Halloween ... what say you?

[shalemail]

I searched, I found no post of this nature. (Ok in honesty I didn't look THAT hard. If there is one, many apologies.)

My wife and I are HUGE Halloween fans, we are really big kids inside and we are sad we can't go trick or treating anymore, but we're happy we can go buy the biggest bags of only the candy we love most. And we can have a piece before dinner.

Do you guys have any Halloween traditions, parties, do you dress up?

We dress up every year, our group of friends has a BIG party every year, costume contests, prizes, "spirits". Good times.

We take it pretty seriously too, most years my wife and I are planning costumes as early as July. So tell me, what do you do for all hallows eve, day of the dead, the witching hour?

 

[Unforgiven]

We used to be seasonal campers so we would go trick or treating at the campground. It was a closed area with no cars allowed and we knew everybody, so we knew the kids were safe. One parent trick or treated with the kids, one stayed back at the campfire handing out candy for the kids and libations for the adults. The kids would come back with pillowcases full of candy, the parents would party until the wee hours of the morning. There were competitions for costumes, halloween themed activities, site decorating contests. It was an entire weekend celebration.

 

[shalemail]

We used to be seasonal campers so we would go trick or treating at the campground. It was a closed area with no cars allowed and we knew everybody, so we knew the kids were safe. One parent trick or treated with the kids, one stayed back at the campfire handing out candy for the kids and libations for the adults. The kids would come back with pillowcases full of candy, the parents would party until the wee hours of the morning. There were competitions for costumes, halloween themed activities, site decorating contests. It was an entire weekend celebration.

That sounds amazing. It also sounds past tense. No longer doing it?

I'd love to set up something like that for my group. Thanks so much for sharing!

 

[Unforgiven]

That sounds amazing. It also sounds past tense. No longer doing it?

I'd love to set up something like that for my group. Thanks so much for sharing!

My older boys became teens and we couldn't get to the campground enough to justify it. I still have the camper, it's just parked for now.

This year we went to a campground for Halloween with some friends and my 8 year old son, but as weekenders, not as seasonals, so we didn't know the whole campground as in the past. Also, a different campground.

 

[mikedt]

Halloween is one of my favourite weeks for lessons, always have fun. But fortunately trick-or-treating hasn't caught on in China yet. ...and is not an officially recognized holiday either, like Christmas or Thanksgiving.

 

[shalemail]

My older boys became teens and we couldn't get to the campground enough to justify it. I still have the camper, it's just parked for now.

This year we went to a campground for Halloween with some friends and my 8 year old son, but as weekenders, not as seasonals, so we didn't know the whole campground as in the past. Also, a different campground.

That sir is not a trailer, it looks to be a small rolling town.
I have been wanting to build a teardrop - fairly certain I could park one inside your beast!

Halloween is one of my favourite weeks for lessons, always have fun. But fortunately trick-or-treating hasn't caught on in China yet. ...and is not an officially recognized holiday either, like Christmas or Thanksgiving.

That's pretty awesome to be introducing facets of a currently unrecognized holiday into your lessons. I am sure the kids love it.

 

[Unforgiven]

That sir is not a trailer, it looks to be a small rolling town.
I have been wanting to build a teardrop - fairly certain I could park one inside your beast!

LOL, I want to trade that in and get something more tow friendly. That's a 42 foot box (with a removable tongue you measure the box instead of tradiditional tongue to bumper). I was something in the 18-22' range with bump outs.

 

[olbriar]

I love Halloween. Having four children gave me the opportunity to go trick-0r-treating for years as an adult. I always dressed up and went through the neighborhood with the kids... great fun. Now that they are all grown, I sit at home and hand out the candy. It's sort of an unwritten code that you leave your porch light on if you are handing out candy. Back in the day, every house was lit on my block. Last year my house was the only participating residence on the block. I would say that it makes me sad... but mad is more accurate. Those dark houses would have been egged when I was a child. I had less than thirty kids by my place last year.. and I expect less this year. Who is going to walk down a block that is clearly not handing out the goodies?

 

[Mikestony]

Well, so far I suppose I'm the stick in the mud because I couldn't care less about it.
It's just another day. I don't buy candy, so I don't give it out.
Never got my house egged yet

 

[olbriar]

It's a date.

 

[Mikestony]

I will say this so that I don't come across as a total fuddy-duddy .....when my kids were younger, I did take them out trick or treating. They've since outgrown that and things change ya know?

 

[olbriar]

I grew up in a very small rural town. Halloween was a real big deal. Every kid went trick-or-treating. It was a solid line of kids going from house to house. Much of the candy was made.. not purchased. Popcorn balls and candied apples were very common goodies as well. It was such a big thing that every kid looked forward to each year. As an adult, I felt like it was my time to pay it back. Living in the wicked world of today, home made candies and treats would never fly. Store bought goodies but never the cheap stuff was the ticket. The holiday has dwindled through the years around here. Trick-or-treating has been replaced with parties and such. The holiday is still recognized but is clearly celebrated in a different manner.

 

[olbriar]

Another change in the holiday is worthy of mentioning. When I was a kid, we made our costumes.... with help from mom naturally. A pirate or ghost was the norm for a boy. It was always fun to try and out do your friends. By the time my kids were into the festivities... we were purchasing costumes. Somewhere along the line it got commercialized. Depending on the amount of money you wanted to spend, your kid could out do everyone. Home made outfits and soot from the fireplace was something the other kids would laugh at.

Another addition to the holiday is the haunted woods, or haunted house, the corn maze, the you name it that you pay bucks to go through. We did those a few years with the kids. They were a lot of fun but money was the key to that entertainment. I even worked at one for a few years when my kids were too big to gather candy. It was a huge fund raiser for my local VFW. I guess it's all good. Times change.

My best mask...

 

[Kaat72]

Halloween is considered a commercial feast here in the Netherlands. Although it is gaining enthusiasts.
We are celebrating St. Martin's Day. St. Martin's Day, also known as the Feast of St. Martin, Martinstag or Martinmas, the Feast of St Martin of Tours or Martin le Miséricordieux. This is the time when autumn wheat seeding was completed.
St. Martin of Tours started out as a Roman soldier. He was baptized as an adult and became a monk. It is understood that he was a kind man who led a quiet and simple life. The most famous legend of his life is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying from the cold. That night he dreamed that Jesus was wearing the half-cloak. Martin heard Jesus say to the angels, "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptised; he has clothed me."
The day is celebrated on the evening of November 11 (the day Saint Martin died) in some parts (mainly North Holland) of the Netherlands, where he is known as Sint-Maarten. As soon it gets dark, children up to the age of 11 or 12 (primary school age) go door to door with hand-crafted lanterns made of hollowed-out sugar beet or, more recently, paper, singing songs such as "Sinte Sinte Maarten," hoping to receive candy in return, similar to Halloween. In the past, poor people would visit farms on November 11 to get food for the winter.
These days however, kids are going around following a route set by the school, and only the houses that have lit a candle or lantern. Even in this tiny village I live in, my home is not on that route And if kids would come, I am supposed to treat them with healthy 'candy' (fruits), or else I'm in for a pedantic speech from the accompanying parents.
Back in my days, it was FUN though. I grew up in a 17th century (small) city center. Those old streets were the perfect setting for those lanterns and candles.

Oh, and there is 'Drie Koningen' (Epiphany). The Dutch and Flemish call this day Driekoningen, while Germans call it Dreikönigstag (Three Kings' Day). In the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and neighboring Germany, children in groups of three (symbolising the three kings) proceed in costume from house to house while singing songs, and receiving a coin or some sweets at each door. They may each carry a paper lantern symbolizing the star. In some places, especially the Netherlands, these troops gather for competitions and present their skits/songs for an audience. As in Belgium, Koningentaart (Kings' tart), puff pastry with almond filling, is prepared with a black bean hidden inside. Whoever finds the bean in his or her piece is king or queen for the day. A more typically Dutch version is Koningenbrood, or Kings' bread. Another Low Countries tradition on Epiphany is to open up doors and windows to let good luck in for the coming year.

 

[zuben el genub]

Well, so far I suppose I'm the stick in the mud because I couldn't care less about it.
It's just another day. I don't buy candy, so I don't give it out.
Never got my house egged yet

I'd agree. With all the *allergy stuff, GMO and gluten paranoia going around, the kids probably won't be allowed to eat the candy anyway.

*Not dissing allergy, or the kids that do have it. Helicopter parents are a different story.

 

[lunatic59]

Add another stick to the mud. We get together with a group of friends and go out until past the official trick-or-treating hour. We just aren't into all the spooky ghost and goblin crap. There are too many real things to be afraid of to have to invent fantasy fear.

 

[whitehat]

Don't forget the amateur radio operators who watch the overpasses on the interstate highways on both devil's eve (the 30th) as well as Halloween. Since the 'Pumpkin Patrol' started several years ago there have been zero instances of rocks, concrete blocks or pumpkins dropped on vehicles driving by below in my county. The 'Pumpkin Patrol' was set up by the NY State Police.

 

[Slug]

As kids (pre-teens) my sister and I, along with friends, did the traditional round of neighbourhood houses. Over here it's not enough just to dress up; you have to perform a "party piece" in return for your spoils. You don't get anything free in Scotland!

This year, for the first time in probably three decades, I will be reviving the tradition as part of a friend's birthday celebrations. The question is, how many pubs/clubs will allow a motley selection of vampires, ghouls and monsters through their doors?

 

[buttercup24]

we like to dress up at home and have some fun with the rest of the families..

 

[lunatic59]

we like to dress up at home and have some fun with the rest of the families..

So do we, just not on Halloween.

 

[shalemail]

So do we, just not on Halloween.

You just so cray cray lunie.

 

[mikedt]

万圣节快乐!

Eight more days to Halloween, Halloween, Halloween,
Eight more days to Halloween, Halloween, Halloween,
Silver Shamrock!
tune: London Bridge is Falling Down

Seem to have everything I might need...

Will do this job nearer the time probably...

"For ages 9 and up"
"Made in China"

 

[shalemail]

As one might assume from my Avatar I am a comics geek (as well as a technology geek - who'd a thunk it right?) to that end I have done many superheroes over the years. This year I wanted to do something silly and my beloved wife came up with ....
1966 Batman (Adam West style yo) so I will be the not-so-dark knight she will be Batgirl (Yvonne Craig -rest in peace- style) and a good good friend will be my old chum Robin (yea he's wearing the tiny green trunks and awesome winged elf shoes.)

Atomic Batteries to power, turbines to speed!

 

[HasH_BrowN]

So do we, just not on Halloween.

Yeah....I think they call that role playing

 

[HasH_BrowN]

万圣节快乐!

Eight more days to Halloween, Halloween, Halloween,
Eight more days to Halloween, Halloween, Halloween,
Silver Shamrock!
tune: London Bridge is Falling Down

Seem to have everything I might need...
View attachment 95648


Will do this job nearer the time probably...
View attachment 95649

"For ages 9 and up"
"Made in China"

You can do some amazing things with the cheap carver kits. A little ingenuity and creativity goes a real long way. Practice your design on paper first, to figure out the order of steps needed for finishing the pumpkin.


_________
I like taking the pumpkin seeds and baking them for about 18 minutes. Really good (for your heart) snack.

I have a 6 year old diagnosed with Autism. He never liked having a hat on, until this year. We have been taking him for the 5 years, so maybe he will let us dress him up in a costume this year. The neighborhood we "TROLL" is very receptive to him, so its nice. (He doesnt speak yet) He gives them high-5's, which immediately warms the hearts of the "givers of goodness". He very friendly and affectionate.
When we get back to the house, we have to immediately get the candy from him (otherwise its gone. He will eat every last piece until its gone [the autism]).
We will also take him for a midnight (early evening) hay ride again, maybe even to a kids Haunted House - depends on his mood.

And yes Halloween has been changed to a money making gambit. Somehow down the line, the meaning of/reason for this holiday has been pushed to the back burner. Which isnt exclusive to this holiday at all, but to about every holiday. Green used to be for envy, but now it means greed. The spookyness has been extinguished and replaced with store fronts with MEGA sales on cheap garbage. I really looked forward to making my costume each year, my mom was really great at sewing and at making my ideas reality.

______
@Unforgiven
"Holy Rolling Castles Batman"
Your "weekend getaway" RV is bigger than my house.