Halloween

[TheQ]

On ‎31‎/‎10‎/‎2015 at 11:51 AM, Hylander said:

Edit out a bit...by The Q

I can remember going to St Augustus when we were on Loch Ness and seeing an exhibition at the castle of days of yore and I gather the Scots only wore these kilts that extended over the shoulder and torso.   They wore nothing else.  I can remember saying blooming heck they must have been made of sterner stuff than me.

end edited quote

Actually that's not true, the kilt came into being sometime around the life of Henry VIII  / James IV / James V.

The Great Kilt, AKA the Feileadh Mòr, AKA the Great Plaid, which translates to the big blanket in English. It was an over coat worn on top of the "leine".

The Leine  was the linen clothing which pulled over the head it reached the knees and had full arms to the wrists, which had been worn by peasants all over Europe. But where in the rest of Europe and the UK the "leine" gradually shortened to become the shirt and the leggings gradually turned into a PAIR of trousers. In the Highlands of Scotland the kilt gradually changed into the kilt of today, and the leine into a shirt.

The remains of the Leine which was still worn in country areas in the rest of the UK to as late as the 1850s, can still , be seen today, as the fishermans / carpenters / Farmers smock

I'd point out that the leine was also your underwear and  as it changed into a shirt ,the traditional curve down of a long shirt was even longer and pulled up between your legs inside a pair of trousers to be your under wear. In a kilt of course when combined with the Feileadh Beg ( little kilt without the big bit thrown over the shoulders) the belt of the Feileadh Beg would hold up the shirt tail.

The False " tradition of not wearing anything under the kilt comes from the Military.  the military as they are started issuing the short tail shirts to all the Army, a leaving nothing to protect the kilt, while the trousered service men started wearing underwear under their trousers the kilted did not (but they do today).

 

 

[Hylander]

I think the idea of putting a pumpkin out front of your house to indicate that you dont mind folks calling is a good one.   The thought of our elderly being terrorised and threatened by some half brain out for money is extremely worrying.   Of course dont forget we have effectively got no police anymore so its every man for himself.       When I get doddery I will sit with my lights out all evening.

 

 

[Bound2Please]

8 hours ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

Yeah, we were young once, but we DID`NT go knocking on strangers doors expecting goodies. No better than beggers on the streets. Trick or treat is an americanism thats been forced upon us by the media and marketing groups. Am i wrong?, just look at all the halloween crap that`s sold in all the supermarkets etc, which is all vat applicable by the way.

If i had my way, i`d outlaw it, and any parent who willfully sends their kids out pestering, and possibly frightening vulnerable old or infirm people into giving out freebies that they should go and buy themselves, should be shot.

I would personally say shoot on site any idiot with a tazer unless they are the PROPER LAW enforcers. For your remark about shooting your remark about shooting. I hope that the gun licensing officer of your area is reading this and revokes any gun licenses you may have and confiscates any guns you may own.

People talk about youngsters and weapons, how can we edumacate them when people of the order ages are are making threats to shoot people knocking on doors. Idiot with a capital "I" really springs to mind here

Charlie

(RANT OVER MODS)

[Gracie]

Well said  I don't think an hour of fun with your little one's knocking on friends and neighbour's doors is so criminal that it warrants a threat of being shot

Grace

[JennyMorgan]

53 minutes ago, Hylander said:

I think the idea of putting a pumpkin out front of your house to indicate that you dont mind folks calling is a good one.   The thought of our elderly being terrorised and threatened by some half brain out for money is extremely worrying.   Of course dont forget we have effectively got no police anymore so its every man for himself.       When I get doddery I will sit with my lights out all evening.

 

 

We had an illuminated pumpkin in the window, and a tin of quality street by the door, no probs. At about nine o'clock, when the young 'brats' turned into six foot lads, we took the pumpkin out of the window and the calls ceased, It all went very smoothly & my grandson, in his skeleton outfit, had a great time helping us answer the door! 

[Happy]

My mum, god bless her, lived on her own and in later years would be seriously frightened so we found a simply soloution was a polite note:  NO TRICK OR TREAT PLEASE! on the front door.  Thankfully it was respected.  On another note, we had about 20 groups visit us last night, all very well behaved and dressed for the occasion.  We nearly ran out of stuff to give then and nearly had to resort to money! A great night was had by all.

[ranworthbreeze]

Personally Tan and I are glad when Halloween is all over. We regard that this over the last decade or so has become another Americanized event that has got out of hand.

We do not encourage it at all but we only had one group of 4 girls about 12 years old who came to the door at around 8.00 pm, I was not feeling too well I caught Lucas's cold so Tan went to the door after the kids kept banging on the windows.

If people want to join in with this Americanized event then signs such as lit pumpkins should be adhered to and leave the rest of us alone.

Regards

Alan

[MauriceMynah]

Several different things have come to light on this thread, some of which I think warrant further comment. Firstly on topic... Yes "trick or treat" is an Americanism, but that doesn't necessarily make it a bad thing. Lots of wonderful things have come from the colonies, and I'm sure I'll think of one soon.

To "mark out" your house as being one ready and welcoming to trick-or-treaters is important. and it should be an opt-in thing rather than having to do anything to opt-out.

There need to be guidelines as to what is acceptable as a "Trick" Letting off fireworks is certainly NOT one. even egging is questionable.

People willing to receive trick-or-treaters should be prepared to say "Trick" sometimes. Firstly because it will teach kids that things don't always go their way and second it might encourage kids to be imaginative as to how they can fulfill their 'threat'.

Personally, I would be one who would NOT want trick-or-treaters visiting, but that's just me. When they used to come I would just smile and say "no thank you" and gently close the door. sometimes getting it egged, sometimes not. I like the idea of the sign in the door, that should give added protection if necessary. 

Finally Tasering children and having their parents shot. Oh come off it ladies and gentlemen, we all know that this is just a figure of speech and should only be taken as a stronger level of disapproval than just "me no like"! If we were to take it any more literally than that we'd all have been shot years ago, well me certainly!!

having said that... actually................ tasering children does sound rather fun :0

[Gracie]

I make no apologies for finding 'that' post offensive, I know everyone is entitled to their opinion , there are ways of putting your view across without resorting to such venom

To insinuate that my children are beggars and thieves is simply not on

I will not say anymore on this subject and hope it gets put to bed so to speak,

Grace

[Bound2Please]

35 minutes ago, ranworthbreeze said:

Personally Tan and I are glad when Halloween is all over. We regard that this over the last decade or so has become another Americanized event that has got out of hand.

 

Sorry Alan but we had Halloween parties when I was at school in the mid 1960's when I was still at school. My kids had Halloween parties at all their schools in the 1980's and 90's so nothing has changed over the years only as some get older they seem to get grumpy about things in general.

My fore fathers fought two world wars just so that people like you and me are free to say and do as we like and do. So lets let the youngsters of today have some fun once a year. When i was a kid penny for the guy outside railway stations etc was far more like begging than trick or treating.

I would rather kids knock at my door even egg or flour my house than go mugging old people in alleys

I thought my rant was over.... well it is now on this .

Charlie

 

PS dont anyone dare say remembrance poppys are ofencive on here, if you do youll see an even bigger rant.

[Regulo]

Can't get the cyanide to lace the sweets with nowadays. 

 

Yes, I'm taking the p**s. Before you all send the vigilante posse round !

[JanetAnne]

I think we managed to take part...

[Happy]

9 minutes ago, JanetAnne said:

I think we managed to take part...

 

[Happy]

 That really did make my single pumpkin and lantern a bit naff then!  Must try harder.

[Poppy]

   

[TheQ]

54 minutes ago, Bound2Please said:

Sorry Alan but we had Halloween parties when I was at school in the mid 1960's when I was still at school. My kids had Halloween parties at all their schools in the 1980's and 90's so nothing has changed over the years only as some get older they seem to get grumpy about things in general.

deleted a but

Charlie

PS dont anyone dare say remembrance poppys are ofencive on here, if you do youll see an even bigger rant.

 

This must be a regional thing because at none of the primary Schools ( from 1962) (Northern Ireland and Wiltshire ) and None of the Secondary schools (Wiltshire , the Outer Hebridies and Inverness) was Halloween even mentioned as something to do with school,. Whereas the English schools did teach about Guido Fawkes and co, but fireworks night was a bonfire in your own back garden

Halloween was not celebrated or any fuss made about in any of those areas.

Came to that none of the schools had parties,  although my School in the outer Hebrides did have an end of school year Highland dance.

[JennyMorgan]

I am really surprised that the 'venomous posts' have been taken seriously. Come on folks, black humour may not be your thing but no one is seriously going to taser those that they disapprove of, surely? Perhaps we need a tongue in cheek emotive.

[TheQ]

33 minutes ago, Poppy said:

   

Thanks giving 24th November?

 

When we got rid of the ungrateful colonists....

[Poppy]

18 minutes ago, TheQ said:

This must be a regional thing because at none of the primary Schools ( from 1962) (Northern Ireland and Wiltshire ) and None of the Secondary schools (Wiltshire , the Outer Hebridies and Inverness) was Halloween even mentioned as something to do with school,. Whereas the English schools did teach about Guido Fawkes and co, but fireworks night was a bonfire in your own back garden

Halloween was not celebrated or any fuss made about in any of those areas.

Came to that none of the schools had parties,  although my School in the outer Hebrides did have an end of school year Highland dance.

The first time we ever encountered the Halloween thing was on a visit north of the border in 1970. It wasn't for a few more years that we saw it emerge in Essex where we then lived.  Clearly it IS an 'American import' - the shops in Scotland all those years ago carried none of the 'tat' seen today.

God forbid that 'Thanksgiving' should be thrust upon us.....

[Vaughan]

We never had any trouble with this, as if anyone came knocking on the door of Morning Flight on Halloween, they would have had to swim the river first!

I have lovely and lasting memories, however, of carol singing on Christmas Eve. Langley school also provided the front rows of the choir of Thorpe church, and we would go all around the Thorpe road area that night, complete with oil lanterns, singing carols (in proper harmony) at doorways. Our last call, at about 9PM, would be to get on to Hearts old flat ferry boat, paddle out into the middle of the river and sing a carol alongside Morning Flight.

My father and mother would then invite the choir on board for sherry and mince pies (regardless of age) in front of the fire in the saloon. That was the way to do it!

[Poppy]

Just now, TheQ said:

Thanks giving 24th November?

 

When we got rid of the ungrateful colonists....

I was thinking of the ******mas thing. 

[TheQ]

Ah in 1971, I was living with the God fearing Gaels, not those heathen southerners the Scots. 

(And yes thats how they saw it out there).

For many even Christmas was not celebrated with parties out there, church going yes, parties no.

 

Of course having time off for Christmas is comparitively modern, only starting in late Victorian times and not being generally universal to post WW2.

I myself have had to work for half my working life on Chrismas day but thats shift work for you..

[Bound2Please]

4 minutes ago, Poppy said:

The first time we ever encountered the Halloween thing was on a visit north of the border in 1970. It wasn't for a few more years that we saw it emerge in Essex where we then lived.  Clearly it IS an 'American import' - the shops in Scotland all those years ago carried none of the 'tat' seen today.

God forbid that 'Thanksgiving' should be thrust upon us.....

Even in the mid 60's Brentwood secondary modern was having Halloween parties at the school I can assure you poppy

Charlie

[TheQ]

I've just chatted to several in my work area about my age and it seems that You, Bound2Please were ahead of the pack, those my age or older had nothing to do with Halloween at school. 5 -10 years younger and yes some had halloween parties at school.

[grendel]

I cant recall any halloween parties at school, I can however remember as a young adult attending some halloween themed fancy dress parties at this time of year, maybe early 80's. I do remembering being congratulated on my stiches on my forehead one year (only a few weeks after having a stone break the windscreen on my van, cutting my head open).