exciting, informative, snarky, and very likely fabricated tales of life as an american expat in london

all hallow’s eve

by Jen at 7:24 am on 31.10.2007 | 4 Comments
filed under: holidaze

happy halloween! happy samhain!

it’s that time of year again – time for the british media to run sensationalistic articles about how halloween fosters crime and anti-social behaviour. time for people to overreact to a few bad eggs. time for paranoid shopkeepers to crack down on flour sales. time for police to don the head cams.

i know i go on about this every year, but halloween in the uk is a dispiriting affair. rather than reprise my annual bitchfest, here’s a great piece from the guardian about how halloween in the uk should go down. take note britain:

It’s a treat, not a trick

If the British version of Halloween has become a violent, ugly, month-long spree, don’t blame me

Sarah Churchwell
Monday October 29, 2007
The Guardian

Last week, I was accosted by children in a restaurant demanding I give them money. I told the little thugs that I would give them a piece of chocolate if they came to my house in costume in 10 days’ time and said “trick or treat”, but there would be no shakedown tonight.

For eight years, I have watched in dismay as a vile, distorted version of “Halloween” has taken hold in England – and Americans have been blamed for it. Last year, police handed out signs to homeowners saying “No trick or treaters”, and warned children not to scare residents by ringing their doorbells.

To Americans, this is farcical: Halloween is not scary, unless they reside in the inner city of Washington, in which case every night is scary. I know Americans who won’t travel on October 31 because they don’t want to miss the little kids in their adorable costumes.

So, for British people wondering how this ought to work, I offer the rules of what is a highly ritualised, charming custom. Doubtless it has altered since I was little, and it varies regionally; but I went trick-or-treating with my three-year-old nephew a couple of years ago and it seemed unchanged.

Rule one: Halloween only happens on October 31. Demanding offerings on other days is like asking for presents on December 13.

Rule two: In its current American incarnation, Halloween is for small children – say three to 10 years old – and those who love them. Older children sometimes engage in rowdier pursuits, some even violent and dangerous, but most harmless pranks. This is hardly at the centre of the tradition, and teenagers on a tear are just as likely to get arrested as any other day.

Rule three: Costumes are the sine qua non of Halloween. I can’t imagine anyone in America would dream of giving a treat to children who were not in costume. Try marching up to someone in your street clothes and demanding money, and see what happens. We don’t call that Halloween – we call it mugging.

Rule four: Halloween occurs primarily in residential areas with children. It does not happen in public places. Houses signal they are participating with a jack-o-lantern on the porch or in the window, rendering police signs supererogatory.

Rule five: “Trick or treat” translates today as “I’d like some sweets, please”. It’s not a free for all. Although historically the phrase indicated a threat to commit a prank on a house that refused you a treat, no one refuses, so it’s not an issue. The “trick” part has been pretty much lost. If you don’t want to give them a treat, you don’t answer the door. There is no reprisal; the kids move on to the next house.

Rule six: When you say “trick or treat”, nice people give you a bitesize piece of chocolate they have ready and compliment you on your costume. No cash changes hands. Some annoying people give you apples. I remember one old lady handing out toothbrushes.

And that’s it. On October 31, for a couple of hours, small children dress up in costume, go out with their parents to knock on the doors of the neighbours’ houses that have jack-o-lanterns, say “trick or treat”, and are given chocolate or sweets. If older children or teenagers misbehave, they get into trouble. I can see why the UK wants to pass laws outlawing this sinister practice.

There is a great deal of resentment toward “American cultural imports”, the myriad ways in which we are contaminating your demi-paradise with our corrupt practices. I hate to break it to you, but in the case of Halloween, you are the ones bastardising our culture. If your version is a violent, threatening and ugly spree across the month of October, don’t blame America, blame yourselves.

pumpkin


dead kennedys – halloween

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4 Comments »

4 Comments

  • 1

    Comment by Amity

    31.10.2007 @ 14:17 pm

    that was an *awesome* article. That’s right britain, point that finger inwards, you violent, crazy delinquents! sheesh.

  • 2

    Comment by Strawberry

    31.10.2007 @ 16:21 pm

    Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes!!!!!!!

    PS– “dispiriting”… nicely punned! )

  • 3

    Comment by kim

    31.10.2007 @ 18:22 pm

    Like that article. We’ve already had about 30 kids or so turn up for trick or treat, well impressed but looks like a candy run is in order. Happy Halloween!

  • 4

    Comment by Jen

    1.11.2007 @ 21:51 pm

    hope y’all had fun!

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