I think you guys had better describe Halloween?

Question

Halloween hardly happens in Aus, a few parents normally only a handful let their kids go out I don’t, and they have not really grown up with it anyway, when I was a kid in Melbourne no one celebrated Halloween.
How ever the movie Witches is a hit at my house.
We do keep a large quantity of sweets in the house, for the few kid who are allowed to Trick or Treat..
So describe Halloween how you celebrate.
Do you supervise your children during Trick or Treat?

Answer 1

Halloween is a cool day. Anticipation grows for weeks before the day as kids figure out what they want to dress up as - it's so different for little kids than the older ones.
Little ones, like four and up, want to be fairies and princesses and witches and superheroes usually. The best costumes are not the bought ones, but the homemade ones! When my son went door-to-door, one of us went with him and with whatever friends he was going with. When younger, went right up to the door with him; as he got older, waited at the street level for him to go up to the house.
Older kids, to the mid-teens, usually go for the trendy and gory stuff. My son is 14 and this may be his last year. Some houses refuse to give to older kids, and I don't think it's fair - the people think they are older than they really are (and my son is almost six feet tall). He just goes for the sheer fun of it - the candy is pretty much secondary.
We always decorate our home - the door and entranceway, and usually carve a Jack O'Lantern to put a candle in, to put in the window. It used to be at school, kids would wear their costumes for at least the afternoon and have games like bobbing for apples, and have costume parades through each classroom, but this has pretty much gone away. All because of political correctness.
We look at it as just a fun time when kids in the neighbourhood get a chance to walk around, see each others' costumes and have some fun for a few hours. I enjoy giving out the candy and stuff (I also give out cool pencils and pens), to see the costumes, especially the little ones.
I live in central Saskatchewan, Canada, so the weather can be really iffy. Cold weather is guaranteed, but you just hope for no snow or rain. Lately, we've been hovering around zero Celsius, with just a skiff of snow. So by the 31st, it can be "nice" again, but you also have to prepare the kids for the cold weather.

Answer 2

As a child, between 2-14 years of age, you get dressed up in a costume, usually scary, but you can dress in whatever you like. You go around to the houses in your neighborhood, and say "Trick or Treat", and the neighbors will give you candy. Pretty cool.

They say "Trick or Treat" because it used to be that if the neighbor did not give you something, the neighbor would find his windows soaped, or trash dumped. That would be the "Trick". (It teaches kids about bribery) ;)

Younger children are supervised, but when you're older 11-14, you usually go with other kids as a group.

When you're a teenager or older, there is usually a party to go to or something going on at the local bars. You still get into a costume, but the treats are a little harder. I highly recommend celebrating it.

Answer 3

When I was little, my parents had to go with us to trick or treat. Finding a costume was a HUGE deal, as was getting candy. When I got older, groups of kids would go without parents, and then usually go to parties.

Now as grown-ups, it's costumes and candy, scary movies and big parties. We also keep candy around for the next generation of trick or treat kids.

Answer 4

I grew up in the Mid West in the USA, which is an important detail for my Halloween experience.

My mother would sew all of our costumes, mostly from recycled fabric because we were poor, but they always turned out great. (She was a theatre major and was a great seamstress.) Because it was so cold out, she had to make out costumes big enough to go over our snow suits. She would take all of us kids out trick-or-treating around our neighborhood as soon as the sun started setting. (One year, there was so much snow on the ground I had to pull by brothers in the sled from house to house!) When we got home my mother would check our candy to make sure that it was safe, and she would take our black licorice for herself, which was okay because I think it's gross.

When I got older, I would go trick-or-treating with friends until I finished the 6th grade. From 7-12th grade, I would usually find a party to go to so I could dress up and dance with friends. I went trick-or-treating twice when during those years, but it was only to my friends' houses (like 4-5 houses) before going to a party.

When I started college, my husband (then boyfriend) and I began hosting parties for our friends. We're throwing our 4th one this year, which will be a lot of fun. We pick a theme, make costumes to the theme, decorate, and pick out movies to show. We have a big pot luck supper, dance, play games, and then watch the movies. We give a prize out to the best costumes as well.

Answer 5

When our children were little, we always took them out trick-or-treating. One of us stayed home to hand out candy and the other walked the neighborhood. We lived in a smaller city, and we felt it was safe; however, we did check their candy to make sure nothing was tampered with. Our children loved this holiday; however, one of our boys tended to lag behind-- didn't like all the walking-- and his younger brother tended to run up ahead-- determined to be the first to knock on each door and holler "Trick or Treat!!" We never explained to them that the idea of that call was that, if you don't treat us, we will play tricks on you. You should find and listen to Jerry Seinfeld's short monologue about Halloween. It's pretty funny, and explains Halloween very well. Jerry says, when he first learned about Halloween as a kid, his reaction was, "EVERYBODY WE KNOW IS HANDING OUT FREE CANDY???!! SURE, I CAN WEAR THAT !!!"


I♥♫→mia☼☺†

Answer 6

My dad usually took us out trick-or-treating. He stood at the end of the driveway while we asked for candy at houses. We were usually considered too old for trick-or-treating if we didn't need supervision. Once we were too old though then we could start having Halloween parties which are always so much fun!

Answer 7

I am Wiccan, so to me it's a holiday, we celibrate like you would a holiday, with dancing, singing, eating, and just having a really good time. I do take my children trick or treating as well, i dress them up, and they go door to door. it's all about the free candy and having fun with your kids. getting out and spending time with them, and it doesn't cost too much to do, because costumes don't have to be extravagent. there are a few parents that seem to go overboard with spending a fortune on a costume, but hey, why spend a ton on something your kid will only wear once? hope that helps

Answer 8

My child is 13 and she is very mature for her age and every year since she was 11 we always went trick or treating together until one day she decided to go with her friends.....It broke my heart but I knew what I had to do.

Answer 9

in my town, all the parents go witht he kids trick-or-treating.

Answer 10

You Call It Hallowe'en... We Call It Samhain

October 31st, commonly called Hallowe'en, is associated with many customs, some of them mysterious, some light-hearted, some of them downright odd. Why do we bob for apples, carve pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns, and tell ghost stories on this night? Why do children go door-to-door asking for candy, dressed in fantastical costumes? How is Hallowe'en connected to All Soul's Day, celebrated by some Christian denominations on November 1st? And what is the significance of this holiday for modern-day Witches?

A Brief History of Hallowe'en

Hallowe'en has its origins in the British Isles. While the modern tradition of trick or treat developed in the U. S., it too is based on folk customs brought to this country with Irish immigrants after 1840. Since ancient times in Ireland, Scotland, and England, October 31st has been celebrated as a feast for the dead, and also the day that marks the new year. Mexico observes a Day of the Dead on this day, as do other world cultures. In Scotland, the Gaelic word "Samhain" (pronounced "SAW-win" or "SAW-vane") means literally "summer's end."

Other names for this holiday include: All Hallows Eve ("hallow" means "sanctify"); Hallowtide; Hallowmass; Hallows; The Day of the Dead; All Soul's Night; All Saints' Day (both on November 1st).

For early Europeans, this time of the year marked the beginning of the cold, lean months to come; the flocks were brought in from the fields to live in sheds until spring. Some animals were slaughtered, and the meat preserved to provide food for winter. The last gathering of crops was known as "Harvest Home, " celebrated with fairs and festivals.

In addition to its agriculture significance, the ancient Celts also saw Samhain as a very spiritual time. Because October 31 lies exactly between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice, it is theorized that ancient peoples, with their reliance on astrology, thought it was a very potent time for magic and communion with spirits. The "veil between the worlds" of the living and the dead was said to be at its thinnest on this day; so the dead were invited to return to feast with their loved ones; welcomed in from the cold, much as the animals were brought inside. Ancient customs range from placing food out for dead ancestors, to performing rituals for communicating with those who had passed over.

Communion with the dead was thought to be the work of witches and sorcerers, although the common folk thought nothing of it. Because the rise of the Church led to growing suspicion of the pagan ways of country dwellers, Samhain also became associated with witches, black cats ("familiars" or animal friends), bats (night creatures), ghosts and other "spooky" things...the stereotype of the old hag riding the broomstick is simply a caricature; fairy tales have exploited this image for centuries.

Divination of the future was also commonly practiced at this magically-potent time; since it was also the Celtic New Year, people focused on their desires for the coming year. Certain traditions, such as bobbing for apples, roasting nuts in the fire, and baking cakes which contained tokens of luck, are actually ancient methods of telling fortunes.

So What About Those Jack-O-Lanterns?

Other old traditions have survived to this day; lanterns carved out of pumpkins and turnips were used to provide light on a night when huge bonfires were lit, and all households let their fires go out so they could be rekindled from this new fire; this was believed to be good luck for all households. The name "Jack-O-Lantern" means "Jack of the Lantern, " and comes from an old Irish tale. Jack was a man who could enter neither heaven nor hell and was condemned to wander through the night with only a candle in a turnip for light. Or so goes the legend...

But such folk names were commonly given to nature spirits, like the "Jack in the Green, " or to plants believed to possess magical properties, like "John O' Dreams, " or "Jack in the Pulpit." Irish fairy lore is full of such references. Since candles placed in hollowed-out pumpkins or turnips (commonly grown for food and abundant at this time of year) would produce flickering flames, especially on cold nights in October, this phenomenon may have led to the association of spirits with the lanterns; and this in turn may have led to the tradition of carving scary faces on them. It is an old legend that candle flames which flicker on Samhain night are being touched by the spirits of dead ancestors, or "ghosts."

Okay, What about the Candy?

"Trick or treat" as it is practiced in the U. S. is a complex custom believed to derive from several Samhain traditions, as well as being unique to this country. Since Irish immigrants were predominantly Catholic, they were more likely to observe All Soul's Day. But Ireland's folk traditions die hard, and the old ways of Samhain were remembered. The old tradition of going door to door asking for donations of money or food for the New Year's feast, was carried over to the U. S. from the British Isles. Hogmanay was celebrated January 1st in rural Scotland, and there are records of a "trick or treat" type of custom; curses would be invoked on those who did not give generously; while those who did give from their hearts were blessed and praised. Hence, the notion of "trick or treat" was born (although this greeting was not commonly used until the 1930's in the U. S.). The wearing of costumes is an ancient practice; villagers would dress as ghosts, to escort the spirits of the dead to the outskirts of the town, at the end of the night's celebration.

By the 1920's, "trick or treat" became a way of letting off steam for those urban poor living in crowded conditions. Innocent acts of vandalism (soaping windows, etc.) gave way to violent, cruel acts. Organizations like the Boy Scouts tried to organize ways for this holiday to become safe and fun; they started the practice of encouraging "good" children to visit shops and homes asking for treats, so as to prevent criminal acts. These "beggar's nights" became very popular and have evolved to what we know as Hallowe'en today.

What Do Modern Witches Do at Hallowe'en?

It is an important holiday for us. Witches are diverse, and practice a variety of traditions. Many of us use this time to practice forms of divination (such as tarot or runes). Many Witches also perform rituals to honor the dead; and may invite their deceased loved ones to visit for a time, if they choose. This is not a "seance" in the usual sense of the word; Witches extend an invitation, rather than summoning the dead, and we believe the world of the dead is very close to this one. So on Samhain, and again on Beltane (May 1st), when the veil between the worlds is thin, we attempt to travel between those worlds. This is done through meditation, visualization, and astral projection. Because Witches acknowledge human existence as part of a cycle of life, death and rebirth, Samhain is a time to reflect on our mortality, and to confront our fears of dying.

Some Witches look on Samhain as a time to prepare for the long, dark months of winter, a time of introspection and drawing inward. They may bid goodbye to the summer with one last celebratory rite. They may have harvest feasts, with vegetables and fruits they have grown, or home-brewed cider or mead. They may give thanks for what they have, projecting for abundance through the winter. Still others may celebrate with costume parties, enjoying treats and good times with friends. There are as many ways of observing Samhain as there are Witches in the world!