Halloween

[Gemini]

It's almost that time again.
Last year I had a Halloween party for the 3 GC, as it was a way for them all to be together, with the restrictions at the time, as we made it a childcare day.

No party this year. Things are more normal so they can do their own Halloween things.

GD and GS2 will be here on Thursday. GS was very keen for us to do Halloween crafts, which we will do.
I have decorated the house for Halloween already. They can have some of the Trick or Treat sweets, and as GS loves my treasure hunts, I will do one of those.

Halloween falls on Sunday this year. I am going to leave the Halloween cauldron with sweeties in on a table on the front step, with pumpkin and a sign saying Please Help Yourself.

[Oma]

I have all my decorations ready to go up and Pumpkins for the windows ,

We didn't get more than two trick or treaters last year due to lockdown but im hoping we do this year ,

I have bought treats I know B will eat if no one comes likes of mini chocolate bars crunchies etc .

[WeeGranny]

I used to love Hallowe'en when I was a child in Scotland when there was none of this horrible Americanisation! We dressed up and went 'guising' ( no ghoulish costumes)round the neighbours where we had to do a 'turn', sing a song or say a poem or tell a joke and we'd get mostly money. We had dookin' for apples, eating treacle scone hung on a string across the room, turnip lanterns, toffee apples. Innocent times! We don't do anything now! Miserable old s***!

[Gemini]

We eat whatever is left by 8pm Oma, as we always turn off the lights then Leaving some for GC of course

[Nanto2girls]

We don't bother doing anything for Halloween.
But, a few days ago i won a pumkin tealight holder.
It came with a battery powered tealight,so we decided we will put in the window at Halloween.

[Daisy]

We don't make a big thing of it, but we do put a pumpkin or lantern out to say we're happy for local children to come trick or treating.

In our road, no light/pumpkin means the children don't call. We may be out anyway this year, but I've got goodies in case we are at home.

We had our GDs today and they did pumpkins which they've taken home.

[Oma]

We have the same rule around here Daisy ,
If a pumpkin is in the window or at the door it means they can knock for a treat

WG when we were small and when my children were small it was Turnip lanterns , I can still remember the smell of the top burning from the candle inside ,

[Gemini]

Same rule in our village. No pumpkin or other visible sign of Halloween outside, no knocking on doors.

We had the the turnip lanterns too Oma.

[Lizzie48]

We used to have the turnip lanterns, had mash the next day with the fillings! Some area's do halloween here, apart from that not many houses have pumpkins etc. DS1 is giving a surprise Halloween party for GD1 on Saturday evening, I hope it stays dry for that. They are having a silent disco, earphones in I understand.

[WeeGranny]

I'd forgotten about the smell of the candle burning in the turnips Oma! How could I forget that?

In my first year of teaching I had to do Handwork with the boys in my class while the girls had needlework with another teacher. We made turnip lanterns... the classroom stunk for days! Head wasn't too pleased that I'd deviated from what I was supposed to be teaching them, but at least they enjoyed the lesson!

[Nanto2girls]

We had the turnip lanterns as well.
They were hard as well. Pumpkins are are easier.

[Oma]

My niece had me laughing the other day but what she said was true ,
She said can you remember when we were small in the 90's having Turnip lanterns with candles in ,
A plastic bin bag as a witch's Halloween costume and wearing a shell suit under that ,
Talk about flammable its amazing anyone survived

When you think back she was right .

When we were children we could buy London light matches , Penny bangers , sparklers from the shops
You wouldn't dream of allowing that these days
And sitting outside pubs playing Penny for the Guy , with the Guy on a go cart ( boggie) dressed up in rags and stuffed with whatever you could find
All the drunks would come out and give you there loose change .

A different world in them days .

[Lizzie48]

You are right Oma, just think of all that happening nowadays! With bonfire night we used to stand throwing things on all evening, never thought of getting burnt! As you say, a different world altogether.

[WeeGranny]

I remember my DB and his friend getting their hair singed when they checked a firework that hadn't gone off.. but did when they poked it!

Sitting in a bogie going down a hill with no brakes except your feet...... those were the days Oma!!!

[Oma]

WG my brother never had toes in his sandshoes because having no brakes he used his feet hahaha