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Thread: Trick or Treat?

  1. #41
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    Re: Trick or Treat?

    My dad, my sister and I turned the tables one year. The (old enough to know better) kids turned up at the door, snickering and yelling TRICK OR TREAT!!! My dad calmly replied "it's a trick" at which point my sister and I jumped out with fully loaded Super Soakers and let rip.

    They flourbombed the porch but it was worth it.

  2. #42
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    Cool Re: Trick or Treat?

    Hot off the press for all of you "it's an appalling American tradition" moaners:
    The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays dates back to the Middle Ages and includes Christmas wassailing. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. Shakespeare mentions the practice in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1593), when Speed accuses his master of "puling [whimpering or whining] like a beggar at Hallowmas."
    So. Now you know it's a medieval British tradition, and your xenophobic psudo-indignation will no longer be able to cover up your tightness. Will you be more inclined next year to join in with the traditions of your forefathers and stump up £1:50's worth of shurbert dipdabs for the local four year olds? Or will you still be a terrified quivering wreck behind your sofa, paralysed by the fear of a five year old playing a trick on you? Perhaps you'll still call the police demanding that they lock these terrorists away (oblivious to the fact that a child under eight is unable to be prosecuted for a serious offence - let alone one as petty as begging for sweets and cheating you out of 10p of your tuck money).

    I do understand the concern to be fair. I saw a child who must have been at least five or six dressed as a ghost, carrying an Asda plastic pumpkin lantern and I nearly sh|t myself in fear. Thankfully the downstairs was all locked and double bolted and the boiling chip frier oil launched from the bedroom window hit the target and worked as planned. Leaving me with the peace and quiet I needed to finish writing my letter to the Daily Mail

    Dear Daily Mail,
    I am sick of being held a prisoner in my own home by these five year old paedophile, illegal immigrant, refugee, terrorist, dole scroungers demanding (with menace I may add) a small jelly confection shaped for some ungodly reason as a fried egg. I have repeatedly dialed 999 only to be told that "it's Halloween" and to show some "tolerance". If the boot camp was on the other hand would Osama Bin La.........
    Last edited by StokeBloke; 3rd-November-2008 at 11:36 AM. Reason: Rage!!!!!!!!!!!! Well... OK not rage, more.. a sort of... slight crossness :)

  3. #43
    Registered User Twirly's Avatar
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    Re: Trick or Treat?

    Stokie - where in you quote does it mention the trick part of trick or treating? The reason that guising is always discussed on these threads is that it also bears some relation to trick or treating, but without the "trick" part. The modern incarnation of these ancient traditions are imported from the US. End of story. If they were such ancient traditions which had been kept alive here, more of us would have done them as children. I didn't, and as such it hardly ever occurs to me until I see the munchkins out on the night.

    I don't recall anyone complaining about giving out sweets (not that I ever have much in the way of sweets in the house - they get eaten to quickly!), it's the tricks. And it's not the 5 or 6 year old's that are the problem, but the teenagers. The broken windows that someone else described are not funny!

  4. #44
    Registered User Lynn's Avatar
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    Re: Trick or Treat?

    SB I don't think anyone has said going round the doors at Halloween was not a UK tradition. I know when I was a young there were children coming round in costumes with the 'Halloween is coming...' rhyme.

    Its the 'trick' part of 'trick or treat' which seems to have been the US import and come in the past 10 years or so. The idea that if someone doesn't give the children anything, or doesn't answer the door, that you do something unpleasant to them, or more usually, their property.

    I've no problem with local children coming round with an adult to local houses, as DS said its a way to meet the neighbours and its only one night. But if someone doesn't want to participate, or doesn't answer their door, the idea that you then damage their home as a result - that's the bit that annoys me.

  5. #45
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    Cool Re: Trick or Treat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Trouble View Post
    There are always little oiks that ruin it for everybody but thats the same in everything that is done.
    Are you talking about the Westies babe?

  6. #46
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    Re: Trick or Treat?

    Well I've never done the trick or treating bit (Mum never let me do it when I was wee - gutted at the time, but given the fact I was more than a tad "cuddly" it was probably really for my own good).

    This year I made the really stupid mistake of booking a driving lesson to pick me up from my house in the middle of "trick or treat-ing rush hour". I'm not a "kid" person usually anyway (ankle biters scare me), so my instructor was laughing hysterically at me when I emerged from my house, surrounded by small children with treat baskets screaming at me for chocolate, with me trying to wade my way through (handbag being flung left and right to clear a path, look of pure terror on my face...)

    Genuinely was the most scared I've been at halloween!

  7. #47
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    Re: Trick or Treat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jivejunkie View Post
    Hazard warning!!
    So now Halloween is over, no more masked raiders trick or treating!

    So now time for Begging stage II - Does anybody do 'Penny (thats a good un!) for the Guy' anymore?
    Then phase III starts about mid-November - The Carol singers!

    TIme for another thread? I'm not starting it!!! (Chrismassy-type emoticon!!) Bah Humbug!!!!
    What the bloody hell is wrong with you, you miserable old scrote!

    AAAAAAAAARGGGGGHHHHHHHHH

    I s'pose you've forgotten it's your birthday tomorrow .........I'll give you a surprise you'll never forget.....

    ....you're going on top of the bonfire!

  8. #48
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    Cool Re: Trick or Treat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Genevieve View Post
    What the bloody hell is wrong with you, you miserable old scrote!
    It's called being a Brummie

  9. #49
    Registered User Magic Hans's Avatar
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    Re: Trick or Treat?

    Quote Originally Posted by StokeBloke View Post
    The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays dates back to the Middle Ages and includes Christmas wassailing. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. Shakespeare mentions the practice in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1593), when Speed accuses his master of "puling [whimpering or whining] like a beggar at Hallowmas."
    .... continuing on
    Quote Originally Posted by wiki
    However, there is no evidence that souling was ever practiced in North America, where trick-or-treating may have developed in North America independent of any Irish or Scotish antecedent.
    .. and then ...

    Quote Originally Posted by wiki
    Introduction to the UK and Ireland

    Before the 1980s, trick-or-treating in its American form was little known in the UK and Ireland and when introduced was often regarded as an unusual and even unwelcome import, but the influence of American popular culture caused it to rapidly take hold, to the extent that one British reporter has called it "the Japanese knotweed of festivals"
    ... not stirring at all, by any chance?

  10. #50
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    Re: Trick or Treat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lynn View Post
    I've no problem with local children coming round with an adult to local houses, as DS said its a way to meet the neighbours and its only one night. But if someone doesn't want to participate, or doesn't answer their door, the idea that you then damage their home as a result - that's the bit that annoys me.
    Agree with Lynn on this one... Have to say that I did trick and treat as a child.. with my parents and to people who we knew.. Nowadays I live in a suburb of the town where it isn't quite as friendly and there are problems with anti social behaviour in general... If I didn't live alone I might have answered the door (if I had been home for more than an hour) to parents and small children but feel that i make the right decision for myself not to answer the door.. I mean this year it was quite intimidating around my area.. with youths (not small children) congregating .. just in masks on the street corner (obviously drinking etc) so that I got my friend to pick me up from the front door to go dancing (normally I wouldn't mind walking to the end of the street but it is kinda intimidating for a single female now it is dark etc...)... When i lived with my ex further up the road we had trouble with the house being egg'd every halloween / mischievious night time, conifers being set on fire etc and i guess i still remember those bad times...

    I don't want to sound "bah humbug" ish and maybe I might regard the situation differently if i still lived in a community environment...

    I do like where I live mind...... most of the time.....guess all places have their ups and downs

  11. #51
    Registered User ~*~Saligal~*~'s Avatar
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    Re: Trick or Treat?

    Quote Originally Posted by StokeBloke View Post
    Hot off the press for all of you "it's an appalling American tradition" moaners:
    The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays dates back to the Middle Ages and includes Christmas wassailing. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. Shakespeare mentions the practice in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1593), when Speed accuses his master of "puling [whimpering or whining] like a beggar at Hallowmas."
    So. Now you know it's a medieval British tradition, and your xenophobic psudo-indignation will no longer be able to cover up your tightness. Will you be more inclined next year to join in with the traditions of your forefathers and stump up £1:50's worth of shurbert dipdabs for the local four year olds? Or will you still be a terrified quivering wreck behind your sofa, paralysed by the fear of a five year old playing a trick on you? Perhaps you'll still call the police demanding that they lock these terrorists away (oblivious to the fact that a child under eight is unable to be prosecuted for a serious offence - let alone one as petty as begging for sweets and cheating you out of 10p of your tuck money).

    I do understand the concern to be fair. I saw a child who must have been at least five or six dressed as a ghost, carrying an Asda plastic pumpkin lantern and I nearly sh|t myself in fear. Thankfully the downstairs was all locked and double bolted and the boiling chip frier oil launched from the bedroom window hit the target and worked as planned. Leaving me with the peace and quiet I needed to finish writing my letter to the Daily Mail

    Dear Daily Mail,
    I am sick of being held a prisoner in my own home by these five year old paedophile, illegal immigrant, refugee, terrorist, dole scroungers demanding (with menace I may add) a small jelly confection shaped for some ungodly reason as a fried egg. I have repeatedly dialed 999 only to be told that "it's Halloween" and to show some "tolerance". If the boot camp was on the other hand would Osama Bin La.........
    Halloween hasn't been a tradition in Australia - only since American TV programmes have taken over our TV waves.
    Nothing unusual for Americans to bastardise a tradition.... I'm not up for the current version of it... I knew Halloween (Hallows Eve) was of British origin when I made my post. Still doesn't change my stance of it. (really do need that "bah-humbug" smilie).
    Fortunately the door-knockers in my area haven't caught on to being threatening if they don't get a response from resident... but I'm sure it won't take long before they do.

  12. #52
    Registered User ~*~Saligal~*~'s Avatar
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    Re: Trick or Treat?

    Quote Originally Posted by ~*~Saligal~*~ View Post
    Halloween hasn't been a tradition in Australia - only since American TV programmes have taken over our TV waves.
    Nothing unusual for Americans to bastardise a tradition.... I'm not up for the current version of it... I knew Halloween (Hallows Eve) was of British origin when I made my post. Still doesn't change my stance of it. (really do need that "bah-humbug" smilie).
    Fortunately the door-knockers in my area haven't caught on to being threatening if they don't get a response from resident... but I'm sure it won't take long before they do.
    Interestingly it seems that some parts of the US have changed the name to "Beggars Night" to avoid the damage of thr "tricks":

    "In Ohio, Iowa, and Massachusetts, the night designated for Trick-or-treating is referred to as Beggars Night since moving the date from Halloween in a successful effort to end the vandalism that had often accompanied Halloween activities.[citation needed]"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guising

  13. #53
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    Re: Trick or Treat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Trouble View Post
    Martin...

    I dont send my kids out to Beg as you so lovingly put it..
    A common definition for begging is "a solicitation for money or food".

    If you are asking for something and offering nothing in return, by definition one may well be begging.





    Although it seems some others call it beggars night...


    Quote Originally Posted by ~*~Saligal~*~ View Post
    Interestingly it seems that some parts of the US have changed the name to "Beggars Night"
    Most people, it seems, take exception to the "trick" part, as has been mentioned, and I have not read any complains about "guising" - which would be more like busking, peforming for reward, without menaces.

    I am quite looking forward to the carol singers, not long now.. a festive song with no menaces infered.

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    Re: Trick or Treat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Martin View Post
    A common definition for begging is "a solicitation for money or food".

    If you are asking for something and offering nothing in return, by definition one may well be begging.

    .

    Offering something... do you think that me walking aroud the street looking like a womble and my son dressed up like a mummy is not offering something... They all laugh and enjoy the scenario so to me thats offering something. If your into it,, seeing little ones dressed up is enjoyable.

    Failing getting a sweet. There is a trick offered. Thats also offering something.. normally i moon them. Trust me, they dont refuse the next kid and sweets are very forthcoming

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    Re: Trick or Treat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Trouble View Post
    normally i moon them. Trust me, they dont refuse the next kid and sweets are very forthcoming
    You'd need a bloody huge Walnut Whip to plug that hole.

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    Re: Trick or Treat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Double Trouble View Post
    You'd need a bloody huge Walnut Whip to plug that hole.
    Phnar Phnar.....

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