Halloween culture of your country?

[Silkspinner]

So, today I was talking with a non-american, and made a reference to the old 'razor blades in the caramel/candied apple' Urban Legend and he had no idea what I was talking about.

Apparently not only is that legend solely American, but he was like 'and I'm assuming a caramel apple is an apple with caramel on it?'

He'd never even seen one being sold. This shocked me as it's not even so much a halloween tradition as an Autumn one.

So, Americans and non-Americans alike, what would you list as your Halloween culture?

[Coidzor]

Drunken Debauchery and far too many children out during the daylight because parents are too scared to go out in the actual dusk as they have to wait for it to be properly dark and the children stuck in bed so they can have their drunken debauchery.

[nedz]

There is a tradition in the North of England where the night before Halloween kids go out and play pranks, but that doesn't happen in London. Halloween itself is a fairly minor, since we have another event at the beginning of November where we burn an effigy of the Pope Guy Fawkes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night), which tends to crowd it out.:smallbiggrin:

BTW I think you are referring to Toffee Apples :smallsmile:

[Castaras]

Halloween is an excuse to go in fancy dress to places, for kids to guilt trip houses into giving sweets, and for adolescents to egg places.

Fancy dress parties are fun. The latter two I wish would kindly bugger off. Guy Fawkes is much more fun anyway.

[Asta Kask]

Nothing, although the stores here are trying to commercialize it. With little success.

[scurv]

State side it tends to be caramel/candied apple for the fall season. Although Toffee Apples sound good... Thank you for my next culinary endevour

[Castaras]

Toffee Apples over here = Caramel apple over yonder, I believe. Not certain though.

[Tobtor]

I my country (Denmark)there is no native halloween traditions. There are in fact no late fall feast, special events or so. There are some who celebrate Saint Mortens evening (10th of november) (same origin as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Martin%27s_Day). But the only real tradition is that you eat goose or duck on that day - very few people know why it celebrated and very few even remember it.

We have to some extent importet american halloween since it apears in a lot of pop culture (and shops want to fill an otherwise boring season with some sales).

We do have candied apples, i dont know how old the tradition is though. But in the beginning of winter/christmas (which seems by to start about now in the shops....) we have candied almonds (brændte mandler - translates to burnt almonds, but its almonds heated/fried with sucker and a bit of water - does that exist in America or other countries?).

But generally the fall is not our season of traditions - they are from christmas to easter. Our "dress up" tradition is "fastelavn" before lent. WHere such activities as dressing up "making trouble" to you get candy and so on goes on. It is also the day when we beat the cat out of the barrel :smalleek:- yeah I will let you look that one up and see if yopu can find it (look for danish carneval or something like that I asume) :smalltongue:
It is not as cruel as it sounds (though it used to be a hundred years ago).

[Maelstrom]

Toffee Apples over here = Caramel apple over yonder, I believe. Not certain though.

Candy Apple = Toffee Apple...caramel apples something altogether different (and oh so yummy!)

[Katana_Geldar]

Nothing really here. I could probably count on one hand the number of trick or treaters that we've ever had. Shops try and sell Halloween stuff but I have no idea how well they do.

I kind of wish it was bigger, maybe it would delay the Christmas creep.

[Randomguy]

Around Toronto, at least, it's pretty much the same as in the U.S, but less squashing pumpkins and egging houses (though maybe just because I live in a nice neighbourhood). I don't think I've ever actually seen a candied/caramel apple before, though.

[Eldan]

Doesn't exist in Switzerland, at least not traditionally. It's All Hallow's Eve, and good catholics go to church. That's died out, more or less, so the only thign left is recycled American halloween movies on German TV.

[Coidzor]

I kind of wish it was bigger, maybe it would delay the Christmas creep.

Probably not. They started putting out Christmas trees and decorations for sale in September here. September! :smallfurious: I'd have sworn that last year they at least waited until late October to start up with that malarkey.

[Malak'ai]

Nothing traditional here in New Zealand, though in the last decade or so it has started creeping in.
It's funny when kids who don't actually know what it's about come knocking on your door in really crappy costumes (I mean I had a young boy of about 10 turn up last year with a newspaper poncho and a bowl on his head claiming to be a knight) then run screaming when you open the door because you're all dressed up, about to go to a Halloween party yourself :smalltongue:.

[Totally Guy]

I'm going to New York this halloween. Can't wait.

[Eldan]

So, general question. Is Halloween celebrated traditionally anywhere except the US and parts of Britain?

[The Succubus]

Halloween is an excuse to go in fancy dress to places, for kids to guilt trip houses into giving sweets, and for adolescents to egg places.

Fancy dress parties are fun. The latter two I wish would kindly bugger off. Guy Fawkes is much more fun anyway.

I kind of pegged you as being enthusiastic about a festival involving large amounts of fire.

[Togath]

Are the negative clichés(the pumpkin smashing and such[not the false ones about poisoned candies/razor blades]) true in some places?, I've never encountered anything relating to them where I live, but they sound like a widespread clichés(though why anyone would tolerate them seems unfathomable)

[Serpentine]

In Australia, we have dress-up parties around that time, and maybe some horror movies. Very private celebrations, basically. Basically never trick-or-treaters, and when it happens I doubt they have much luck - probably a lot of funny looks. Some shops sell decorations and the like. Few places, if any, decorate outside their homes, unless they have a party on (if then).
You can get toffee apples sometimes, but they're not specifically associated with Halloween, October nor autumn.
Autumn celebrations (which would be around March-May) are very local, if they happen at all. I think the town where I went to uni had an autumn festival, and they were particularly proud of the colour of the autumn leaves they got. Other towns no doubt have their own, but there's definitely nothing even close to as national nor as culturally-ingrained as the US's Halloween.

[factotum]

So, general question. Is Halloween celebrated traditionally anywhere except the US and parts of Britain?

Given it was originally the Christian festival of All Hallows' Eve I would expect it to be celebrated most places that have a long Christian tradition... :smallsmile:

[Madara]

Are the negative clichés(the pumpkin smashing and such[not the false ones about poisoned candies/razor blades]) true in some places?, I've never encountered anything relating to them where I live, but they sound like a widespread clichés(though why anyone would tolerate them seems unfathomable)

It doesn't get too bad. The most we have is a bit of smashed pumpkins and TPing(Which is really annoying when it rains the next day) although, since its cold up here, we have the "Forks in the lawn" trick which can be really nasty.

If anything, the clichés are still around because parents have to explain what "Trick or Treat" means. Although there is this nice old man in my neighborhood who used to play fun tricks on kids (Empty candie wrappers, a fake door...ect)

[Eldan]

Given it was originally the Christian festival of All Hallows' Eve I would expect it to be celebrated most places that have a long Christian tradition... :smallsmile:

True, but that's not what I'm thinkign of. All the modern celebrations associated with Halloween seem to come more from the celtic festivals around that time, with some heavy changes. The disguises, the pumpkins, the ghosts... not very Christian. Sure, it's all hallow's eve here. But I've never seen a pumpkin or a monster mask in church.

[Aedilred]

Halloween is minimal here, but growing. The shops are full of Halloween merchandise but it is still a long way off the same sort of profile it has in the USA. You get the odd group of children trick-or-treating but I've never had more than one group round in an evening, and never have I heard of anyone being "tricked" for any reason.

Bonfire night has a (slightly) higher profile, but it's harder to commercialise, so the retail industry has an interest in pushing Halloween. But then Bonfire Night is a bit weird anyway, as far as festivals go.

We do have toffee apples (caramel apples in the US) but they tend to be more associated with Bonfire Night, presumably because it's an older tradition.

(Yeah, ok, obviously, it's not actually older, because Hallowe'en is a pre-Christian festival. But since it's been around, Bonfire Night has been the autumn festival here and Halloween less so; it's only in the last few decades that Halloween's developed any sort of profile, and even then it tends to be viewed as American and sniffed at).

[Haruki-kun]

Halloween in Mexico is observed. There are specials at stores and children go trick-or-treating during the afternoon/early evening. Houses also get somewhat decorated, schools decorate, and some grown-ups have halloween parties.

It doesn't seem to be as widespread as in the US, though. In the US adults enjoy Halloween almost as much (if not more) than children, while in Mexico it was mostly a tradition done for children alone.

Also, some people in Mexico prefer to boycott the day because (and I quote) "(this tradition) is not even ours". It's not a Mexican holiday, and it's two days before the Day of the Dead, which is a more important holiday to the culture, so some people think it kind of competes with it. It's probably hard to get children interested in the Day of the Dead since it is not often seen on (American) Saturday morning cartoons and movies, and its traditional "in memory of" concept is not as attractive to a kid as the candy and the costumes are.

[Socratov]

(fairly) nonexistent. the amount of halloween that does come through came over from halloween, but then again, begin November we (in the Netherlands) have the feast of St.Martin (Sint Maarten over here) where little kids go form door to door singing and waving about with lanterns, and 5 december we have the source of Santa Claus: i.e. Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas of Myra) where the saint gives presents to good little kids and let's his servants throw candy around. So even though for grown-ups we have little (yay halloween party with girls with slutty costumes), for kids it's a paradise over here :smallbiggrin:

Also the parties that do happen here as a result of cultural mingling are ok I guess. I can't tell you about the funniest costume I saw though, it would violate at least 3 of the biggest rules :smallyuk:

[Eldan]

Heh, I forgot those. Though Saint Nicolas (here on the sixth) is really quite a bit away from Halloween. We do have St. Martin, though. It's the start of Carneval, though all the other carneval celebrations are in February.

[Asta Kask]

We do, however, have a tradition involving kids dressing up as witches and asking for candy from random strangers. But that's for Easter.

[Mynxae]

As far as I know, around here in Aus we don't really celebrate Halloween. If anything it's an excuse for a party full of booze. Rarely have I seen people even prepare any candy, lollies etc for kids if they come knocking. My old neighbourhood had a thing where they sent out a letter in the mail in the estate (a few hundred houses, my Dad's estate, posh place) to put your front light on if you were participating so the kids knew where to go and where not to go. /shrugs :smallsmile:

[North_Ranger]

I would say practically non-existant in Finland, as All Hallows' Eve is pretty much considered the one day in autumn when people visit graves of the dearly departed. There's been some effort on the side of stores to bring Halloween parties and masks and such up, but they're mostly for kids. Trick or treating doesn't happen, but at least in the universities and such young people tend to have costume parties and such.

The reason why trick or treating probably hasn't landed here is because we have two winter/spring holidays that fulfil the same function: St Knut's Day (January 13), when children dress up in monster costumes and "take Christmas away" by getting treats (essentially a gentle version of Krampus, if you will). And then there's Eastertime, when kids dress up as witches and such, and exchange decorated branches for candy.

[scurv]

recipes for carmal and toffee apples, They do seem comparable if somewhat different from each other.
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/13599/homemade-toffee-apples

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Carnival-Caramel-Apples

Although this does look like something to do with the girl-scouts one of these weeks soon.

[Rakmakallan]

Non-existent here. Our equivalent celebration would be carnival in February, but even so, the festivities are quite different from Halloween.
The Orthodox All Hallows' Eve, called Aghioi Pantes (All Saints) is June 10th.

[Aedilred]

recipes for carmal and toffee apples, They do seem comparable if somewhat different from each other.
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/13599/homemade-toffee-apples

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Carnival-Caramel-Apples

Although this does look like something to do with the girl-scouts one of these weeks soon.
Given that those are sample recipes, they're basically the same thing. The caramel apple recipe there just includes a couple of extra flavourings. I've seen loads of different recipes for toffee apples, some of which were more involved like that one, and some which were very basic like the Good Foods one.

A toffee apple is just an apple, coated with some form of sugar mixture, as is a caramel apple.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Nothing really here. I could probably count on one hand the number of trick or treaters that we've ever had. Shops try and sell Halloween stuff but I have no idea how well they do.

I kind of wish it was bigger, maybe it would delay the Christmas creep.

It doesn't here. I was in a big superstore yesterday, and me and my friends went to go checkout what Halloween costumes they had for fun. They were already setting up the adjacent section section for Christmas. And us Americans actually have a decently big holiday *cough* Thanksgiving *cough* in between the two.

[Asta Kask]

As far as I know, around here in Aus we don't really celebrate Halloween. If anything it's an excuse for a party full of booze.

You need an excuse for that?

[scurv]

http://www.chow.com/food-news/54692/how-is-toffee-different-from-caramel/

edit// How Is Toffee Different from Caramel?

[The Succubus]

Toffee is considerably thicker than caramel and often has a more buttery taste to it. It also tears my teeth out which is why I never eat the wretched stuff. :smallyuk:

Besides, who'd ruin a perfectly sweet and crunchy apple by dumping toffee or caramel over it? =/

[Malak'ai]

Toffee is considerably thicker than caramel and often has a more buttery taste to it. It also tears my teeth out which is why I never eat the wretched stuff. :smallyuk:

Besides, who'd ruin a perfectly sweet and crunchy apple by dumping toffee or caramel over it? =/

Evil Dentists wanting more patients? :smallamused:

[noparlpf]

There is a tradition in the North of England where the night before Halloween kids go out and play pranks, but that doesn't happen in London. Halloween itself is a fairly minor, since we have another event at the beginning of November where we burn an effigy of the Pope Guy Fawkes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night), which tends to crowd it out.:smallbiggrin:

BTW I think you are referring to Toffee Apples :smallsmile:

Around here it's not so much "kids" as "teens" who go out and play "pranks". Pranks being vandalism, mostly.

[Coidzor]

Did someone mention dentists (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOtMizMQ6oM)!? :smallamused:

[Malak'ai]

Did someone mention dentists (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOtMizMQ6oM)!? :smallamused:

Holy Man Eating Venus Fly Trap!
I have not seen that movie in about 20 years! I remember watching with my mother when I was about 7 or 8 years old!

[Scarlet Knight]

I'm going to New York this halloween. Can't wait.

If you are coming to NY City to visit people, check with your hosts to see if you can attend the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. It is probably something you will either remember or regret doing for the rest of your life.

[ForzaFiori]

Around here Halloween is pretty big:

most towns have their downtown areas all decorated and you can trick-or-treat stores, most churches do similar things were members of the congregation bring candy and everyone goes from car to car to get it.
Little kids trick-or-treat from as early as you can get away with it to as late as you can get away with it, teens tend to do pranks: TPing houses, smash pumpkins, egg houses, etc. Haunted houses are also very big - I live in a small town in a rural area, and there are at least 5 or 6 professional haunted houses. Once you can't trick or treat you go to a slutty halloween party (probably the best part of the holiday :smallbiggrin:)


Are the negative clichés(the pumpkin smashing and such[not the false ones about poisoned candies/razor blades]) true in some places?, I've never encountered anything relating to them where I live, but they sound like a widespread clichés(though why anyone would tolerate them seems unfathomable)

I don't remember where I saw this (so the claim may be iffy) but I think that the only times that we can definitively say that candy caused the death of a kid, it was actually tampered with by the family of the children, rather than the person giving them out.

[ThiagoMartell]

There is not much of a halloween culture here. Kids usually have a small party at school and get to wear costumes.
Young adults throw costume parties with lots of booze.
Older people don't care.

[Adlan]

I don't remember where I saw this (so the claim may be iffy) but I think that the only times that we can definitively say that candy caused the death of a kid, it was actually tampered with by the family of the children, rather than the person giving them out.


AFAIK, the Origin of the tampered Halloween candy was the Satanic Panic of the 70's and 80's amongst certain christian groups and only after they publicised stories about satanists and pagan's poisoning and sabotaging, as well as 'cursing' the Halloween Candy did anything like that get recorded as a real incident.

[Ravens_cry]

In Canada I see a lot less Candy corn than in the States, despite being apparently a common Halloween treat to give away according to most media from the USA.
It might be just a British Columbia thing.

[Serpentine]

I don't know what candy corn is :I Is it kernels of corn with sugar on them? Or is it like caramel popcorn? Or... I don't even know. And I'm too lazy to google it.

[Ravens_cry]

I don't know what candy corn is :I Is it kernels of corn with sugar on them? Or is it like caramel popcorn? Or... I don't even know. And I'm too lazy to google it.

Apparently it's tri coloured little marshmallows, coloured white, orange and yellow, shaped kind of like kernels of corn. It was only this year I actually saw it in real life.

[Megaduck]

In Sweden they do not celebrate Halloween but rather All Saints Day on November 1.

What happens is that family's go into the graveyards at dusk and light candles on the graves of loved ones. My in-laws are Swedish so I went to lay candles for my grandparents-in-law (Is that a word?) In some ways it feels like Halloween, lots of people in graveyards and the smell of candles everywhere. The tone however is completely different, like comparing lighting incense at a rave or a church.

The graveyard awash with flicking candles was extremely beautiful.

[Leon]

Last year some kids turned up at the door expecting lollies and my (then) Housmate gave them a bar of chocolate* and i got a earful about how she "wasn't notified that it was happening" - something i have never seen any indication that you get notified that kids are going to show up wanting lollies.
Lived in this city for 12 years now and last year was the 1st time i had ever seen anyone trick or treating.

Anyone who turns up at my door expecting me to give out free Chocolate is sorely mistaken










*and didn't she damm well freak out when i bought a replacement block of chocolate for her...

[Togath]

Apparently it's tri coloured little marshmallows, coloured white, orange and yellow, shaped kind of like kernels of corn. It was only this year I actually saw it in real life.

There also sometimes coloured black, orange, and white as well, and pumpkin shaped ones have become semi-common as well.
They have a texture sort of like a combination of fondant and stiff marzipan.

[Ravens_cry]

There also sometimes coloured black, orange, and white as well, and pumpkin shaped ones have become semi-common as well.
Huh, interesting,
What I do see a lot, and I love because, well, bad chocolate is still chocolate, are those little balls of chocolate (the size of a marble) wrapped in foil wrapping that looks like a jack-o-lantern.
I hate Rockets, what the US calls Smarties, but love little boxes of Smarties, basically similar to M&Ms. Pop open the box, throw down the hatch. Yum!

[Serpentine]

Candy corn sounds kinda gross...

[Togath]

It's sort of a sharp butterscotch flavour, or perhaps a buttery marshmallow. And the texture(I thought of a better way to describe it) is sort of like firm red bean paste.
Another autumn dish(sometimes out of season as well, if using dried pumpkin seeds) I sometimes encounter/make are fried or baked pumpkin seeds.

[noparlpf]

Apparently it's tri coloured little marshmallows, coloured white, orange and yellow, shaped kind of like kernels of corn. It was only this year I actually saw it in real life.

It's not marshmallow, it's like a sort of congealed corn syrup mixture dyed bright colours.


Candy corn sounds kinda gross...

Yeah, a bit. It also leaves a nasty aftertaste in my mouth.

[Traab]

Are the negative clichés(the pumpkin smashing and such[not the false ones about poisoned candies/razor blades]) true in some places?, I've never encountered anything relating to them where I live, but they sound like a widespread clichés(though why anyone would tolerate them seems unfathomable)

Sometimes. When I was younger, it was common for "Mischief Night" that the next morning you woke up to alot of toilet paper thrown around trees. There was less malicious stuff like pumpkin smashing and egg tossing however, though it did happen every once in awhile. Sometimes shaving cream on doors and windows. But it seems to have faded as a tradition around here. (Or maybe its the fact that its been 15 years and those who did it are adults now) You might see a tree or two with a bit of paper on them, but thats about it.

[Eldan]

I think the police in Zurich tried to enforce a curfew on the 31 for people under the age of 16, or something. Because a few idiots confused "Trick or treat" with "smash windshields and break into houses".

[tyckspoon]

Candy corn sounds kinda gross...

It's pretty nasty, yeah. IMO, candy corn is one of those "are you sure you're really human?" tests- people who like it have a high probability of actually being a robot/alien/pod-creature/etc.

[THAC0]

There was less malicious stuff like pumpkin smashing

Pumpkin smashing is pretty darn malicious IMO, since it usually involves stealing carved pumpkins (that some child has spend time and effort to carve) and brutally destroying it where said child will see it.

[Traab]

Pumpkin smashing is pretty darn malicious IMO, since it usually involves stealing carved pumpkins (that some child has spend time and effort to carve) and brutally destroying it where said child will see it.

I meant there was less OF the malicious stuff, like smashing pumpkins.

[Bulldog Psion]

It's pretty nasty, yeah. IMO, candy corn is one of those "are you sure you're really human?" tests- people who like it have a high probability of actually being a robot/alien/pod-creature/etc.

Uh-oh -- I've been unmasked. :smalleek:

:belkar: Muahahahahaha!!!!

[Silkspinner]

OP here, and I can't say as I 'like' candy corn much, but it's nothing gross. It's just that, a type of flavored and hardened corn syrup. Butterscotch like flavor.

Toffee I've never tasted, but I've been told it's nothing like caramel. Caramel for apples is usually quite soft and not very chewy. More like congealed honey, and not sure how to describe taste, except it goes amazingly well with apples and brings out their flavor.
Apparently some twits 'did' put razor blades in them, but you take one bite and know, so no one has ever swallowed one or died from them. Worst reported case was a guy who got a couple stitches in his gums.

Both though are as much 'Autumn' treats as they are Halloween though.

In my neck of the south U.S. TPing happens pretty often, but I've never heard of anyone actually being egged. Then again, TPing is mainly an ugly, if harmless prank, while egging can cause damage. Egg around here you'll probably get shot.

[THAC0]

I meant there was less OF the malicious stuff, like smashing pumpkins.

Ohhh gotcha.

[noparlpf]

I like butterscotch flavour, but candy corn is just kind of nasty, in my opinion. I think I said that.
And I've never really liked candy apples or caramel apples. The flavours and textures just don't go together well for me.

[Coidzor]

Heck, isn't there some kind of television show about tossing a pumpkin as far as possible with a trebuchet before it breaks?

[Katana_Geldar]

Autumn celebrations (which would be around March-May) are very local, if they happen at all. I think the town where I went to uni had an autumn festival, and they were particularly proud of the colour of the autumn leaves they got. Other towns no doubt have their own, but there's definitely nothing even close to as national nor as culturally-ingrained as the US's Halloween.

Yeah, but those are hardly native trees.

But I said the same, except I saw this (http://www.smh.com.au/business/no-trick-just-a-big-treat-for-shops-as-halloween-knocks-20121021-27zei.html) and then this (http://www.smh.com.au/national/aussie-halloween-is-on-for-young-and--young-20121021-27zhg.html). Maybe it's catching on.

[Serpentine]

Hm. Not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand: yay opportunities to dress up! :smallbiggrin: On the other, blegh ever-more Americanisation :smallyuk:
I think the problem is that Australia hasn't really developed its own traditions. We have Australia Day, and... That's about it. Even look at Christmas, we could have an amazing unique set of traditions for a summer festival, and instead we're still doing raindeer and canned snow. I'd like to see us stop trying to recreate pale imitations of the traditions of others, and start creating our own.

Oh hey, where'd this soapbox come from?

[factotum]

I'd like to see us stop trying to recreate pale imitations of the traditions of others, and start creating our own.


Well, get going then! It's not going to happen unless at least one person starts it off... :smallsmile:

[Serpentine]

Hey, I've already declared mangoes and prawns to be the fundamentals of an Australian Christmas!
There seems to be some small tradition of having dress-up parties for Earth Day, so there's that...

[Katana_Geldar]

There's also the after Christmas swim, great to do Christmas night if it's been hot all day. And there's New Years Eve when we explode the harbour bridge.

[Malak'ai]

There's also the after Christmas swim, great to do Christmas night if it's been hot all day. And there's New Years Eve when we explode the harbour bridge.

If only you did it for real, and the Opera House as well :smalltongue:.

I'll devise a plan to blow up that stupid eyesore called The Sky Tower up north in Auckland if you do :smallwink:.

[Katana_Geldar]

What? We would never do that! :smalleek:

[Winter_Wolf]

In my experience there is no Halloween activity in Shanghai, or probably anywhere in China. Expats with kids might observe it, but Chinese don't. There is a push among employers of English teachers to try and get them to dress up for Halloween, but hell with that, they don't pay anywhere near enough to put up the the crap from the rest of the population to give a few kids a laugh.

In the States, I put Halloween as my favorite holiday. And why not? It's a nationally approved day for adults to dress up in crazy getups and walk the streets without people thinking they're crazy/dangerous/mentally ill. And candy. Then there's the Halloween parties where you can see other people in crazy getups, drink booze if you're so inclined, and generally have a good time. And candy.

Did I mention the candy? :smalltongue:

[Serpentine]

Yeah, that's part of my conflict over it: I fully support anything that formes an annual justification for dressing up and eating lollies 'til you chunder. But all the autumny stuff - the pumpkins, the apple-bobbing... other stuff - has no place in the middle of an Australian spring, especially since all those "seasonal" things are available here year-round.
On the other hand, costumes and chocolate! :smallbiggrin:

[Katana_Geldar]

Well, there's the 501st for costumes.

[Scarlet Knight]

There's also the after Christmas swim, great to do Christmas night if it's been hot all day. And there's New Years Eve when we explode the harbour bridge.

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumblarge_30/1132163049m97tQD.jpg

"...he needs a vacation, some time in the sun,
Ho ho ho and a bottle of rum!"

[Asta Kask]

Yeah, that's part of my conflict over it: I fully support anything that formes an annual justification for dressing up and eating lollies 'til you chunder. :smallbiggrin:

Would that make you 'chunder-woman'?

[dehro]

in Italy we get all Saints' Day on the 1st of November. being jewish I've had to read up on it though.. apparently the date was originally another, but it was bumped up following urging from the clergy in Ireland, who wanted it to replace the old Samhain of Celtic tradition.
I'm thinking most of it comes down to a liturgical celebration in churches.

The next day we have all Souls' day..where people mostly take a chance to go visit the graves of dearly departed and such.. there are plenty of local traditions that include specially made cookies or cake...but those aren't all that frequently held up...which is sad, because.. cookies!

As for halloween itself.. you'll find all kinds of stuff on the television reminding us of the american traditions..mostly reruns of shows that have a themed episode (think the Simpsons' halloween episodes). there may be occurrences of children trick or treating, but it's rather sparse.. and there's plenty of dress-up themed nights in clubs and pubs..because anything which is cause for celebration brings them money so they'll ride it.
Halloween used to be a big thing in many areas of Italy.. a little more than a thousand years ago.. all sorts of traditions about comuning with zombies contacting the spirits of the dead and so on were local things and were then either rooted out or died out naturally, replaced by all saints' and all souls' day
there's plenty of halloween themed stuff in the shops for a few days.. but mostly the dress up and the parties and the ensuing traditions is kept for carnival, which has as many traditions and variations as there are towns in Italy..ranging from parades to a city-wide street battle pelting oranges at one another.

[ForzaFiori]

Candy corn sounds kinda gross...

It is, yet for some reason everyone gives it out. :( It's even worse than the people who give out apples (really, who the hell thinks plain apples is what you should give kids on Halloween?!)


I think the police in Zurich tried to enforce a curfew on the 31 for people under the age of 16, or something. Because a few idiots confused "Trick or treat" with "smash windshields and break into houses".

There are several places in the states that do this as well, as well as having laws preventing wearing full face masks on the 31st, because people would dress up and rob places. They're usually big cities, or places with bad crime rates though.


Heck, isn't there some kind of television show about tossing a pumpkin as far as possible with a trebuchet before it breaks?

Pumpkin-Chunkin': the best show the fall has. And why America is the great country it is: we build giant air cannons, trebuchets, and catapults to throw pumpkins, just for the hell of it, and the manage to turn it into a TV show.


There's also the after Christmas swim, great to do Christmas night if it's been hot all day. And there's New Years Eve when we explode the harbour bridge.

Even knowing that Dec. is part of Australia's summer, this is SO weird to read.

[Forrestfire]

It is, yet for some reason everyone gives it out. :( It's even worse than the people who give out apples (really, who the hell thinks plain apples is what you should give kids on Halloween?!)

What's worse is the old people who give out pennies.

Not to be overly offensive, but just because when they were young children in 1940s does not mean they should ignore the fact that inflation exists. :smallannoyed:

Also, the people who give out pencils. Pencils! Who thinks that's a good idea?

Ironically enough, the dentist who lived in our neighborhood always gave out the best candy... full sized chocolate bars and the like. I think it may have been an in-joke with the other adults about "generating business." :smallamused:

[Malak'ai]

What's worse is the old people who give out pennies.

Not to be overly offensive, but just because when they were young children in 1940s does not mean they should ignore the fact that inflation exists. :smallannoyed:

Also, the people who give out pencils. Pencils! Who thinks that's a good idea?

Ironically enough, the dentist who lived in our neighborhood always gave out the best candy... full sized chocolate bars and the like. I think it may have been an in-joke with the other adults about "generating business." :smallamused:

This is why I have always said Dentist's are evil :smallfurious:.

[dehro]

am I the only one constantly reminded about Christopher Lee's role in the remake of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory, reading this?

(also, if I were a kid in England, I'd totally go trick or treating at his place..and expect him to answer the door dressed up as Dracula)

[Coidzor]

Also, the people who give out pencils. Pencils! Who thinks that's a good idea?

Someone who wants to encourage prodding and stabbing, is my best guess.

[ArlEammon]

It is a time for me and my brothers to feast on the hearts of our enemies.

[Avilan the Grey]

I would say practically non-existant in Finland, as All Hallows' Eve is pretty much considered the one day in autumn when people visit graves of the dearly departed.

Same here in Sweden.
In fact this was the main reason the "import" of the American tradition failed, a lot of people became downright offended of the idea to have a party on the same day they go and remember the family's dead.

[Xondoure]

Given it was originally the Christian festival of All Hallows' Eve I would expect it to be celebrated most places that have a long Christian tradition... :smallsmile:


True, but that's not what I'm thinkign of. All the modern celebrations associated with Halloween seem to come more from the celtic festivals around that time, with some heavy changes. The disguises, the pumpkins, the ghosts... not very Christian. Sure, it's all hallow's eve here. But I've never seen a pumpkin or a monster mask in church.

Don't be silly. This is where Halloween comes from. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpvdAJYvofI)

[Asta Kask]

Two girls dressed as zombies just scared the crap out of me.

[Wyntonian]

It's not a universal cultural thing, but I'm going out with a bunch of friends tonight to collect canned/boxed/tinned/whatever food to donate to a couple local food shares.

I was going to be Dr. McNinja, but I was lazy and I didn't get the costume together in time, so I'll be Luke Skywalker instead.

[noparlpf]

Two girls dressed as zombies just scared the crap out of me.

Sounds about right. There are some zombie flicks showing tonight for Humans vs Zombies and Halloween, but I don't think I'll go because I'll scare so badly I might hurt somebody. Like last time.

[ForzaFiori]

Two girls dressed as zombies just scared the crap out of me.

After working at a haunted house, I've started to find zombie and evil clown costumes kinda hot... I'm not sure how I feel about this development.

[Serpentine]

I'm not sure whether I should therefore recommend, or warn you away from, the movie Zombie Strippers :smallamused:

[tyckspoon]

the movie Zombie Strippers :smallamused:

In case anybody is wondering, this movie is exactly what you think it is and what the title says.

[Serpentine]

It's also surprisingly good from a feminist perspective, and even passes the Bechdel Test!

[Avilan the Grey]

After working at a haunted house, I've started to find zombie and evil clown costumes kinda hot... I'm not sure how I feel about this development.

Evil clowns? Disturbing. Sexy zombies? Yes!

[Matthias2207]

I my country (Denmark)there is no native halloween traditions. There are in fact no late fall feast, special events or so. There are some who celebrate Saint Mortens evening (10th of november) (same origin as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Martin%27s_Day). But the only real tradition is that you eat goose or duck on that day - very few people know why it celebrated and very few even remember it.

We have to some extent importet american halloween since it apears in a lot of pop culture (and shops want to fill an otherwise boring season with some sales).

We do have candied apples, i dont know how old the tradition is though. But in the beginning of winter/christmas (which seems by to start about now in the shops....) we have candied almonds (brændte mandler - translates to burnt almonds, but its almonds heated/fried with sucker and a bit of water - does that exist in America or other countries?).

But generally the fall is not our season of traditions - they are from christmas to easter. Our "dress up" tradition is "fastelavn" before lent. WHere such activities as dressing up "making trouble" to you get candy and so on goes on. It is also the day when we beat the cat out of the barrel :smalleek:- yeah I will let you look that one up and see if yopu can find it (look for danish carneval or something like that I asume) :smalltongue:
It is not as cruel as it sounds (though it used to be a hundred years ago).

I think you mean roasted almonds. Roasting nuts is pretty common.

You don't get candy on St. Martin's? In the Netherlands we have (or at least had) some sort of trick or treat on that day. It died a while ago, but it's supposed to gain popularity in the cities again.

[dehro]

After working at a haunted house, I've started to find zombie and evil clown costumes kinda hot... I'm not sure how I feel about this development.

Rule 34 springs to mind

Roasting nuts is pretty common.

for some reason, it makes me think of marriage.

[Asta Kask]

After working at a haunted house, I've started to find zombie and evil clown costumes kinda hot... I'm not sure how I feel about this development.

Yes, well, the girls were about ten so I didn't really feel sexually attracted to them. But I thought there had been a car crash in the area or something.

[Roderick_BR]

In Brazil we don't have much going on. On November 2nd (tomorrow), we visit parents, go to familiar reunions, visit loved ones in the graveyards, sometimes with a little cleaning/repairing job...

And that's it. No parties like Halloween or Dia Del Muertos. If we do have something with friends, it's usually just mimicing these two.

[t209]

I thought Halloween started in Ireland, minus Pumpkins and apples. I wonder why it didn't spread more on neighboring britain?

[Matthias2207]

I thought Halloween started in Ireland, minus Pumpkins and apples. I wonder why it didn't spread more on neighboring britain?

Ireland Catholic, Britain Anglican? Or something like that?

[nedz]

Ireland Catholic, Britain Anglican? Or something like that?

I thought Halloween was pagan ? :smallconfused:

[noparlpf]

I thought Halloween was pagan ? :smallconfused:

Wikipedia says it has some Old Irish influences among a bunch of other stuff.

[Wardog]

Ireland Catholic, Britain Anglican? Or something like that?

Probably more likely: Ireland (& Scotland) Celtic, England Anglo-Saxon. (I don't know Wales did traditionally).

[t209]

Ireland Catholic, Britain Anglican? Or something like that?

As in celtic Ireland and Irish culture. I know that America got the holiday from Irish Immigrants who came there.

[Matthias2207]

I thought Halloween was pagan ? :smallconfused:

I thought Christmas was pagan? :smallconfused::smalltongue:

[Asta Kask]

Oh, yes. Cromwell made it illegal.

[Eldan]

I thought Christmas was pagan? :smallconfused::smalltongue:

The date is celebrated in pretty much any religion. But the trees, candles, red balls and assorted other accessoires certainly are.

[Ceric]

For the last couple of years I've ignored costumes and just put fake blood on my face. Not warts or zombie makeup or the usual Halloween stuff, but actual (fake) injuries. This year I even bought sterile gauze pads and tape so the bandage would be realistic. Most people see me and freak out before they realize that I probably didn't split my head open or loose an eye, and even then they keep getting startled when they see me out of their peripheral vision (I've been told).


Ironically enough, the dentist who lived in our neighborhood always gave out the best candy... full sized chocolate bars and the like. I think it may have been an in-joke with the other adults about "generating business." :smallamused:

Lucky, the dentist on our street gave out toothbrushes. (Then again free toothbrushes aren't necessarily a bad thing.)

[noparlpf]

For the last couple of years I've ignored costumes and just put fake blood on my face. Not warts or zombie makeup or the usual Halloween stuff, but actual (fake) injuries. This year I even bought sterile gauze pads and tape so the bandage would be realistic. Most people see me and freak out before they realize that I probably didn't split my head open or loose an eye, and even then they keep getting startled when they see me out of their peripheral vision (I've been told).

Heh, I did that one year. Ripped up and dirtied some old clothes, put on a couple of bandages with some fake bloodstains on them. Had enough real miscellaneous scratches from regular life that it worked pretty well.