Discussion subject 5

Happy Halloween ! Trick or treat ! something that not hear...

It's almost Halloween so why not start a topic about that?
I know that normally is the day of the dead. Then the US have brightened it.
I don’t know for you but to me when I was small very few children would collect candy. I did that twice and people were so surprised… And they had not planned candy, suddenly I headed with ice cream or cans to replace them. It was quite funny. And now there are no children at all…
It's a pity not to have this event because it's really nice to do for children. I don’t know if this is because of the mentality have changing or because the street is not safe...
In your home it’s the same ?
Have you any idea why it was lost ??

Halloween is a very American holiday.

It has grown over the last 30 years in England and children do "treak or treat" in their communities. I was surprised in France that they don't. My wife used to buy lots of sweets in and then nobody or nearly nobody came to the house. Those that did ended up with a lot of sweets but now we don't even bother as no children call.

The situation is more complicated in England because we have a big celebration on November 5th with communal bonfires and fireworks (like July 14th) which remembers an attack that tried to blow up the English houses of parliament long ago. Children make effigies of the perpertrator who is eventually burned on the bonfire. It's traditional for people to eat jacket potatoes and hot dogs around the bonfire and to drink mulled wine.

Last year I was in Poitiers, when Halloween came I was very excited, because I've long heard of "Trick or treat" this traditional game of the children. But that night, my friends and I didn't see any children in fancy clothes on the street. On the way home that evening, a man painted with a white grimace on his face approached us quietly and then suddenly gave a great shout behind us, when he saw that we were scared, he laughed and ran away. He was the only person we saw that celebrate the Halloween on the street that night...

I did Halloween when I was young with my friends. This party was very popular... I was strolling through the streets. We were a lot of children, sometimes accompanied by parents. At the end, my bag was filled.    My parents stayed at home to give candies to others. Today, Halloween disappear in my town. I don't see children into the streets anymore. It's too bad because it's was very funny to do. I don't think it's due to insecurity in streets. Halloween is a tradition in America. Some people try to bring it in France but it does not success over time.
This year, I have a Halloween party and I have to disguise myself. I don't have a disguise so I have to search an idea during my holidays...

When I was young I liked Halloween and I going to my neighborhood to have sweet. Now I like Halloween but not for the same reasons. Today, Halloween for me it's a big costume party with my friends. I like to go in a night club or bar to celebrate Halloween. I find that there are less children in the street than when I was young. I think  it's because of the street is less safe than before. It's pity because it's so funny for the children.

Being born in the countryside, we never celebrated Halloween. I think, however, that it is a very American holiday. It is also very commercial. I think she is spreading more and more and more we hear about it. However, it's been two years that I live on Angoulême and nobody ever came knocking on my door for candy.

I'll be there.

I hope one day people will change their mind!

I agree with all of you! It's also been a while since i didn't see  dressed up children in the streets for Halloween... I still don't understand why.. it's a great way to talk to your neighbors , to spend great time with your family and friends and also to get candies for free aha. I don't think too it's because of insecurity because in any case, parents don't allow their children to go very far away from their home. Children usually stay in the district... To my mind, it's because of a change in attitude. I have the feeling we are less and less opened to American culture but more opened to others which is weird !
However i think that Halloween is reliving thanks to teenagers and young adults. As you said Candy, Halloween is now linked to disguised parties with friends!

I think in France Halloween is not really celebrated as in other countries. I feel it is a festival that France wanted to take to the US for his side horror. In my town, this festival is quite good, there is quite a group of children who come for candy. After I think it depends on the neighborhood, but also in terms of safety problems. It is possible that fewer parents want to leave their children alone in the street with all we hear on TV. However, during halloween for me nothing is better than to put me in front of the TV with my friends, and to look full of horror movies of the 80s.

I celebrated Halloween just one time when I was young with my friends just for candies haha and now I see less and less children's who do it. I think it's a big tradition in US but it don't catch in France, I don't know why and I know that in Turkey, they don't celebrate Halloween

I was pleasantly surprised this year because there was a lot of activities for Halloween, I saw a lot of children and adults in disguise compared to other years .. I hope to see this again next year !!!

I agree with Yvanilde. This year, children come to my house to have candies and I saw a lot of children in streets. However, I think that malls did not play the game because they didn't sell a lot of things for Halloween. They were already selling chocolate for Christmas.