Halloween traditions in your country

[JasonTakeshi]

Yeah I remember going to parties in both Portugal and Italy. Don't know if I can call it a "tradition" but it's hella hella fun.

I'm going to a Halloween party tomorrow dressed as a satanic priest.

[JustinRossTso]

;D! We always go trick-or-treating... but I'm a bit too old for it now (I hope to still go though).

Some people have houses that are decorated really fancily and give out candy! For older people I guess they have costume parties (Like our teachers) and gives them an excuse (as well as the students) to dress up during school.

Things used to be safer when I was younger, but now recently there has been stabbings and gangs of highschool/older kids that would steal candy from little kids.

>;( This is bad, but I'm not sure if it's only my neighbourhood. Halloween is sorta dying because of them!

[GoNative]

It just occurred to me that Halloween was yesterday here in Japan! It didn't click until just now... No matter, no kids around here do trick or treating or dress up or anything anyway.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by GoNative

It just occurred to me that Halloween was yesterday here in Japan! It didn't click until just now... No matter, no kids around here do trick or treating or dress up or anything anyway.

What are you talking about? It is 1:15AM Halloween morning in Japan. Halloween is Sunday this year.

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

well here in UK it never used to be celebrated at all--

but like so many things- we have copied America with its Trick andTreating which I loathe.

What could you loathe about trick-or-treating? It's little kids getting dressed up and asking neighbors for candy!

[RobinMask]

Originally Posted by MMM

What are you talking about? It is 1:15AM Halloween morning in Japan. Halloween is Sunday this year.

What could you loathe about trick-or-treating? It's little kids getting dressed up and asking neighbors for candy!

Luckily I live in the countryside, so no trick-or-treaters, but I agree with Dogs, I loathe it too. Great for the kids, frustrating as hell for the people staying at home! Most people in the towns/cities I know turn off all lights and pretend they aren't in, otherwise you're up and down every two seconds dishing out candy :P And if you're staying in you obviously weren't too fussed about the holiday, so why spend money on candy for kids you don't even know? Maybe I'm just a scrooge, but I love Halloween but detest the trick-or-treaters.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by RobinMask

Luckily I live in the countryside, so no trick-or-treaters, but I agree with Dogs, I loathe it too. Great for the kids, frustrating as hell for the people staying at home! Most people in the towns/cities I know turn off all lights and pretend they aren't in, otherwise you're up and down every two seconds dishing out candy :P And if you're staying in you obviously weren't too fussed about the holiday, so why spend money on candy for kids you don't even know? Maybe I'm just a scrooge, but I love Halloween but detest the trick-or-treaters.

I think that is really sad.

For us Halloween is a great chance to catch up with the neighbors and interact with the local kids in a way you normally wouldn't get to. Candy isn't gold bullion... I usually spend under $10.00 on candy, and we probably get about 40 or 50 visitors.

Many of our neighbors put up quite elaborate decorations that are fun to see.

[RobinMask]

Originally Posted by MMM

I think that is really sad.

For us Halloween is a great chance to catch up with the neighbors and interact with the local kids in a way you normally wouldn't get to. Candy isn't gold bullion... I usually spend under $10.00 on candy, and we probably get about 40 or 50 visitors.

Many of our neighbors put up quite elaborate decorations that are fun to see.

Ah, I have to admit I'm kind of envious. I've always loved how Americans go all out for Halloween (aside from the trick-or-treating, lol). It must be really nice to catch up with everyone and to see all the decorations and things.

Here it's pretty dull. Hardly any houses put up any deocrations, to the point it's like 'ah, how strange' when someone actually does. Trick-or-treating is relatively common, and some people throw parties although not often huge ones, but that's about it. It's even really difficult to find 'Halloween specials' on TV any more, and there's hardly any horror films out, even at the cinema. I think (locally at least) most people focus more on Bonfire Night, which is less than a week after, but I don't know, it's a shame. I do love the holiday, but aside from trick-or-treating no one bothers here that much

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by MMM

What could you loathe about trick-or-treating? It's little kids getting dressed up and asking neighbors for candy!

For roughly 10 years now, we go out on Halloween precisely to avoid trick-or-treaters. The problem is (at least around here) is that we don't just get the cute 3-10 year olds who actually live in our road, but the kids from elsewhere, usually all teenagers. They're unsupervised, scare the little kids, harrass the old people in the street (many of whom don't participate with Halloween on religious grounds or are just very frail) and if you don't give them things they like, or enough of it, you'll get your house egged. My dad's car even had it's tyres slashed one year. So basically now the parents tend to arrange for the little kids to just go to certain houses (usually each others) and everyone turns out the lights and either goes out or pretends they aren't home.

[dogsbody70]

sounds as if Inamerica it is a neighbourhood activity.
what I hate about T and T is that it is like a threat== Treat me or something bad will happen to you. sorry I hate that idea.

we usually get some sweets in and give if they do call- but its not for me. why on earth celebrate witches and the devil.

sure it must be fun to go partying and dressing up-- glad many have fun

But sorry I am an old misery where Halloween is concerned.

[RobinMask]

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

sounds as if Inamerica it is a neighbourhood activity.
what I hate about T and T is that it is like a threat== Treat me or something bad will happen to you. sorry I hate that idea.

we usually get some sweets in and give if they do call- but its not for me. why on earth celebrate witches and the devil.

sure it must be fun to go partying and dressing up-- glad many have fun

But sorry I am an old misery where Halloween is concerned.

It's actually not about celebrating witches or the devil. It's based on an old pagan holiay called Samhain, which was about welcoming in the good spirits of our ancestors and scaring away the bad spirits. The whole idea of dressing up as ghosts and ghouls is to do with that it scares away evil spirits. There are similiar-ish holidays in several countries called 'Day of the Dead' and 'All Saints Day', the latter is actually very religious and neither (like the origins of Halloween) are about worshipping witches or devils either