Pumpkins on doorsteps

[ebikeerwidnes]

I used to work with a lad who was old school Liverpool

Then fell in love with a younger colleague - an ex ballet dancer actually
and when she moved back to London he went with her

He came back and we went for a few drinks
he reported no anti Northern stuff - excpet for normal banter

main thing was simply that they refused to buy him a pint
insisted on buying him halfs

because they were amazed by his ability to judge the exact point in a pint when he could tip a half in abd exactly fill the pint glass with no spillage

a normal thing in Liverpool at the time - but apparently verging on Black Magic in London

got him a load of free drinks - at London prices so it was fine by him!!!

 

[T4tomo]

In my youth, it wasn't trick or treating , it was "mischief night" on 4th November. No asking for treats, it was tricks like letting off fireworks or turning peoples dustbins upside down etc. Not a great tradition tbh and cared the heck out of vulnerable pensioners etc.

I do recall (after I'm moved away) hearing tales of a major rumpus when two kids set off the village bonfire a night early on mischief night.

 

[Drago]

I do recall (after I'm moved away) hearing tales of a major rumpus when two kids set off the village bonfire a night early on mischief night.

 

[Julia9054]

In my youth, it wasn't trick or treating , it was "mischief night" on 4th November. No asking for treats, it was tricks like letting off fireworks or turning peoples dustbins upside down etc. Not a great tradition tbh and cared the heck out of vulnerable pensioners etc.

I do recall (after I'm moved away) hearing tales of a major rumpus when two kids set off the village bonfire a night early on mischief night.

Oh god! I hated mischief night. The peer pressure to take part whilst also being terrified you were going to get caught.
Standing there trembling whilst 2 big boys took somebody's gates off whilst also being too scared to run away!
(The downside of a 1970s unsupervised childhood!)

 

[DRM]

In my youth, it wasn't trick or treating , it was "mischief night" on 4th November. No asking for treats, it was tricks like letting off fireworks or turning peoples dustbins upside down etc. Not a great tradition tbh and cared the heck out of vulnerable pensioners etc.

I do recall (after I'm moved away) hearing tales of a major rumpus when two kids set off the village bonfire a night early on mischief night.

Was mischief night our way too, tying bins to door handles, knocking and running off for example

 

[icowden]

So is the pumpkin pile a sign that the property is open to trick or greaters?

Yes. There was a push a while back to discourage the harassment of people who don't like Halloween and a strong suggestion was that you go with your kids and only call at houses with decorations. So just do the treat but rather than the trick.

Very different from the 1970s when we used to dare each other to ring the bell on the house owned by the miserable old git about 5 doors down from my house. By being so miserable and abusive he made himself a yearly target.

 

[wafter]

The waste upsets me. The energy and resources that goes into producing them.

Along with the black plastic tut that has been made and brought from China and will be in landfill by the end of November.

I'm anti Halloween and pro All Saints. It's my Protestant upbringing.

Well, I said. I'll go away and hide now.

At least it's biodegradable waste; unlike all the plastic shite you also allude to.

We're a stupid, shallow race aren't we?

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

My wife is housebound and looks forward to this all year. She goes to town with all the stuff, dresses as a witch and puts a smoke machine under her wheelchair to greet all the kids. She'll give away over 200 goody bags that she's made up herself and she gets real joy out of the kids singing or doing a wee dance. The kids love it and come back year after year whilst some parents will come round to thank her with flowers the next day.

Last year a woman came to the door and asked if it was OK if her wee boy came to visit, even though they'd moved to another town 10 miles away. He'd been coming every year since he was a toddler and was really upset at the thought of missing out.

It brings joy and happiness to a lot of people. I'm sorry for those that can’t see that.

 

[markemark]

My eldest (teenager) still loves it. They spend hours dressing up, hanging out with their mates and come back with a bucket of sweets which they don't really want and give to their younger siblings. It's a great night for all concerned and whether driven by commercialism or not, they don't spend much and get plenty from it. Or maybe they should be adults like some on here and spend their socialising money on restaurants and pubs which is far more honourable with no social issues and not commercial....

 

[gavroche]

When I was much younger, pumpkins were used for making soup and not that stupid idea of Halloween . How many people still make soup out if it nowadays ? I bet it doesn't even cross their minds .

 

[T4tomo]

Inspired by my neighbours I've tried to put a large pumpkin on my doorstep, but it wont fit, its too much of a squash...

 

[gbb]

The waste upsets me. The energy and resources that goes into producing them.

Along with the black plastic tut that has been made and brought from China and will be in landfill by the end of November.

I'm anti Halloween and pro All Saints. It's my Protestant upbringing.

Well, I said. I'll go away and hide now.

Tbf, I detest our now literally throw away society, exactly as you describe, millions of pieces of literal tat, use once (some of it not at all) and throw it away.
I didnt realise how bad it was until we've taken two grandkids under our wings.
Tat, tat everywhere , usually toys nowadays seem to have a hundred pieces of plastic extras most of which are just 'filler', don't get used, then thrown away. Does my head in....

 

[Dogtrousers]

Inspired by my neighbours I've tried to put a large pumpkin on my doorstep, but it wont fit, its too much of a squash...

Oh my gourd

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I used to grow my own pumpkins when the kids were little. TBH they don't do a lot for me on the culinary front so once the lantern thing wore off for the kids I reverted to growing carrots, beans and the like.

 

[Julia9054]

My father in law went through a growing giant vegetables phase.
One year we had a 72 pound pumpkin. It took all weekend to scoop out and carve but looked incredible sitting on the porch.
Unfortunately, due to living down a long dark lane, no trick or treaters came.
We couldn't figure out how to easily dispose of it so it sat there rotting for a few weeks! (Far scarier imo)