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Archiver > ESSEX-UK > 2004-11 > 1099301155


From: "patricia salter" <>
Subject: Re: Halloween..happy?!
Date: Mon, 1 Nov 2004 09:25:55 -0000
References: <200410312028.i9VKSPJD006994@mail.rootsweb.com> <0d0f01c4bf94$6083ec60$0200a8c0@laptop>


Hi Lysi
I used to live in the States, both in California and New York City, and you
are right, over there Halloween is a fun event, the children are non
menacing and the parents go with them to make sure all is OK, but over here
you get some real little "darlings" out on the street creating chaos
wherever they go, problem is a lot of parents dont discipline their kids,
and teachers in school arent allowed to in case they are set upon by the
European Human Rights Act which allows perpetrators of mischief, crime or
whatever, more rights than the victims.
Patti





----- Original Message -----
From: "Lysi" <>
To: <>
Sent: Sunday, October 31, 2004 9:55 PM
Subject: Re: Halloween..happy?!


Sorry to hear the experiences in the UK are so awful. None of that happens
in my neighborhood, nor any of the many, many neighborhoods I've lived in
all across the US. Certainly there are instances of pranks and those that
will take advantage, but on the whole I've never fallen victim to any such
violence, nor has anyone I know. And we don't send our children out alone,
either, we go with them. Well, one goes with and the other mans the door!
Most of the customs we practice at Halloween are based on old Pagan holiday
customs, particularly Irish ones that were brought during the 1800s, so we
didn't invent them. Sorry to have had them become so twisted over there!

Elysia
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jo" <>
To: <>
Sent: Sunday, October 31, 2004 3:28 PM
Subject: Halloween..happy?!


> I empathise with these posts...I've had two horrible halloween's in the UK
> and am one of the millions who dread it and perceive it as a total
non-event
> in the calendar.
>
> A few years ago I was alone (we were relocating and my husband had gone a
> month ahead of me while the house was being packed up)..I opened the door
on
> 31st Oct to two guys wearing halloween masks who tried to force their way
> in..I spent the rest of that night giving a police statement and too
utterly
> terrified to go back home for three nights.
>
> 3 years later, in a area, we had so much damage done to external light
> fittings by "children" throwing things at the front of the house (we had
> refused to open the door)that we had to spend over £180 repairing the
> damage. What a quaint tradition and what fun.
>
> My brother is a police sergeant and he won't won't let his kids do
this..he
> spends halloween sorting out terrified old folk, frightened people living
> alone having their doors pelted, and complaints of criminal damage.
>
> It's sad but anyone sensible these days wouldn't open the door to
strangers
> shouting things at them on any night of the year, and surely not when they
> are threatening damage to your property. No parent with sense would let a
> young child out in the dark these days so those wandering the streets are
> certainly not "children" and are usually looking for trouble and a soft
> victim daft enough to open the door to them to either be insulted,
assaulted
> or be expected to hand over money or gifts. Whatever magic the night had a
> century or so ago, it's certainly lost it's sparkle in my neck o' the
woods!
>
>
> Jo
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diane Wynne [mailto:]
> Sent: 31 October 2004 19:35
> To:
> Subject: Re: Happy Halloween!!!
>
> > I think that is what all about. Maybe hyjacked by our colonial
> > cousins? I was in California this time last year and it was huge. Now
> > we go in fear
> and
> > trembling (in deepest Essex) of having flour or eggs thrown at the
house.
> I
> > am armed this year......I have loads of sweets and we will treat....
> because
> > that is the way it is going.
>
> You're lucky you live in deepest Essex. Before I came to Spain I lived in
a
> less rural area and elderly people were afraid on Halloween because the
> 'children' could be so threatening.
>
> > Got to keep up haven't we?
>
> So, no, I don't think we should copy and keep up with a typically North
> American custom (I've also lived in Canada), which is now getting out of
> hand.
>
> Regards,
> Diane
>
>
> > > Halloween is not a custom here in Spain.
> > >
> > > 31st October is the day families go to the cemetary to arrange
> > > flowers
> on
> > > each grave, with a great deal of chatter while the children race
around.
> > If
> > > you visit the cemetary on 1st November it's a beautiful sight - the
> whole
> > > place is full of flowers. This day is a national holiday when the
> > > people visit the cemetary to honour their dead.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Diane
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
>




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