloween dress-up at the Farmer's Market.
I like the pov on this one- including the people was a plus!
November 6th, 2017
Leave a Comment
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
It was never celebrated when I was a child, but my girls did dress up as witches when they were small on occasion and have some of their friends round for a bit of a party, but they never went door to door.
I like the pov on this one- including the people was a plus!