Yeah yeah, it’s over a month away, but I guess all the shops are getting their stuff in, and just like Christmas, it’s apparently never to early to think about these things.
Except in our household.
Growing up, Halloween was always a bit of a wash-out. We might get lucky and get a party through Brownies, or maybe a friend would have one, but my parents never made a big deal of the day.
Every year, without fail, my sister and I (and later my brother) would be to be allowed trick or treating. All our friends, were going, we’d be the only ones not. Without fail they would deny us our night. It was the sort of thing ruffians and the nasty kids did, it wasn’t safe, it was unfair on the neighbours. Every excuse possible was trotted out whilst they maintained their nos. We might have a friend over to play Halloween games, inevitably J and her younger sister G, but there were rarely costumes and it was never really the Halloween we’d been hoping for. We had visions of American Halloweens showed to us in movies and on TV. Nothing we did could ever really compare. I suppose it didn’t matter too much – even if our parents had gone all out in pursuit of the holiday, nothing would have reached those dizzying heights of the movies. The UK just isn’t geared that way.
There was one year, a party at Brownies. J and I dressed up as punks. Denim and tiny tops that were the domain of the dressing up box appeared outside the house for once. The mother did our hair; elaborate styles formed of plaits and pipe cleaners . We piled on the make up and ripped holes in our tights. The sister ended up as a tiger in the remnants of a dance costume I once used to portray a humbug that by now had a length of plaited wool attached to resemble a tail. At least by then I could no longer fit in to that costume.
Trust me on this one: this is probably the first and last time you’ll see a pic of me under the age of 9 on this blog. In case you’re having trouble working it out, I’m the miserable looking shit on the left.
In later years Halloween wasn’t something we paid much attention to. We stayed in the house, leaving the front light off if at all possible. Better that the kids don’t realise you’re in than you give away your precious sweets or find a sticky mix of egg and flour plastering your door. The next door neighbour was bound to show his face at some point. One year we threaded the hose through from the back garden and had it ready and waiting. The parents didn’t approve, but we liked the idea that we could blast the little bugger if he got too close. Unfortunately, we never got the chance.
I did make it to one party, only months before we left for Brasil. L’s birthday is the day before Halloween, but she’d never really mixed the two. That year it was to be the first big party in her new house and her birthday celebrations at the same time. Why not expect your guests to turn up in costume. Of course getting a costume at that time of year, on an extreme budget and at very short notice wasn’t the easiest of things, especially when even then I wasn’t exactly small, and had a bit of a bump appearing. I ended up as a medieval princess, the husband as a magician. The costumes weren’t great (but I wasn’t exactly in the shape to turn up as a playboy bunny!) but they did the job. Everyone was more interested in my growing bump anyway.
Part of me now wishes that Halloween here was a much bigger event, something to get excited about. The other part of me is just happy to sit in with good food and a horror movie. Yeah go on, tell me I’m getting old.
Got a laugh out of your “I’m the miserable looking shit on the left.” You were adorable!
.-= Bella C. said Choose your costume carefully. Otherwise you could end up in therapy, too. =-.
Glowstars Reply:
September 11th, 2009 at 07:35
Clearly you never met my childhood self! lol
I’ve always wanted to be Halloween to be a bigger deal in my life too. It seems like some people get soooo into it, but they’re not people I’m around!
.-= Tatiana said You can actually hear him whimper SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE! =-.
Glowstars Reply:
September 11th, 2009 at 07:38
I think we just never get into the holiday spirit with anything over here – it’s a shame really. It would be good to have a few days in the year that we were more ‘into’.
Oh yes – over here it is huge. Even schools have a parade for the kids. Costumes are for sale already and every decoration possible for the house too. Even though there are loads of tricker or treaters every Oct 31st there are never any tricks like UK mischief etc. Nothing like that at all.
As a kid I never did it either and we never gave any candy out or even answered the door to anyone knocking.
You look excellent as a punk though – they were supposed to be miserable weren’t they?
.-= mumof4 said Wordless Wednesday. =-.
Glowstars Reply:
September 11th, 2009 at 07:39
I sometimes wonder if some of the tricks here go a little beyond mischief… Yob attitude and all that.
Oh and there are lots of costumes over here for pregnant nuns. You could do it without needing the bump this year?
Last time I was pregnant I went as a cow!
.-= mumof4 said Wordless Wednesday. =-.
I always had a huge carved pumpkin in the window/door of the pub and would virtually beg kids to come in a trick or treat, we used to traipse round half the town dressed up and come back to the pub for pizza and blood (juice) fab night
)
xc
.-= Mrs Hojo said He Can Watch Most Things =-.
Glowstars Reply:
September 11th, 2009 at 10:29
You’re gonna be my honorary mother! I’ll be round yours for halloween!
We had a couple of parties between the kids who lived in our avenue but I don’t recall dressing up.
I love playing with the toys in the shops in the run up to Halloween but vary between answering the door or not. Mostly seem to get door knockers before the day though now for some reason. As it isn’t the right night they get nowt.
Glowstars Reply:
September 13th, 2009 at 09:40
We were quite lucky last year and I don’t recall getting any door knockers – bet it’ll chnage this year as all the kids round here are that little bit older. Might be nice seeing as the boy’s spent all summer playing with them.
I must post a pic of the awesome pumpkin we had it was fab (the dude ended up in A&E but still it was fab ) and *cough* *spit* I aint old enough to be your mother honour or not ;o) however you are welcome hun xc
.-= Mrs Hojo said What Shall We Do =-.
Glowstars Reply:
September 13th, 2009 at 09:41
the wonder of an honorary position is that you could be younger than me and it still wouldn’t matter. It’s the honour that counts!
we never did anything at halloween either…
being a son of 2 pastors does that to you/// LOL
it never intersted me much either but hey…
dressing up is FUN!!
U should know that by now!!!
.-= urbanvox said caqxdf98nt =-.
We didn’t do too much either. I had one very memorable Halloween in the mid-80s. We lived near Upper Heyford military base which is where the US bombers were based curing the cold war. The base was huge. I was friendly with some American kids in the village (father was high up and they were allowed to live off-base). They took me to the base one year for trick or treating and it was amazing. It was like a piece of America uprooted and located in rural England. All the candy and food and people were all American. Very memorable. I remember the cans of fizzy drink in so many flavours (I think in the UK we had about 3 flavours at that time) and they had masses. It’s the small things you remember!
.-= Milo said Wit & Wisdom =-.
I consider myself honoured then
)
xc
.-= Mrs Hojo said Quietest Time of Year =-.