Ship of Fools: Halloween

Thread: Halloween Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

Here we are at this special time of year again. Are you marking it in any way? Do you have any special traditions of your own?

For me, Halloween isn't really Halloween without brack - the Irish fruit bread that should, by tradition, contain a ring hidden in it somewhere (though these days it's really hard to find one that does). There used to be a sixpence in it as well, and depending on what you got in your piece you'd know your fortune for the year ahead.

Apples games used to be popular as well - anyone still play them?

Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :

We went to four parties this weekend. It gets a little ridiculous.

We are handing out candy to kids in our new neighborhood tonight. We think it is an important thing to do. There was a kidnapping / murder of a young girl in this city a few weeks ago, and people are still on edge. We want our neighbors, and especially our neighborhood kids, to know that our house is friendly and safe.

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Og, King of Bashan:
We went to four parties this weekend.

We went to a wedding this weekend, if that counts as celebrating the macabre.

Posted by shamwari (# 15556) on :

Not a single trick or treater in sight tonight.

Methinks the over the pond folks are way OTT

Posted by Cthulhu (# 16186) on :

I PLAN TO GET TOGETHER WITH AZATHOTH AND YIG AND OVERTURN A COUPLE CONTINENTS IN FIRE AND ICE.

Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :

quote:
Originally posted by shamwari:
Methinks the over the pond folks are way OTT

To me, introducing yourself to the neighborhood kids, giving them candy, and letting them know that you are a good neighbor is a really cool holiday custom.

My neighborhood gets more affluent a few blocks south of where we live, and the people there complain about people trucking their kids in from other neighborhoods to trick or treat. That seems over the top, I admit. But I love that we have a holiday that celebrates both the creepy and neighborliness.

Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :

Just got our first two trick-or-treaters here. Not expecting many due to the ravages of the hurricane. [Frown]

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Cthulhu:
I PLAN TO GET TOGETHER WITH AZATHOTH AND YIG AND OVERTURN A COUPLE CONTINENTS IN FIRE AND ICE.

So would a couple of bite-sized chocolate bars influence you at all?

Posted by The Weeder (# 11321) on :

We have had no visitors. But to walk along the unlit lane, and up the drive to the house, in the dark, with the trees all around, would take a brave little person.

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Cthulhu:
I PLAN TO GET TOGETHER WITH AZATHOTH AND YIG AND OVERTURN A COUPLE CONTINENTS IN FIRE AND ICE.

And that, Cthulhu, could explain the poor turn-out of trick or treaters tonight. It has just gone 9pm and we have had just two pairs of visitors scabbing for treats.

btw, elder daughter and ex-d-i-l (yes!) have gone to a fairly smart Halloween party, so I hope said fire'n'ice don't ruin that. You'll have them to answer to.

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

Last weekend was a couple of parties (one planned, one a surprise) for a friend's 50th birthday. The coming weekend, I'm out with friends for no particular reason. Tonight, therefore, I'm home alone, in a dark house, and currently listening to an old recording of Christopher Lee reading M.R.James's story A Warning to the Curious.

(I did think of watching the movie The Innocents, but there are limits to what one should do when home alone at night.)

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :

Quite a few little kiddies (complete with ghastly attire and accompanied by Mums) around our parish this evening - some older kids even popped into Church (for a few moments) during Mass...........

Lord Cthulhu, would you mind not taking out Europe with FIRE AND ICE until after the beginning of Advent? I do so love the Advent Sunday hymns and liturgy. Thank you, O Most Aweful One.

Ian J.

Posted by Garasu (# 17152) on :

Is YIG any relation of Yg?

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Cthulhu:
I PLAN TO GET TOGETHER WITH AZATHOTH AND YIG AND OVERTURN A COUPLE CONTINENTS IN FIRE AND ICE.

Sounds like a great way to spend an evening. Unfortunately, it's raining heavily here, so I don't think I'll be doing anything similar, but hope you enjoy yourself!

Posted by Cthulhu (# 16186) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Garasu:
Is YIG any relation of Yg?

YIG, I SAID.

Posted by Garasu (# 17152) on :

Sorry. I find Yg so much more amenable...

Posted by Cthulhu (# 16186) on :

CLEARLY YOU'VE NEVER HAD A DRINK WITH HIM.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:
I'm home alone, in a dark house, and currently listening to an old recording of Christopher Lee reading M.R.James's story A Warning to the Curious.

I dare say we'll find your corpse - features rigid in an expression of unutterable horror - in the morning. Ciao.

[ 31. October 2012, 21:48: Message edited by: Firenze ]

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :

I have never taken any notice of it. I hate pumpkins, and as I said last year, I have three highlty trained attack dogs that would lick any little toerags to death if they came to our door.

Fortunately the door is in a house behind a church that is so bloody invisible that no-one knows it's here. Even the census people missed it. So the toerags did, too, so the dogs had to chew roos instead.

Posted by comet (# 10353) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Cthulhu:
I PLAN TO GET TOGETHER WITH AZATHOTH AND YIG AND OVERTURN A COUPLE CONTINENTS IN FIRE AND ICE.

someone feeling a little crabby? hmm?

Assuming Big C here doesn't rise from the Deep, I'm on my way shortly to my son's Halloween carnival where we'll do such classic things as bobbing for apples. After that, older son will arrive and I set them loose on the town to shake down everyone for loot while I visit various bonfires, chat with neighbors, and drink hot drinks. Then we'll pick up my daughter from work and go to a big party a friend of mine throws every year, complete with obscene amounts of food and another bonfire and readings from various books and stories and poems (Lovecraft, anyone?) and general mayhem. THEN! *whew!* we drop the boys off at home to go through their loot and do the trading game and go out to the bar for some dancing.

The bar part may be cut. I think I'll be exhausted.

Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :

I am happy to report we're getting more kids than I expected. [Smile]

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:

quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:
I'm home alone, in a dark house, and currently listening to an old recording of Christopher Lee reading M.R.James's story A Warning to the Curious.
I dare say we'll find your corpse - features rigid in an expression of unutterable horror - in the morning. Ciao.

Now you mention it, as I sit here in my study with only a small desk lamp for illumination, I seem now and then to sense - only ever out of the corner of my eye - something more than shadow in the corner of the room. And I'm sure the scratching noise I hear now and then is merely the wind blowing some twigs against my window.

But ... the nearest tree is more than twenty feet away ....

Posted by Cthulhu (# 16186) on :

quote:
Originally posted by comet:
...someone feeling a little crabby? hmm?

NOT PARTICULARLY, BUT YOU KNOW HOW BOY'S NIGHTS OUT GET.

Posted by Ruudy (# 3939) on :

I was so proud of the four Rudlets ages 3 to 7. They all chose to go as Star Wars characters. We had a tiny Storm Trooper, a Skywalker, a Kenobi and Boba Fett. Suusan went as Leia and I as Chewbacca.

The youngest was almost shaking with delight this afternoon in anticipation of "chick-or-cheating".

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
... Apples games used to be popular as well - anyone still play them?

I don't know about these days, but when I was a much younger piglet growing up in Orkney in the 1970s we used to "dook" (bob) for apples, either in a washing-up bowl or, once we were a bit bigger, in the bath.

Did anyone else ever jump for treacle pancakes (suspended from a string)?

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :

I've done the treacle tattie scone on a string thing.

Last night, for the first year ever, I wasn't guising, or handing out sweets to guisers. I was on a Ghost Walk round Aberdeen; very interesting and enjoyable. Witches, body-snatchers, monks killed trying to protect relics, executions, poisoners - Aberdeen has a cheery history.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:
Now you mention it, as I sit here in my study with only a small desk lamp for illumination, I seem now and then to sense - only ever out of the corner of my eye - something more than shadow in the corner of the room. And I'm sure the scratching noise I hear now and then is merely the wind blowing some twigs against my window.

But ... the nearest tree is more than twenty feet away ....

It's morning and no sign of Adeodatus...

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:

quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:
Now you mention it, as I sit here in my study with only a small desk lamp for illumination, I seem now and then to sense - only ever out of the corner of my eye - something more than shadow in the corner of the room. And I'm sure the scratching noise I hear now and then is merely the wind blowing some twigs against my window.

But ... the nearest tree is more than twenty feet away ....
It's morning and no sign of Adeodatus...

Reporting in. Well, either I am, or someone who's wearing my skin is.

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :

quote:
Originally posted by piglet:

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
... Apples games used to be popular as well - anyone still play them?
I don't know about these days, but when I was a much younger piglet growing up in Orkney in the 1970s we used to "dook" (bob) for apples, either in a washing-up bowl or, once we were a bit bigger, in the bath.

Did anyone else ever jump for treacle pancakes (suspended from a string)?

We used to try to bite an apple suspended from a string.

Moo

Posted by Sandemaniac (# 12829) on :

Last night I ran into someone with huge copy of "The Scream" with a hole for their face. If I get a mo tonight I'll post the photo...

AG

Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:
Reporting in. Well, either I am, or someone who's wearing my skin is.

But we need to know which.
Come, good people! Let us throw him in the river; if he floats, he is an evil skinwalker. If he sinks, he was Adeodatus.

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :

My little cyberman went off to a party on our estate. I excelled myself changing my eldest into a zombie with vivid make up and then walked 2 miles to drop him off for a sleepover, then 2 miles back. Consequently I missed nearly all the local trick or treaters and had to eat through the giant bag of haribo packets myself.

Posted by Pine Marten (# 11068) on :

Nothing here in north London either, which is pretty normal.

Actually we were in church last night for my daughter's wedding rehearsal - the happy day being on Saturday 3rd November [Yipee]

- so Other Things have been occupying us all rather than pumpkins and trick-or-treats.

Posted by leo (# 1458) on :

I am old-fashioned, perhaps, in that i disapprove of it.

I shall be keeping All Saints and All Souls as Christian holy days.

Posted by Freddy (# 365) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Og, King of Bashan:

quote:
Originally posted by shamwari:
Methinks the over the pond folks are way OTT
To me, introducing yourself to the neighborhood kids, giving them candy, and letting them know that you are a good neighbor is a really cool holiday custom.

Me too.

No one in our town had power last night, so we moved the holiday to Saturday. Pretty hard to have children walking up and down dark streets and going into dark houses. Should be fine by Saturday, and we can take advantage of post-Halloween candy sales.

Naturally everyone ate the candy they already had in the desparation of the storm.

We typically get a few hundred kids through our house on Halloween. It is very amusing and the children are amazingly polite and funny, even the teen-agers. They pat the dogs and cats and sometimes tell jokes. College students even come, collecting goods for charity.

The best thing, though, is that it is one of the few times that children are able to see what everyone's house looks like inside, even if there are no children their age in the home. I think this is good for community feeling and safety, as Og notes.

Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :

quote:
Originally posted by piglet:

Did anyone else ever jump for treacle pancakes (suspended from a string)?

I think I can claim most boring item on string. Anyone for dry Cream Crackers.

Jengie

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :

Carved a pumpkin, ate pumpkin pie, watched Mark Gatiss talk about European horror films (Tuesday last on BBC4 - excellent).

Very few trick or treaters out last night. Possibly the filthy weather or I suspect Halloween parties rather than roaming kids. The upshot is left over chocolate. Dagnamit [Biased]

Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on :

We had about 30 trick or treaters. Weather was better than last year, only about -10°C and no wind. We always carve a pumpkin. I made pumpkin pasta from it. It appears to me that adults have taken more interest in the dress up and parties, but being a weirdo already, I dress funny all the time, so no costume necessary.

Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :

The kids round here got wussy because there was rain. So it was very quiet and now I just have to eat up all the spare sweets.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

quote:
Originally posted by leo:
I am old-fashioned, perhaps, in that i disapprove of it.

I shall be keeping All Saints and All Souls as Christian holy days.

Matthew Hopkins, is that you?

Posted by Caissa (# 16710) on :

I was dressed as a cardinal at work yesterday.

Posted by Otter (# 12020) on :

One batch of kids that all live on our street, a total of seven snack-size bags of pretzels given out.

The weather was a bit nippy, and the connection of our street to the rest of the neighborhood doesn't encourage trick-or-treaters. [Frown]

Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
The kids round here got wussy because there was rain. So it was very quiet and now I just have to eat up all the spare sweets.

rain, knee- deep snow, tropical heat; nothing stopped us when we were children. One adapted ones costume and treat sack for the conditions. Kids these days. [Disappointed]

Posted by bib (# 13074) on :

My community just doesn't do Halloween for which I am very grateful. I find it disturbing that parents allow young children to go begging at strangers' doors when there are recognised risks in allowing kids to do this.

Posted by Sober Preacher's Kid (# 12699) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Cthulhu:

quote:
Originally posted by comet:
...someone feeling a little crabby? hmm?

NOT PARTICULARLY, BUT YOU KNOW HOW BOY'S NIGHTS OUT GET.

Calamari, anyone?

Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :

quote:
Originally posted by bib:
My community just doesn't do Halloween for which I am very grateful. I find it disturbing that parents allow young children to go begging at strangers' doors when there are recognised risks in allowing kids to do this.

There were three adults for the five children in the group in which my nephew went out. I saw no group under 15 without at least one adult and the whole neighborhood was crammed with people. What danger might there be besides cavities?
and the odd grinch...

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

I'm staying off this thread till lilbuddha steps away from the ducking-stool ... [Paranoid]

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Caissa:
I was dressed as a cardinal at work yesterday.

So you got that job at the Vatican?

Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:
I'm staying off this thread till lilbuddha steps away from the ducking-stool ...

Aha! You are admitting guilt!

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

quote:
Originally posted by lilBuddha:

quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:
I'm staying off this thread till lilbuddha steps away from the ducking-stool ...
Aha! You are admitting guilt!

I'm a liberal Anglican. What do you expect me to do?

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :

We got hardly any this year, and the ones I did see were driven in by their grandparents--we're apparently a "safe" neighborhood, and I confess to bringing our own set of inner city kids here for this reason! I'm more concerned about idiot drivers than anything else though. No streetlights here, and few sidewalks, so we took ours around with a flashlight.

[ 01. November 2012, 23:25: Message edited by: Lamb Chopped ]

Posted by Sober Preacher's Kid (# 12699) on :

quote:
Originally posted by bib:
My community just doesn't do Halloween for which I am very grateful. I find it disturbing that parents allow young children to go begging at strangers' doors when there are recognised risks in allowing kids to do this.

Did it for years. My niece will be old enough in two years.

There's nothing wrong with an innocent local expression of community culture.

May be you be smote by the Great Pumpkin!

Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :

I don't know that the Great Pumpkin smites people, but I can assure you that a community like that one would never be home to a pumpkin patch sincere enough for it to appear there.

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Sober Preacher's Kid:
May be you be smote by the Great Pumpkin!

The past participle of 'smite' is 'smitten'. 'smote' is the simple past tense.

Moo

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

Not forgetting the wonderful 'besmottered' - which you don't hear thesedays, probably on account of the lack of habergeouns.

Posted by leo (# 1458) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:

quote:
Originally posted by leo:
I am old-fashioned, perhaps, in that i disapprove of it.

I shall be keeping All Saints and All Souls as Christian holy days.
Matthew Hopkins, is that you?

Had to look him up.

he was a puritan. i am not.

Posted by Sober Preacher's Kid (# 12699) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Moo:

quote:
Originally posted by Sober Preacher's Kid:
May be you be smote by the Great Pumpkin!
The past participle of 'smite' is 'smitten'. 'smote' is the simple past tense.

Moo

I was speaking in the subjunctive.

Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :

Sounds like middle-English naughty words to me. Saw a bloke get a boot to the habergeons once. Couldn't walk straight for two days.

Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Sober Preacher's Kid:

There's nothing wrong with an innocent local expression of community culture.

Like donations of cocaine?!

Posted by mousethief (# 953) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Garasu:
Sorry. I find Yg so much more amenable...

In the Plot, "YG" stands for "Your Grace" (title of a bishop). Far rather drink with our bishop than Yig.

quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:

quote:
Originally posted by lilBuddha:

quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:
I'm staying off this thread till lilbuddha steps away from the ducking-stool ...
Aha! You are admitting guilt!
I'm a liberal Anglican. What do you expect me to do?

If you're a liberal Anglican Canadian, you also have to apologize.

Posted by Sober Preacher's Kid (# 12699) on :

Whew, that's let's me off the hook. [Big Grin]

Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :

I think I would find Halloween great fun if I had kids, but as I don't my main focus is All Saints and All Souls as holy days. I have no moral or spiritual objection to Halloween but just don't find it very exciting. I tend to favour the gloomy and gothic as opposed to garish fake spiders and the like.

Posted by Freddy (# 365) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Sober Preacher's Kid:

quote:
Originally posted by bib:
My community just doesn't do Halloween for which I am very grateful. I find it disturbing that parents allow young children to go begging at strangers' doors when there are recognised risks in allowing kids to do this.
Did it for years. My niece will be old enough in two years.

There's nothing wrong with an innocent local expression of community culture.

I think it depends on the community. It is easier if everyone knows each other.

We moved Halloween to last night because of the storm. I expected few children, but we had about two hundred. We knew almost all of them, and they knew us, so it wasn't a case of knocking on strangers' doors. It was more like a continuous flow of laughing groups of children dressed in amusing costumes.

Several people on our street had fires on their driveway and sat around on lawn chairs with friends. It's like a carnival. That makes it faster for the children, who are naturally eager to maximize their take. [Biased]

Posted by Hugal (# 2734) on :

We didn't bother and went to see Skyfall instead.

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