Halloween Tradition?

At the weekend someone threw some eggs at my next door neighbours house.

They are quite worried by this as when they lived elsewhere they had suffered from some racist crap, including fireworks through the letter box.

Is hurling eggs at houses some sort of Halloween tradition?

Chucking eggs and flour at windows was a fireworks tradition back in the late 70s early 80s (halloween wasn’t really a thing back then).

And air bomb repeaters and bangers up people’s drain pipes and in milk bottles.

This was in a sleepy Derbyshire village so probably a lot worse in a city.

#greatdays!

Dates back to Ireland ~2,000 years ago, so yep.

The specifics of hurling TP and eggs may be a more recent addition from the mid 20th century.

No, just some unruly kids. We had ours egged as they thought we were our neighbours a few doors down, they knew their daughter.

Halloween has been a thing for a long time.

Halloween can do one.

It’s even becoming a thing in Germany and Italy now. Shops full of plastic pumpkins and other shite.

I blame the potatoe famine…. All those Irish emigrating to the States, taking their pagan ideas with them. Spreading those ideas in a land with no tradition where now they grab at anything with the word tradition in a vain attempt at cultivating culture.

I’ve seen old milk bottles with more culture.

Isn’t Halloween on Thursday? Did I miss that this past weekend was an early Halloween because of the schools or something?

Next thing you know we’ll be getting a Halloween version of Black Friday, probably in June.

Halloween can do one.

This ^^

I don’t mind the pagan origins, I hate what it’s become though with plastic tat spread all over hedges for 2 weeks in the lead up to it. Thankfully though it seems to be a sort of code now – T&T’ers can call at the decorated houses but not the undecorated ones. My elderly neighbour puts up a “no trick or treat” sign on her door and so far that’s been respected.

Our local supermarket put eggs and flour in a “you have to ask for it” section for a couple of years in an attempt to minimise the opportunities for them to be thrown at windows.

Two of my neighbours have had the ‘plastic tat’ out since the end of September.  Fortunately, the kids only call on houses with decorations/pumpkins round my way.

Surely the egg and flour throwing is a Mischief Night thing rather than a Hallowe’en thing (unless, of course, someone has knocked on your door asking ‘Trick or Treat’ and you answered with ‘Trick’)?

The great thing about Halloween is that it delays the onset of Xmas until early November, and that means that you lot can have two whinges instead of one. How many more sleeps until you’re allowed to say that Xmas gets earlier every year? 😀

The great thing about Halloween is that it delays the onset of Xmas until early November, and that means that you lot can have two whinges instead of one. How many more sleeps until you’re allowed to say that Xmas gets earlier every year?

I had my first mince pie of the season about 6 weeks ago.  Sounds like you’re slacking!

blame the potatoe famine…. All those Irish emigrating to the States, taking their pagan ideas with them. Spreading those ideas in a land with no tradition where now they grab at anything with the word tradition in a vain attempt at cultivating culture.

I think you mean blame the scots for taking it to canada.

America doesn’t register guising until about 1913.

Halloween has been a thing for a long time.

In its present commercial form since the Simpsons became a staple on UK telly I believe. So yeah quite a long time – about 35 years.

It fills an important gap for the supermarkets between the summer holidays and Christmas.

America doesn’t register guising until about 1913.

Yet somehow it existed in 1900s based on the Scottish tradition.

In its present commercial form since the Simpsons became a staple on UK telly I believe. So yeah quite a long time – about 35 years.

Yet somehow they sold masks and costumes with sweet in Woolworths in the 70s and 80s too, even then Halloween existed long before then. Yes, it’s very commercialised now, not sure the Simpson’s is to blame.

Last year people were asked to only buy one pumpkin As millions end up in landfill. They are also a danger to hedgehogs and some other creatures if eaten.
My neighbour has about 6 pumpkins and 10 varies sizes of gourds and squashes.
I dislike Halloween also because of the plastic tat, that ends u in landfill.

Yes, it’s very commercialised now, not sure the Simpson’s is to blame.

How about blaming E.T. too…

Last year people were asked to only buy one pumpkin As millions end up in landfill[/] soup

I’m sure plenty did end up in the food waste bin, but how am i supposed to show off my autumnal awesomeness to my Instagram followers if I can’t make pumpkin soup?? Won’t someone please think of the narcists!

Tina’s – you would hope that soup was made, but I sincerely doubt that every single house hold in Britain will make soup or even know that pumpkins make a delicious meal (unless you’re a hedgehog).

I had ginger and pumpkin cake for lunch today at Logie Farm. It was wonderful.

Yet somehow it existed in 1900s based on the Scottish tradition.

I think thats what i said?

Thank you Joshvegas, it’s guising, not trick or treating. The kids are going out disguised as goblins and witches so they can sneak past the real ones that come out on Halloween, and if you’re coming to my door, you’d better have a good song or joke prepared if you want sweeties.

How about blaming E.T. too…

Yeah well American culture gets absorbed in UK via both TV and Hollywood, that’s a no-brainer, but the Simpsons have a long and somewhat unique association with Halloween specials, I believe.

I have never been a Simpsons fan myself but I do watch American Dad to a degree. It is only because of American Dad that I know all about the American “Krampus” tradition.

Tbh it would be nice if UK supermarkets started pushing Krampus, I like his attitude to children.

I think thats what i said?

You did. I meant 19th century.

the American “Krampus” tradition.

It’s all Surly’s fault, coming over here with their big wheels and even bigger tyres.

[also, pretty sure he / it is from Eastern Europe?]

You did. I meant 19th century.

I am not sure you are disagreeing with me or not *insert smiley face when it works againn*

Can’t be long before we have the Guy Fawkes Night tradition of complaining about dogs not liking the sound of fireworks.

Can’t be long before we have the Guy Fawkes Night tradition of complaining about dogs not liking the sound of fireworks.

Already started on the local FB group.

Thank you Joshvegas, it’s guising, not trick or treating. The kids are going out disguised as goblins and witches so they can sneak past the real ones that come out on Halloween, and if you’re coming to my door, you’d better have a good song or joke prepared if you want sweeties.

I just assume that turn has become trick and that’s been bastardised further.

I think what some people in the souther part of England don’t get is that halloween has been a big deal for centuries in Scotland (and Northern Ireland and the more celtic prts of England). Not some recent tradition. If anything there is less participation now than there ised to be!

I am not sure you are disagreeing with me or not

It existed in 1800s in America and before that. Does that help ?

Isn’t firework night about burning Roman Catholics?

Lovely!

Did I miss that this past weekend was an early Halloween because of the schools or something?

In some places its a bit off a moveable feast – in Kilmarnock for instance , for as long as anyone can remember,  halloween activities have always take place on the last friday in Octiber, rather than the last day of October.

It existed in 1800s in America and before that. Does that help ?

The first recorded instance in North america was ontario 1911. Thats pretty well documented*. I am sure it did exist in pockets before then.

I am talking about the act of going round the community chapping on doors  in fancy dress.

*Based on my wiki deep dive years ago.

Isn’t firework night about burning Roman Catholics?

only plebs call it firework night.

It’s bonfire night 🙂

As a parent of kids aged 9, 7 and 4, it’s fun to go out for an hour with them dressed up,  call at houses that are decorated only and everyone enjoys giving them sweets and admiring how cute they look.   The bands of early teenagers come out a little later although around here they seem to behave so still OK.  How anyone thinks eggs and such at houses is acceptable I have no idea.   I blame the parents.

It’s bonfire night

It’s Guy Fawkes Night surely?

What happened to mischief night? I used to love it when I was a kid.

I am talking about the act of going round the community chapping on doors  in fancy dress.

So, not Halloween but Trick or Treating?

A vague recollection says Trick or Treating originated from a Halloween tradition of mischief.

It’s Guy Fawkes Night surely?

Well it used to be but now you can’t upset Catholics. It’s political correctness/wokeness  gone bleeding mad, I’m telling ya.

I think it’s a great tradition, kids going round houses dressed up not egging houses. We used to do it in the early 70s. It wasn’t called trick or treat then it was just tell a joke or sing a song for a reward usually a tangerine and there was dooking for apples. Dropping a fork from your mouth into a basin of apples bobbing in water.

Nowadays it’s a big thing  in our village. I agree one good thing now is you only chap the doors of decorated houses. We get about 30 or 40 visits. I have stocked up with lots of unhealthy mini sweets. It’s great to see the kids out enjoying themselves. Not great for their teeth though.

Endlessly whingeing and bleating on about Halloween and bonfire night is as much of a British tradition as the events themselves! 😉