Just learned they have this thing around here called "beggar's day." Kids trick or treat the day before Halloween. I'm guessing it's so they don't run into too many drunks, or so their parents can get fucked up on Halloween day.
Happy Halloween!
Growing up the night before Halloween was devils night, and that's when all the vandalism happened.
Wasn't it ole Monkeybutt who called Halloween beggar's day?
It's mischief night in some parts of the UK. In my town totally unknown but pretty big round Lancashire apparently.
Quote from: Josquius on October 29, 2024, 04:18:55 PMIt's mischief night in some parts of the UK. In my town totally unknown but pretty big round Lancashire apparently.
Mischief Night in Philadelphia/New Jersey also.
It was Devil's Night in Detroit, where people of all colors and creeds came together as one to burn down the city. :)
That proud tradition ended in 1995 when then new mayor, Dennis Archer, coordinated between citizens groups, law enforcement, emergency units and business to put together an effort to stop the arson. I assisted in that effort as my employer, Nextel, supplied the phones to a number of the various groups. (The previous mayor, Coleman Young, "Solved" the problem by blaming the media and the suburbs; not a very effective solution, but a very Detroit one. Sometimes you have to sacrifice whole city blocks in order to keep it real.)
No fires in my neck of the woods, that I recall. Plenty of TP and eggs. Occasionally graffiti'd or toppled grave stones.
So how much candy/chocolate are you supposed to give each kid? In the UK? I hope they won't turn up and I still have a few years before having to do this because of the kid, but it's completely new to me as obviously they won't be coming to flats.
EDIT: I have done research and apparently if we don't indicate we welcome people (such as decoration or porch light on) they shall leave us alone.
The tyranny of Halloween!
Quote from: Tamas on October 30, 2024, 06:42:13 AMSo how much candy/chocolate are you supposed to give each kid? In the UK? I hope they won't turn up and I still have a few years before having to do this because of the kid, but it's completely new to me as obviously they won't be coming to flats.
EDIT: I have done research and apparently if we don't indicate we welcome people (such as decoration or porch light on) they shall leave us alone.
That's right. Hollow pumpkin with a candle in it is the sign (at least round my way). I used to quite like it when my kid was young and we joined in but can't be arsed now.
Yeah Halloween was great fun as a parent to really young kids. Little kids in costumes are of course adorable, and it's actually a nice way to go around and say hi to all your neighbours you don't necessarily talk to.
My kids now are old enough to go out by themselves, so as an adult it's not nearly as much fun.
Quote from: Tamas on October 30, 2024, 06:42:13 AMSo how much candy/chocolate are you supposed to give each kid? In the UK? I hope they won't turn up and I still have a few years before having to do this because of the kid, but it's completely new to me as obviously they won't be coming to flats.
One full sized chocolate bar or three fun sized.
Naw, it depends on the number of kids you get. If few, spoil them rotten. If many, be stingy.
I'll get about 100 kids. Most will get 3 candy, I give larger amounts to the younger kids that have really cool costumes or seem quite intimidated.
I live very close to a high school, I have to spend the 4'oclock hour telling teenagers to come back after 6 in disguised if they want any candy.
Can't blame them for trying
I wanted to do the "potato vs candy" thing this year.
You still have all your regular candy, but you offer every kid a choice - either candy, or one potato. While lots of kids still take the candy, apparently quite a few kids get excited by getting a potato. Maybe it's just the novelty of it.
Unfortunately I won't be handing out candy at my place this year as I have a rec hockey game.
The novelty of a potato? :hmm:
Quote from: garbon on October 31, 2024, 11:46:31 AMThe novelty of a potato? :hmm:
For Halloween? Sure.
But it's an actual thing. Go ahead and google it.
I suspect the amusement is being given a choice between candy, or a potato (giving only potatoes sounds like a good way to get a potato through your window before the end of the night).
Forget it Jake - it's Edmonton.
We always special order full size candy instead of the little crap they give you at stores these days. Now we are neighborhood famous for being the full size candy bar house.
My gf bought candy for 300 kids, like I wrote before we only get about a 100.😆
Dropped by Walgreen's to pick up some more candy, and was startled by the significant price differences. A family size bag of mini Kitkats at $19 vs. Twix at $5. Guess which one I grabbed.
Quote from: Grey Fox on October 31, 2024, 07:29:06 PMMy gf bought candy for 300 kids, like I wrote before we only get about a 100.😆
At this point isn't she your wife under the Quebec Civil Code?
Quote from: Grey Fox on October 31, 2024, 07:29:06 PMMy gf bought candy for 300 kids, like I wrote before we only get about a 100.😆
"Only"?
Thats insanely high. Every house round there has kids?
Quote from: crazy canuck on November 01, 2024, 07:12:22 AMQuote from: Grey Fox on October 31, 2024, 07:29:06 PMMy gf bought candy for 300 kids, like I wrote before we only get about a 100.😆
At this point isn't she your wife under the Quebec Civil Code?
The equivalent, yes. It only takes a year of living together for it to trigger.
Quote from: Josquius on November 01, 2024, 07:41:42 AMQuote from: Grey Fox on October 31, 2024, 07:29:06 PMMy gf bought candy for 300 kids, like I wrote before we only get about a 100.😆
"Only"?
Thats insanely high. Every house round there has kids?
No, not at all. Maybe 1 in 4 or even 1 in 5. I live in a big suburb. The area denoted by the 1st 3 characters of my postal code is 37k, just over 1000/km² density.
We give out the full sized candy bars as well. Some kids still ask for extra; so we tell them that they have to perform for us if they want a second piece. Only one kid took us up on that last night, and told us a joke:
Q: What's the scariest tree in the forest?
A: Bam-BOO!
(Yes, bamboo is a grass, not a tree. It was still worth a second piece of candy.)
We've gone over to the full-size chocolate bars - I think it's a thing pushed by candy companies as you can easily buy boxed of full-size bars leading up to Halloween.
I kind of feel like it's too much candy though. As a kid (or adult!) you can scarf down like dozens of the mini candies, but one or two full size bars and you're kind of done.
I heard on the radio reports of someone handing out full family-size bags of chips this year...
My kids weirdly got water pistols and a cheap little toy spider amongst the sweets.
Is this standard? :/
Mine got a packet of ramen noodles, which she was very excited about.
One of the houses was handing out rocks Charlie Brown style. But they were actually geods that my kids thought were cool.
Wasn't home to distribute candy. I started a historical movie night at my university, every second Thursday. So last night, I showed "The Witch".
:lol: Fantastic choice.