Sorry to be a killjoy, but am I the only one around here who is glad to see the back of Halloween? I can't get my head round why small children are encouraged to beg with menace, an activity which would be frowned upon at any other time. Near where I live, hundreds of acres of prime agricultural land is used to grow pumpkins, most of which will now be thrown away. Only a very small proportion will have been eaten. Such a criminal waste when so many have insufficient to eat.

I agree with you and i did find a way to stop it in our small close a few years ago.
I had a two way communicator on the door so i could check who was outside when the bell rang.
October the 31st arrives and i had turned all the outside lights off. the first trick or treaters arrived with their parents and rang the bell.
Suddenly they heard a weird witchy voice emiting from no where.
"I smell children. Nice fat children. I like children."
Evil Cackling laughter followed and then the voice said. I'm coming children.
With that i opened the door and made a grab for the first one while shreaking "Got you" at them.
There were screams and cries and shouts as every one fled back down the pathway leaving the wicked witch to fill the air with evil laughter.
They didn't return, but i was told the next day that several of the children had nightmares and i was not very kind to the poor little ones and even the adults were frightened .
Now i sit and enjoy all the sweeties on my own and can still raise an evil cackle.
Apparently the word got around that i frighten the children so they are not allowed to call on me , Its such a shame because i did have so much fun that night.
Annie

3 comments

by spendlove 03 Nov 2014

I can hear you from here!

by eggyannie 03 Nov 2014

hee hee hee

by jilly 04 Nov 2014

I would have loved to have seen that. I hope the parents got a fright as well. Ha ha serves them right.

Glad you brought this up. It is not nice to have to lock one's house up and to pretend not to be home to avoid being asked by 15 or 16 year olds to contribute to their bag of sweets.
I am also amazed by the number of digitizers bombarding us with newsletters about new Halloween designs. Obviously they see it as an opportunity to make a few dollars but it puts me and all my embroidery friends here in Australia off even visiting their sites.

What a great discussion, Sue! Thanks for starting it.

2 comments

by anangel 02 Nov 2014

Jan, I agree! A great discussion and an expected difference in opinions! Different strokes for different folks!! LOL I, personally, enjoy learning how others live (and think) in different parts of this great world of ours!!
Hugs, Angel

by hightechgrammy 02 Nov 2014

It's been so interesting to see how Halloween has creeped into different continents!

It has been interesting reading all the comments. Living halfway up a steep hill in one of the lesser populated parts of the UK I get no Halloween visitors. Children in the village have a party in the safety of the village hall. The adults do the same later in the evening. Both are a chance for the community to meet. Not being in the mainstream of UK life I have no idea what its like for others. On the radio on Friday morning there was a interesting phone in of people with both views on celebrating or not, Halloween. But I am aware that parts of cities in the south were altering bus services for the evening to omit bits of routes. I was discussing Halloween with my sister in law who is a headteacher in a Church of England school. They were not celebrating in school as its not religious. Part of my heritage is linked to Yorkshire were Mischief night was celebrated instead which happens in early November. Halloween appears to becoming more apparent as the years pass. I totally agree that food is being grown and then wasted which when so many in the world are suffering food shortages is not right. After saying that I have had no visitors on Halloween I did have two small boys, the smallest was laughing loudly and was highly entertaining. (My grandsons returning home after the village children's part. Sorry I have not been here to see this posting before but thanks and flowers to all

. As a grandmother of grown grandgirls I am no longer called upon to help create costumes, which I dearly miss. Over the years, I have been asked to stitch up everything from Tigger and Pooh to Cheerleaders to a 5'9" mouse! All in great fun. We never did ghouls or ghosts but we stretched our imaginations and for one short day they became a wizard or chef or a ballerina !! As with so much in our lives today, everything is over-commercialized. A pity for sure. It was so much more fun when we created our own costumes and made our own popcorn balls and candy treats and went on hay rides!!
Also...I grew pumpkins and handed everyone a marker and said draw whatever you want, I still get the pumpkins to cook. And there is a difference in pumpkins for sure...BUT you can eat them all. Not always tasty alone but added to soups or bread or muffins they were fine.
Blessings to the farmer who can make a little extra money growing some pumpkins. They do keep most of the winter and they make great livestock feed as well. My son feeds his dogs pumpkin...the vet said it is good for their digestion.

SO....herewith is my 40 year old recipe for Pumpkin Bread. If you use fresh (not canned pumpkin) you do have to cook it first....and try to cook it down dry-ish similar to the canned stuff. Great this time of year...or put some in your freezer for later. Better yet, make two loaves..one for you and one to share. Sorry I don't have the metric measurements.


PUMPKIN BREAD
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup cooked mashed pumpkin
3/4 cup oil
2 tsp. vanilla

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Beat eggs, one at a time. Add sugar and beat again. Add pumpkin and oil and vanilla and blend well.
Add to dry ingredients. Again blend well but do not overmix.
Pour into prepared loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 45-60 min. (depending on size of loaf pans) or til center tests done.

5 comments

by gerryb 02 Nov 2014

You probably know this, but going to add it anyway as someone may not. You can cut the pumpkin in half, lay the halves cut side down in a pan & bake them. When you turn them over, you can scoop out all the cooked pumpkin & use it for baking, etc. (Oh, be sure & get the seeds & stringy stuff out before cooking!)

by rescuer 02 Nov 2014

This is the first year I will have to find a place for the pumpkins my children carved. My dogs loved them as their autumn treats! I think many do throw them away, but in my area we still have enough farmers that feed pigs etc. that there is never a need for the waste.
Thank you (both) for the pumpkin ideas! I love to bake with pumpkin but only the pumpkin grown for cooking.

by spendlove 02 Nov 2014

I will try that recipe (if there are any whole pumpkins left in England.) I have never seen the canned sort.

by anangel 02 Nov 2014

Sue, guess I'm lazy, but I have used this same recipe using canned pumpkin, and it turned out great!! Thanks to the farmers here in the U.S. that grow them for canning!! LOL

by killiecrankie 02 Nov 2014

I didn't know canned pumpkin existed!

You're not a kill joy. I really liked reading all the comments from around the world! Thankfully it's a bit different in the area where we live. Our church does a Harvest Festival where there are games, free hot dogs, etc and they have to register as they come in...but it's all free. 99% are young children with parents as the parents feel they are safe there..which they are. My children (& my daughter's children) had to quit trick or treat when they entered middle school..6th grade. But they dressed up & handed out the treats to the little ones. The big "beggers" got one small piece of candy...the little cuties got more. Thankfully we have never experienced any "tricks" thru the years. Now we live in a sorta rural area & never have any kids come by. I quit buying candy for the house (I always ate it!) & just donate to the church to use in their games.

Touche ! Vent away!! I am in agreement!

as Christian I don't do anything with Halloween.

4 comments

by AuntAnnie 02 Nov 2014

Actually, Halloween does have Christian beginnings, in part, as the celebration of the feast of All Saints.

by anangel 02 Nov 2014

You are so right, Annie! Halloween original beginnings had to do with the All Saints celebration, or All Hallows festival, which was of Christian orientation to ward off evil spirits!! So many of us, "Christians", fail to learn the start of traditions and misinterpret the "ghosts and goblins" as something "UN-Christian", which it is NOT!!
Hugs, Angel

by sewist1 02 Nov 2014

Agree with you Jenne. Christians have no part with ghosts and goblins. The whole message of Christianity is that we have Christ and no need to ward off any evil spirits.

by anangel 03 Nov 2014

I am a Christian! The Lord is my Savior, too! He is with me constantly, even when I am enjoying traditional Halloween fun!!
Angel

Turn off your porch light to keep way those menacing, begging, scary, small children. Maybe your elderly ladies were more afraid of having a youngster dash out in street in front of their car and not being able to stop in time. (I know I don't see as well in the dark as I used to.)

I guess you must have been raised a "city" girl. There is a quality difference between pie pumpkins and carving pumpkins. You can bet the farmers make their yearly profit from selling only a portion of their carving pumpkins as it's unlikely they would continuously grow an unprofitable crop on their "prime" agricultural land. Left over pumpkins at most farms are composted, left in the field to feed animals, or plowed into the ground as fertilizer.

Learn about the fun, harmless traditions of Halloween in the U.S. by following the link below.

1 comment

by spendlove 02 Nov 2014

One of my elderly ladies would have been pushing the other in her wheel chair through the streets. I quite understand why they stayed at home. Our police force distribute posters for people to display if they don't want to be disturbed, but they don't help if you want to go out.
In England, many crops are commissioned by the big supermarket chains before they are even planted. There is big money to be made from pumpkins (although only a small proportion goes to the farmer.) Only bog standard varieties are grown commercially, although small quantities of more interesting squashes can sometimes be seen to buy in specialist outlets.
As to my upbringing, you couldn't be further from the truth. My first experience of city life was when I left home to go to university. We were warned to keep our doors and windows locked on Mischief Night which was the nearest thing we had to "Trick or Treat". That was on 4th November, the night before Guy Fawkes Night. I'd never heard of it. The village I grew up in was very peaceful and sheltered I suppose.

Here the stores carry a carving pumpkin.Not for eating just decoration. I enjoy seeing the children. I don't see anything Satanic or devil worshiping in the holiday. Besides how much pumpkin I am afraid sometimes to go out even in daylight but it's only due to the bad drivers, texting or talking on cell phones but this is an everyday occurrence . Here in the U. S. we do have a lot of holidays, but rather Holloween than to a person that I don't think deserves it. AN No please don't shoot me for my opinion.

1 comment

by spendlove 02 Nov 2014

Everyone is entitled to their opinion!

As a seventy year old, my Halloween celebrating years are long past, but I do remember the fun times with my siblings at this time of year! I enjoyed watching the faces of my neighbors' lil' goblins, as my own little ones gave them a treat, before mine were old enough to join in the festivities any other way. All holidays have become way too commercialized over the years. Halloween is a traditional fun celebration, like many others, and, can be spoiled by a few with poor behavior and actions, but a "few" should not be the reason to eradicate the Halloween, that so many enjoy!! No child have I ever seen "begging with menace" for candy at Halloween, during my many years on this earth. I've witnessed lots of smiles, giggles of delight, and the making sweet memories!
I believe, too, that hundreds of acres of pumpkins would have been sold for factory canning mostly. Those carved and thrown away at Halloween would be minimal to those canned. Many buying pumpkins at this time of year would be making delicious pumpkin pies and other desserts with them. I agree our world has a lot of woes and insufficiencies in dealing with wastefulness and starvation, but pumpkins in no way find a place at the top of that list!
Many people in our ever increasingly violent society are afraid to leave their home with good reason any day, not just because it is "Halloween" and in fear of "youngsters looking for mischief".
I respect your opinion, regardless.
Hugs, Angel

3 comments

by spendlove 02 Nov 2014

Thank you for these detailed comments. (I have been surprised not to see more posts like this one.) You have obviously had very happy experiences.
Here in England, our traditional entertainment at this time of year is Guy Fawkes Night on 5th November and Halloween has only been around for a few years. In that time, Trick or Treat has become exactly what it says and anyone who doesn't supply a treat may well get eggs thrown at their windows. Or worse.
As far as I know, the pumpkins grown here are all for Halloween and none are canned commercially. Few people would buy one to cook with. (Perhaps because the price is inflated.)

by asterixsew 02 Nov 2014

I have to say I don't think I have seen canned pumpkin in the UK

by hightechgrammy 02 Nov 2014

Canned pumpkin is abundant in our grocery stores here, especially in time for Thanksgiving. Angel, I too, have never had any bad experiences with kids dressing up for Halloween. I loved it as a kid. One of my friend's kids opened the door to older kids and was beaten up though.

I am really proud of my fellow Cuties. I thought that it was just in South Africa (and me ?) But it is absolutely International !

1 comment

by cherylgauteng 02 Nov 2014

Have given * to all !

Sue, you are sure not alone on this, the noise scare the dogs so much and although we didn't have lights on we had those that knocked and then the dog kids went into alarm mode, don't even talk about the other holidays that should be christen, fat men and the lie that must confusing to children and bunnies at Easter , these are fine but it has gone to excess, I remember holidays were a token not a pile of stuff not needed. I have wanted to voice this for some time, thank you for the opportunity.

I am inclined to agree with you Sue. It was never really celebrated here in S.A. but the last two years it has become big business. The twins actually had a halloween party, although their birthday is only this week. The costumes were incredible. We only had one group of 'trick and treat' children much later in the evening and they were with an adult - certainly not safe for children to go by themselves here in Johannesburg.

I celebrate October 31 for different reasons. My sister was born on October 31 and I met my wonderful husband on October 31. I do not celebrate Halloween. Thanks for your vent! Hugs Suzanna

I didn't know Halloween was celebrated anywhere other than the US. For the second year in a row, we got absolutely zero trick-or-treaters! I love seeing all their costumes and see the excitement on their faces. There really isn't much trouble with kids around here, nobody got egged and nobody threw toilet paper through the trees, the usual Halloween pranks around here. It is meant for fun for small children however sometimes older kids get together and can be quite destructive. I think my biggest pet peeve about Halloween is the parents who dress up and carry their very young babies out to get candy for a child who isn't even old enough to have teeth yet! Obviously they are getting candy for themselves but it spoils the atmosphere for the little ones. I had no pumpkin so my grandson gave me a small "pie size" one! I didn't cut it and plan on using it forfood! I know many people don't like or celebrate Halloween and others relish it and embrace it like it is their favorite Holiday. I don't mind it but I hate it when older folks take advantage of everyone and it spoils it for the little guys and ticks me off at the same time! lol
Meri

The shops in our area of Australia started to sell their halloween stuff off at half price nearly 2 weeks before the 31st.A few yrs ago some kids came trick or treating but we had no suitable stuff but for some unknown reason my husband decided to buy muesli bars for trick or treating I laughed at him told him no one would be doing it,only 2 kids are in our street which has become a construction site.I was right, our great grand son will be getting the muesli bars.I see nothing wrong with dressing up & having private parties but NO trick or treat which only really benefits the shops

It is super commercialized here. We just didn't participate in the satanic part, but there were times when I let Ben put on a costume - Elmo usually and go to the grocery store. I heard someone saying how they felt sorry for the little boy in school who couldn't participate in Halloween and realized they were talking about my Ben. The school had quit doing Halloween activities in the classrooms long ago, but the parent group did do a carnival with the community that was fun for kids. He would have been really scared. I don't let my kids play with fire, so why would I let him be tempted with witches, devils and zombies. It's confusing to them. We celebrate Harvest with scarecrows and pumpkins, but not jack-o-lanterns.

Unfortunately it seems to be sneaking in here in Australia, when once it was not celebrated (but known about). I don't particularly care for it and am quite pleased to live out in a rural area where we have no close neighbours.

Sue i to hate that night and all it stands for .Thanks for venting hugs Carolyn

Sorry you feel that way :(
I love Halloween. I and my family find it very fun.
I think sometimes it is the way you look at it. We love spook alleys,
dressing up, and decorating. The neighbor kids like to come to our house and we just have fun. Just enjoy it.

2 comments

by hightechgrammy 02 Nov 2014

I have lots of friends who love Halloween, and they really enjoy dressing up and trick or treating. I love seeing all the kids in their costumes too. I remember having lots of fun when I was a kid. I know in Mexico they celebrate Halloween as a way of honoring the Day of the Dead. I don't think people who "do" Halloween are bad, I have just chosen not to participate in any of the spooky part. I just look at Halloween differently now but I do celebrate all the other holidays, in both the secular and religious ways.

by rescuer 02 Nov 2014

I would never consider taking away Halloween for others. I just do not like it and would rather not have to worry over flat tires, broken windows, egg on my house or car or any of the other nasty things the older teens will do to those that do not want to give them candy. I suppose I wish that people could just respect the right to choose.

We teach our children not to take sweets from strangers and then you have them knock on strangers doors and ask for candy. NO THANKS

Oh sweetie , I quit buying candty15 years ago when I realized I was spending a $100. that I did not need to do. My sweetie and I go out to eat and have an evening to our selves or join friends and come home. Too my horrors , last night we turned into my subdivision at about 8:00 PM and there must have been 75 Mon and kids on the street and I had no candy do we turned around and went to the local Walmart store and stayed until 9:00 pm and came home again. As for the pumpkin thing , it is a matter of supply and demand. If there is a market to sell pumpkins then grow them and sell them. Kay

I feel exactly the same way Sue. It's starting to catch up here in Australia, but we don't get any trick or treaters in our street, we are all retirees, so no children around.

I am from China and now I live in the US. My husband is American and very Christian. He doesn't like Halloween at all--saying it's against Christianity. I was never crazy about Halloween and never went to any Halloween party unless I had to.

Our neighborhood is very safe and the houses are far apart. Also there's not too many kids around. The first year I was here, I bought candies, but only 1 kid came. The second year, none. The third year, I bought no candies, but someone knocked at the door, and I had to hide. Honestly, I don't mind buying candies---probably because there's not too many kids coming.

However, in Grosse Pointe where I used to live---also a very nice neighborhood but houses there are closer and more importantly, it's very close to Detroit. Kids in Detroit would actually rent a bus (I am not kidding), usually not dressed in Costumes (trying to get candies without investing in costumes) and ask for candies. I hear people say that it just costs them too much to give candies to everyone, most of who are not even from the neighborhood. They find it very annoying.

Now that we have Lily, I think it's just a silly holiday for kids to have fun. Honestly I've never experienced any "tricks". Lily dressed as a bumblebee and the kids from several families around get together to trick-or-treat together. We did not have any decorations but left the lights on. Bought a bag of candies from Costco and as always, too many left. I would love to give each kid more candies but I was afraid their parents wouldn't like it too much. Anyway, we will donate the leftover candies or my husband will get even fatter.

I don't like any scary or bloody part either. As far as my Halloween experience goes, it is acceptable. It's just an excuse for kids to dress up and get some sweets!

Thank you all for your comments. I thought I might be setting myself up to be shot down! It is nice to know I am not alone.

1 comment

by hightechgrammy 02 Nov 2014

I'm glad to know, as a Christian, I'm not the only one who doesn't participate. However, I LOVE seeing the kids in cute costumes!

Totally agree it is just another way for companies to make more money, here in Australia it is now starting to be more celebrated than before, but I cannot find any reason to celebrate this silly tradition

I could not agree more. It is a stupid tradition in my opinion. I put up a sign that I do not do Halloween.

I dread Halloween! My young children get to dress up but only as "friendly things" (well last year my son went as an IRS agent -- tax collector LOL). After a certain age -- they are done. The children like Halloween as it is the only real chance they have to dress in costumes. Even though we live in a safe neighborhood, when my children go out "begging" they only go to homes where we know the people and they have been invited. They just don't like candy enough to want a pillowcase full.
However, we had people here knocking on doors from a town 40 minutes away so they could Trick or Treat in a subdivision with lots of candy to give... Many families did not speak a word of English (illegal immigrants) and their parents asked them to get extra candy for them too. The door was open nearly non-stop handing out to often grabby and ungrateful children. Those that said "thank you" got to choose a second piece of candy. Anything I can do to help the next generation be more polite... ;)
My least favorite is the teenagers that came with cell phones in hand -- texting -- and old enough to drive. I am sure they were "hitting" as many areas as they could. They had pillowcases nearing half full.
I love the creativity of making ones own costume.(My children must come up with their own costumes and they are homemade) The thing I abhor is the begging part.

Well said Sue. This is catching on here in Australia and I think it is quite a stupid celebration. Feel free to vent anytime, gives we whom are not quite comfortable to vent have our say too. Hugs Marg

You have bravely said apparently what many of us have been thinking.

Yes I am the same. We had a loud Bang Bang on the front door and had 2 young men calling out trick or treat. It was 8pm and pitch black outside.
It made me jump as we didn't have any outside lights on or any decorations up to invite callers.
There was no way I would answer the door to 17 to 18 year olds that I didn't know in the dark.
I am also in Australia.

Here Here! I kept quiet before for fear of offending our friends across the pond.

hey don't apologize for how u feel for I feel the same way. we do not encourage or celebrate Halloween for it is an abomination to our Lord and I despise it.Our grandkids didn't even go beg for candy as u say for ours are not lacking in that department. My daughter went out and bought some candy for her kids to enjoy. Thank you for speaking up and a you see you are not alone. We stand with you. Be blessed! Roberta

I agree. We do pass out candy, but I abhor the awful costumes of blood, violence and mayhem. My husband made a pumpkin shape out of plywood years ago and put a Bible verse on each side. That is our only fall decoration for passing out treats.

I am totally 'with' all of you on this subject...I dread it every year and do not leave home for fear of some vandalism. Our holidays mean nothing anymore--just commercialism. Christmas decs and specials already in the stores, yet Thanksgiving not even passed. Gets earlier every year...the merchants all grabbing their share.

Yes, I am always glad it is over. Yesterday a group of 8 called at once - luckily I had bought enough sweets but I really don't like that habit for
many reasons. Many owners of houses fear kind of destruction if the kids take "revange" for not getting sweets....I also do not appreciate that a row of old traditions are now completely commericalized - Christmas for example. Children will not get the real meaning but only see the "money value" but in the end
it is the fault of our "social" systems

You are not alone, Sue! I agree with you. It may not be an Australian thing but I had an unpleasant experience many years ago when I didn't even know what Trick or Treat or Halloween were.
Hugs, Lidia

Have never experienced Halloween and glad that it is that so !!! Seems so pointless. In South Africa we would not dream of letting our kids roam the neighbourhood looking for sweets, fun and whatever. It is far too dangerous (even for adults). I am not going to say more - it is all in the news and statistics for our country's crimes.

YOU ARE TRULY NOT ALONE ON THIS!!!!!

No you are not the only one, this was my first experience of Halloween, in Billericay,Essex don't understand the concept, in SA we all thought it too dangerous to let our children out a night

1 comment

by cherylgauteng 01 Nov 2014

Agree - we have our 13yr old grandson living here with us, Would never dream of letting him out of our yard, even at twilight !!!!!

It is no yet such a big deal in Belgium. Some people decorate a bit their houses, but not too much, some scary movies at tv, bakeries make pies in the shape of pumpkins,.. But thats all so far

I agree also... Marian said it is not Australian but we have been inundated.. I just put a sign up at the front door. No Halloween Sorry... No one knocked and i had a peaceful evening eating my chocolates :))))

2 comments

by marianb 02 Nov 2014

Hope they were yummy..

by olly 02 Nov 2014

Ha Ha Polly ATE the lolly!!

I feel the same.. It's not an Australian Holiday theme but we have all sorts of merchandise thrust upon us at the stores and the kids asking can we have this can we have that, not to mention the teens and tweens if you don't answer your door with a bowl full of sugary treats.. As far as I'm concerned no decorations means don't knock..

At last. Thank you. Some one that feels the same about halloween as me.