Halloween

[Beachman]

I know Halloween is an American thing, but it’s becoming more and more popular each year and I can only see it growing.

I know last year I reluctantly took my kids to a couple of houses in our street and you could tell my neighbours weren’t overly happy with the idea. We have since moved house and last week we received a letter saying this has only been delivered to our street plus the street behind advising if you want to participate in the Halloween celebration, put the 2 balloons which was also enclosed in the letter box at your front fence. That way any houses that don’t want to be included aren’t bothered.

All up about 15 houses got involved with some going to a great deal of effort. So all the local kids got enough lollies to keep them happy. Mind you word must have gotten around as suddenly we had car loads of kids/parents turning up, so it once the lollies were gone our balloons were quickly taken down.

Not sure who thought of the balloon idea, get it worked really well and can recommend it to anything thinking of doing this next year.

[HKB Electronics]

Yes I don't see why we have to inherit these American customs, unless we can get a holiday for Independence day
that is.

My kids had a couple of years of Halloween when they were growing up, local school thing, so I usually buy
some treats but for the past couple of years no visitors. This year though thanks to TV and probably
the school had about 30 or so, some young ones dressed up and cute, others just teens just going
around for the free treats.

As I no longer have young ones it is a bit annoying having to remember when it is and have treats on hand.
I don't mind giving treats to the youngies if I'm home but if your not there your just as likely to come home
and find your house has been egged or garden damaged etc.

So do think some sign on your house to indicate Halloween friendly and the schools and TV to reinforce the idea
would be good.

Leigh
 

[wholehog]

it actually a scottish tradition which was then "adapted" to the good ol USA.

[Mace]

Correct, All hallows day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween

No action at our house last nite, although we had a bowl full of candy/sweets ready.

Luckily the water main in front of our house sprang a leak, and we had our entrance cordoned off whilst work progressed on the 3m deep hole in the ground until 2AM.

I have a guts ache today!   

[muzza01]

It doesn't worry me either way, the kids get to have a bit of fun which is a good thing.
I think the balloon idea is great.

[MarDon]

Not sure but isn't the 'rules' where Halloween is traditionally celebrated that the houses that are decorated are the ones with the treats & those with no decorations are the ones that get tricked?

Don't have an issue either way, but I think those not participating should definitely be respected. Kids love dressing up, it's fun for them, so be it! BTW, not one of my kids has been interested in it at all.

With saying that, when it first became popular in my area, I wasn't expecting any kids, and had no welcoming decorations out, but 3 littlies came knocking on my door all dressed in scary costumes, anyway, the only thing I had was a bag of multi-chips for my own kids school lunches, so shared them out to these kids, only to have them all tell me in various ways  "but we don't like chips"!

Must say I wasn't very impressed that year!!

No kids trick or treating last night my street, but my daughter is going to a friends Halloween party tonight, and is refusing to dress in a costume!

Dee.

[HKB Electronics]

I had one about 6 years old knock on the door with an older friend I assume, as they didn't look related.

I went to give the little one a small picnic bar, he very politely told me sorry he could not take that as he
was allergic to peanuts. It then dawned on me that this could be a dangerous activity!

Leigh

[chisel]

Similar story to Beachman ... we have 3 streets in our local area where all the kids (with many parents supervising) go around to maybe 15 houses (about half the total houses in the streets) and do the trick-or-treat thing.  Well really they just collect candy.  But it is good for the kids to dress up and have a bit of fun with the other kids in the local streets.  Our kids really look forward to it now.   Oh and we do the same thing with a note or balloon on letterbox to indicate each house that is happy to be involved.

[rossm]

We had some serious issues a few years ago when Halloween became an excuse for vandalism but they toned things down at the local school and the demographic changed in my street. The same families are mostly still  here but their kids are all grown up. Given the promotion on the stores I was surprised a bit that I only had two lots of visitors and had prepared myself with a bag of snakes ... Jelly ones. Or maybe the local have all figured out that I am a grumpy old man ...

[fuji]

Since when did we become the 51st state of America? Vandalism is getting worse every year and lastnight was no exception. Bunch of losers IMO

[Rumpig]

my kids went out lastnight for it and have done so for the last 3 or 4 years...they love it.  much like the ballon thing, my kids go over to my mums neighbourhood, and people that want to participate leave their front lights on. as others have mentioned, it's about dressing up and being given sweets as far as they're concerned, no vandalsim happens on the night. i stayed at my mums house and watched telly whilst my kids (aswell as 4 other kids) went out with my mum and their mums trick or treating. i reckon we had about 20 -30 other kids knock on my mums door through the night.
i don't get why people get so worked up about the subject myself  though if vandalsim was happening it's not something i'd be happy with, but that would be the same what ever night of the week something like that happens.

[oldmate]

I reckon kids should be just banned from fun. No more fun. I would save me in lollies, or I can eat them myself. Kids should be made to get jobs instead

 

[edz]

Put em to work in the coal pits and sweat shops, hard labour making gravel and flog em with a cat O'nine tails and feed em a cup of water and a crusty slice O bread if their lucky .....Sorry I hate it when it does that blame it on to much  Monty Python 

[Moggy]

I reckon kids should be just banned from fun. No more fun. I would save me in lollies, or I can eat them myself. Kids should be made to get jobs instead

 

I spose you dont have Christmas at your place either 

Actually i agree to some extent dont go for it. I'm certain its just a capitalist plot by the multi national conglomerates (& dentists) to extract another month whereby we feel we need to celebrate something & subsequently spend more money.

Time for another beer 

[oldmate]

Put em to work in the coal pits and sweat shops, hard labour making gravel and flog em with a cat O'nine tails and feed em a cup of water and a crusty slice O bread if their lucky .....Sorry I hate it when it does that blame it on to much  Monty Python 

Lmao. Now we are on he same page hahahaha

I spose you dont have Christmas at your place either 

Actually i agree to some extent dont go for it. I'm certain its just a capitalist plot by the multi national conglomerates (& dentists) to extract another month whereby we feel we need to celebrate something & subsequently spend more money.

Time for another beer 

Lol. Yeah I try not to have Christmas but, happy wife, happy life lol.

Mate all tounge in cheek with me.   

[Moggy]

The trouble with young people is they're all happy to get treats..... but play one trick on them (like wet doormat wired to 24v)  & the local swat team gets involved. 
Just no intestinal fortitude kids today.
Sh!t i had to even throw the egggs at them 

[D4D]

We had it full on last night so I went up to the man cave to get away from it, only to find the missus had reversed the Prado into the camper without telling me. Not a happy day at all!

[oldmate]

We had it full on last night so I went up to the man cave to get away from it, only to find the missus had reversed the Prado into the camper without telling me. Not a happy day at all!

Lol. I guess you got the trick not the treat mate.

So hate hurts more? The damaged prado or the trailer ?

[evans52]

I think it's bit of a (starts with "w"). There's no real purpose behind it. At least Christmas, which means the same to me anyway, is good excuse to catch up family and friends. My kids asked about doing it, but I simply say "No". That being said though, the 9 year Old Daughter had a Halloween Disco for her Softball Club tonight. I dolled her up like a Zombie and she had a great time. A good excuse for a party without having to knock on peoples door and ask for lollies.

Don't get me started on Easter. However, thanks to the believers I appreciate the chance to have a 4 or 5 day weekend away camping with friends every year.

[D4D]

Lol. I guess you got the trick not the treat mate.

So hate hurts more? The damaged prado or the trailer ?

She hit the camper right on the end of the D035 hitch, from what I can tell it was able to twist so no damage although I'll have another look this morning. However she hit the bumper of the Prado right on a weak point which split it and caused it to hit the metal reinforcement behind which has left an impression in the bumper. It also moved the side plastic and broke all the clips. Neighbour owns a panel shop and estimated $2k for new genuine bar, clips, paint/colour match, labour. At this stage I am just going to get him to glue the split so it doesn't get worse and refit the side plastic with new clips.

[oldmate]

Bugger mate. That's the problem with the plastic stuff.

[Chris-Vi]

Good on you wholehog. I was just going to say the same thing. We had a few groups come to the door. The young ones had their parents standing in the back ground. The kids were all dressed up and having fun.    I get sick of the Yank bashing when people don't know what they are talking about.       

[briann532]

Good on you wholehog. I was just going to say the same thing. We had a few groups come to the door. The young ones had their parents standing in the back ground. The kids were all dressed up and having fun.    I get sick of the Yank bashing when people don't know what they are talking about.       

Ah come on..............
You let the kids have fun so let the adults have some fun Yank bashing!!!!!!!..............
 

Just mucking around - Don't shoot me 

[HKB Electronics]

Instead of Halloween, why not a Ned Kelly day, on that day the kids can go around
and rob banks etc?

Or better still a Captain Cook day, the Goverment can supply tall ships and they can go sailing,
oops sorry forgot Australia day.

Just the whole thing seems a little odd to me, we teach our kids to avoid stranger danger then
let them go around the neighborhood collecting sweets off of strangers?

Don't know about you but my knowledge of the neighbors extends one house down the street on
one side, three up the st the other way, and three houses on the other side and a few sprinkled among
the estate, known from school.

The rest could be murders, criminals, pedophiles and a believe a brothel owner down the road somewhere!

[D4D]

The rest could be murders, criminals, pedophiles and a believe a brothel owner down the road somewhere!

Lucky none of them are me