How Is Halloween Celebrated in the U.K.?

[c.d.]

It is absolutely huge here in the U.S. for both kids and adults. What goes on in the U.K.?

c.d.

[Herlock Sholmes]

It is absolutely huge here in the U.S. for both kids and adults. What goes on in the U.K.?

c.d.

Traditionally c.d. November 5th has been celebrated more but that’s dying out somewhat. Kids used to make a ‘Guy’ from old clothes then go from house to house asking “a penny for the guy.” But I haven’t seen that for years. Trick or treat has now taken over. We still have firework displays and people still do fireworks from home too (if they’re willing to sell their car to pay for them) We usually hear fireworks from early October (kids) but I only mentioned the other day that I haven’t heard a firework yet. It’s certainly not celebrated anything like the extent that they do over there though c.d.

Enjoy your celebrations

[Darryl Kenyon]

It is absolutely huge here in the U.S. for both kids and adults. What goes on in the U.K.?

c.d.

Hi cd , Herlock is completely right. When I was a kid we used to dress up a figure stuffed with paper/ cardboard with rags and knock on doors [ like trick or treating ] and ask "Penny for the Guy " NOV 5 bonfire night . As far as I remember Halloween was hardly celebrated, and I live not too far from Pendle hill were the famous Pendle witches resided.
Interestingly though I believe Trick or Treating did start over here as a tradition hundreds of years ago mainly in Scotland and Ireland ,[ and may have its roots in Celtic mythology ], as a way of bringing in All Saints Day - NOV 1 . But died out , at the same time it was being transported to America .
Regards Darryl

[c.d.]

Thank you, Herlock and Darryl. Here in the U.S. people can absolutely go to extremes trying to outdo each other. I mean it can get nuts.

c.d.

[c.d.]

"Haunted Houses" where there are elaborate sets, animatronics, props and paid actors have really become a big thing. People are willing to pay big bucks to get the crap scared out of them.

c.d.

[Observer]

HI c.d.

When I was a kid we used to hollow out a big narky, carve out a gruesome face into the shell, or what we envisioned to be a gruesome face, (some of mine looked like a cross between Coco the Clown, and Peter Beardsley) We'd then stick a candle inside, attach a string to either end to carry said narky, and roam the streets comparing each others rather pathetic attempts at creating the quintessential Halloween scare accessory. Happy days.

[rjpalmer]

HI c.d.

When I was a kid we used to hollow out a big narky, carve out a gruesome face into the shell, or what we envisioned to be a gruesome face, (some of mine looked like a cross between Coco the Clown, and Peter Beardsley) We'd then stick a candle inside, attach a string to either end to carry said narky, and roam the streets comparing each others rather pathetic attempts at creating the quintessential Halloween scare accessory. Happy days.

Many, many years ago, in the western U.S.A., it was customary to tip over outhouses on Halloween. Later, with the advent of indoor plumbing, it devolved into throwing toilet paper rolls up into people's trees.

I had an older brother who would 'trick or treat' with a pillowcase. He started at around 4 p.m., and kept at it until 10 or 11 p.m., and then lurched home with thirty-five pounds of candy and gum.

He now wears dentures.

[c.d.]

HI c.d.

When I was a kid we used to hollow out a big narky, carve out a gruesome face into the shell, or what we envisioned to be a gruesome face, (some of mine looked like a cross between Coco the Clown, and Peter Beardsley) We'd then stick a candle inside, attach a string to either end to carry said narky, and roam the streets comparing each others rather pathetic attempts at creating the quintessential Halloween scare accessory. Happy days.

narky = pumpkin??????

c.d.

[Wickerman]

It is absolutely huge here in the U.S. for both kids and adults. What goes on in the U.K.?

c.d.

I never heard of Halloween when I was a kid, the big thing next to Bonfire Night (Nov. 5th), was Mischievous Night. Kids would go around being a nuisance in the neighborhood, wiping treacle (molasses) on car door handles.
Tying the dustbin to a door knob, then knocking so they open the door, and pull their dustbin over, spilling into the house, some really bad'uns would put fireworks in letter boxes and set them alight.

For a couple of weeks before bonfire night kids would go door to door asking for twigs, branches, or old furniture to use to build the bonfire. It would be erected on some spare land, or a farmers field. Some of them were taller than a house, it was for the whole neighborhood to come out and roast potatoes and hand out home made toffee and stuff, ....ah, those were the days.

[Yabs]

My memory is, 40-45 years ago in the uk Halloween was just a normal day.
Only difference was you’d get old horror movies being shown on tv and Do The Monster Mash getting a spin on the radio.

Which was absolutely fantastic.

[Darryl Kenyon]

narky = pumpkin??????

c.d.

Not sure myself what a narky is, but over here Turnips would be carved out with candles inside them instead of pumpkins. I think they were the original Jack O Lantern ?
Regards Darryl

[Darryl Kenyon]

Building a bonfire by kids is hardly allowed now [ Bonfires are mainly council/ local authority run now ] But oh what fun we had trying to outdo next streets bunch of kids by building a bigger Bommy
Regards Darryl

[Observer]

narky = pumpkin??????

c.d.

A swede, a large turnip with yellow flesh. Boiled, and mashed up with salt pepper. Often added to mashed potato.

[Observer]

Not sure myself what a narky is, but over here Turnips would be carved out with candles inside them instead of pumpkins. I think they were the original Jack O Lantern ?
Regards Darryl

See above

[MrBarnett]

I blame that Greta Thunderberg.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NfS7i1KRtrg