Halloween! Not one mention on the holiday thread. What was your favorite costume and why?

Sandie

New Member
Hi! I can't believe this isn't a thread. What was your favorite costume and why? I was between 4 and 6 years old in the early fifties. I remember walking (unaccompanied by an adult-but maybe by an older sibling) through wind tossed, dark lit neighborhoods in homemade princess and goblin paraphernalia. Although I do not remember what I wore at 4 years old, I do remember some of the costumes I loved best. I belonged to a literary club when I was in high school, and I went from class to class, dressed as Mary Poppins, handing out office memos. My favorite costume, many years later, was as "Bill" (the lizard chimney sweep in 'Alice in Wonderland'). No one had a clue. Maybe this just goes to show what a nerd I am but I always gave hints and clues to those trying to determine who I was. Just goes to show that sometimes you need to pay attention to the minor characters. Hope your costume this year is a showstopper!
 

If you've ever read the Jerry Seinfeld Halloween book. Superman was the ultimate costume. Maybe I was a bit butch but I wanted to be Superman for years. Those masks with the elastic bands were pitiful, but the costume was great. Halloween was and still is possibly my favorite holiday.
 
I agree, Halloween is and has been my favorite Holiday forever! I happen to own that Seinfield book. Bought it for the grandchildren, but decided to keep it with all of my other kid/adult story books. I know my 'Bill" costume was a little cerebral, but that's the way I roll. I want to challenge my fellow celebrants. Not just going for the cheap thrill!
 

Hi Sandie, Halloween has been a favorite holiday of mine for years, though this hear I feeling all that hyped about it. Its only been in the past week that I even decided to go with my usual group to huge Halloween party held out this way each year. I'm finally getting in the spirit. Its a good thing I have several old costume pieces tucked away so I was able to make a decision a week before the deadline. :)
 
No holiday as in holey day for many different religions. I doubt that most countries consider All Hallow's Eve or All Saints'/Souls' Day to be a government holiday. Probably looked upon as a secular/folkloric celebration,
 
When you say 'holiday' does it mean a day off work?

Holiday is confusing for some here since we are multicultural. Outside of the US holiday means 'vacation' or time off like school holidays or bank holiday Monday etc. Holiday in the US means Xmas, etc.

I only say vacation when visiting the US as I get confused looks when I say holiday.
 
Halloween was not even thought about in UK when I was young...it has grown in popularity more recently; personally I dislike it.!
 
Maybe it's more of a northern England thing as in this neck of the woods we always celebrated Halloween.. We did things like ducking for apples or snap apple and sometimes had parties where we played 'spooky' games etc. and always my mam made toffee apples and slabs of treacle toffee.

When I was a little bit older and we moved to the Middle East, I then got into the trick or treating. I remember a group of us girls dressing up as beatniks one year.

There's also Mischief Night in parts of northern England and this can be anytime between Halloween and Bonfire Night. 'Treacle-smearing, egg-throwing, gate-stealing, it can only mean one thing - Mischief Night. It is a centuries-old tradition in northern England, but barely known elsewhere in the UK. So, what is it?'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8339617.stm
 
Halloween was not even thought about in UK when I was young...it has grown in popularity more recently; personally I dislike it.!


I'm with you Viv, I dislike it as well and never open my door when they come knocking...................fortunately for my town this year our Guy Carnival Procession falls on the same night so with a bit of luck there will be no door knockers about.
 
We don't get kids at our door because on our stretch of the road we all voted not to have streetlights installed, so it's pitch dark without a torch or headlights.
 
We get mainly toddlers with their parents and they come round early evening. Rarely do we get any older kids. I usually put stickers in the window so they know they can knock on my door and of course I dress up in my witch outfit. :cool:
 
I'm with you Viv, I dislike it as well and never open my door when they come knocking...................fortunately for my town this year our Guy Carnival Procession falls on the same night so with a bit of luck there will be no door knockers about.

Guy Carnival procession sounds good, Bee!
 
Night before Halloween in CT is also a night for pranks, usually ringing doorbells and running away, toilet papering trees and soaping windows.

I am having my family over for early Halloween supper this year. I bought some nice decorations...a beautiful witch about 2 feet tall wearing a lovely black gown and poufy netting on her hat: a pumpkin centerpiece made of bent branches, painted orange and dusted with gold glitter, strings of orange mini lights, orange place mats and black dishes, candles etc.

Food will not be fancy but hopefully good. Planning on shepherds pie, salad, spinach and artichoke cheese spread with crouton, cake.
 
I'm not a fan of Halloween ... never really liked it, even as a kid.
I'll buy a bag of candy bars when the grandkids come calling, but other than that, I look past the occasion.

Don't have many kids where I live anyway, so it's not a big night of activity.
 
There are not many children in my neighborhood and I haven't had trick-or-treaters for years. I'm not a big fan of halloween, anyway.

QUESTION FOR UK MEMBERS: I was watching a British mystery, Midsomer Murders, I think, or maybe Poirot, and the children were playing a game called "Snapdragon" at a halloween party. I never heard of it. What's "Snapdragon?"
 
When I was a kid there was an older couple up the road who gave us an old fashioned Halloween experience.

Each group were taken inside and anyone else waited on the lighted porch for their turn.

For our candy we each had to do something, either sing a song, do a dance, recite a poem or at least recite the Pledge of Allegiance (to our flag). After that we were invited to remove masks and bob for apples! I never saw that before or since, although I'd heard of it.
Finally, we were herded back to the kitchen, sat in the nook and were each served a paper cup of cider and a doughnut. Then we left and the
next group came in.

That old couple gave us the best Halloweens ever!
 
Where I grew up (Ohio), we had Beggars Night (Oct 30th) and Hallowe'en (Oct 31st). I thought it was the same all over the country until I moved south.

Beggars Night was the "treat" portion of Trick or Treat, where children in costume make evening rounds of homes ... and are given candy. This event being closely tied to, but distinct from, Halloween itself, when various forms of mischief or "tricks" may occur.

The tricks were applied to houses that did not give treats the night before. Usually soap or parafin on windows, eggs thrown against the side of houses, and my father told tales of overturned outhouses when he was a kid. I think the trickery part died out by the time my generation came along.

My favorite holiday for the few years we were old enough to go without parents.
 


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