Random Irritations

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Trick or Treat.

Not Halloween - that’s great fun. But ToT. Where the householder has to give a gift under threat of having a ‘trick’ played on them. That’s the wrong way round, and in truth not a great lesson for our children.

Traditionally - at least in Scotland where Halloween was celebrated in a way it wasn’t in rUK, guising (for that is what it is, or was, called) on Halloween involved us doing a little turn - sing a song; recite a poem; tell some jokes etc - for the householder, and in return the householder gives a little gift and maybe a little bit of game-play (dooking for apples; toffee apple on a string etc).

No threat - no trick - just a nice little exchange. I’ll do something nice or fun that you enjoy, then you give me something nice or fun in return. That’s the way to do it

Halloween and ToT in general is a crock of yet another American holiday making its way over here fleecing people of money and sending kids out door knocking essentially begging strangers for sweets which is ironic considering when we spend every single other day teaching kids not to accept things from strangers.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Halloween and ToT in general is a crock of yet another American holiday making its way over here fleecing people of money and sending kids out door knocking essentially begging strangers for sweets which is ironic considering when spend every single other day teaching kids not to accept things from strangers.

Halloween as you know it today (in England but perhaps across the UK) is very different from the Halloween we celebrated in Scotland as children…and that had nothing whatsoever American in it. I don’t know if it’s now gone full American in Scotland…certainly all of the tat we see associated with Halloween these days will be all-polluting of Scottish Halloween…whether the old guising tradition still has a place holding its own over T&T I don’t know.

 

[Voyager EMH]

As a kid in Yorkshire we had Mischief Night on the 4th of November. Knocking on a door and running away was the most naughty thing. Other pranks were much less annoying.
I believe there were Welsh and Scottish versions, not necessarily on the same date.

A little quick research has given me the names, "Noson Ddrygioni" and "Oidhche nan Cleas".

 

[Neilds]

As a kid in Yorkshire we had Mischief Night on the 4th of November. Knocking on a door and running away was the most naughty thing. Other pranks were much less annoying.
I believe there were Welsh and Scottish versions, not necessarily on the same date.

A little quick research has given me the names, "Noson Ddrygioni" and "Oidhche nan Cleas".

Agree, in the 70s/80s growing up in Barnsley it was all about Mischievous Night. Halloween was not even a word then, never mind a 'holiday'.

Mind you, can't imagine tight Yorkshire folk giving out free sweets to kids

 

[Tashyboy]

Trick or treat smell my feet. That’s all we were bothered about. Primarily it was about running round the estate taking the wooden gates of the hinges. Me dad also saying we need a new gate. Which he got. However he never told my brother to get one without someone else’s door number on it.
Apparently me dad got a new gate the following year without a number in it.
Just seen a Facebook post where someone in the village wants to know if there is any firework displays in the area. There is a minimum of five. Both this and next weekend and the 5th November.

 

[Orikoru]

Halloween and ToT in general is a crock of yet another American holiday making its way over here fleecing people of money and sending kids out door knocking essentially begging strangers for sweets which is ironic considering when we spend every single other day teaching kids not to accept things from strangers.

Yeah I pretty much agree. I don't actually remember going trick or treating once as a kid - I'm not sure if we did and I've forgotten, or my parents were against it, or perhaps I wasn't interested. But I do recall growing up in the late 90s the most popular 'trick' seemed to be chucking eggs at people's cars and front doors if they didn't answer the door.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Yeah I pretty much agree. I don't actually remember going trick or treating once as a kid - I'm not sure if we did and I've forgotten, or my parents were against it, or perhaps I wasn't interested. But I do recall growing up in the late 90s the most popular 'trick' seemed to be chucking eggs at people's cars and front doors if they didn't answer the door.

That was just a Friday night where I grew up

We were never allowed trick or treating as my dad saw it as begging. But I agree with him and what’s the point teaching a child boundaries and “stranger danger” if you’re then going to encourage them to go door knocking !

 

[SteveW86]

Do people still go egging?

 

[Pin-seeker]

Do people still go egging?

Kids probably do it on their phones now.
Country’s gone to

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

I can hear the little rat bags outside roaming the streets begging. The cat is petrified as all he can hear is screaming kids and can see the teenagers out doing their best to scrounge as well.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Bunch of miserable old gits . Good etiquette where I live. If you have a little pumpkin outside your house, knock on the door. No pumpkin, no knock. Only little kids go out, in groups with at least one parent with them. No teenagers. It's a fun evening for the little ones, that people can take part in, or not.

Not my cup of tea but plenty enjoy it so why not

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

The way the military treated Jaysley Roberts and fact it’s only just been addressed fully in courts to lead to sentencing and still the changes to prevent it happening to others hasn’t been put in place or sorted.

 

[Fade and Die]

Bunch of miserable old gits . Good etiquette where I live. If you have a little pumpkin outside your house, knock on the door. No pumpkin, no knock. Only little kids go out, in groups with at least one parent with them. No teenagers. It's a fun evening for the little ones, that people can take part in, or not.

Not my cup of tea but plenty enjoy it so why not

Ditto here as well, neighbours both sides have the pumpkins out and I can hear them getting plenty of visitors. I’m watching The Chase with the curtains closed in the dark and have not been bothered

 

[Fade and Die]

The way the military treated Jaysley Roberts and fact it’s only just been addressed fully in courts to lead to sentencing and still the changes to prevent it happening to others hasn’t been put in place or sorted.

Yeah I was reading about this earlier, she was badly let down and her family repeated your words, “they are still waiting to see any changes” Very Sad for them.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Yeah I was reading about this earlier, she was badly let down and her family repeated your words, “they are still waiting to see any changes” Very Sad for them.

Sadly it’s been all to common over the years and it’s meant to get better but it just doesn’t. It’s archaic and the dinosaurs at the top are to slow to enact the changes as it makes them and their leadership seem weak that it happened on their watch and the fact that’s more important to them than putting things in place to stop it and deal with it head on proper angers me. There’s still far to much old boys club running through it and encourages to the younger lads. Some parts are slowly getting better but this is still very much an issue.

I’ve lost count how many times I’ve been told off for calling people above me out for being weak in dealing with these things.

 

[Fade and Die]

Sadly it’s been all to common over the years and it’s meant to get better but it just doesn’t. It’s archaic and the dinosaurs at the top are to slow to enact the changes as it makes them and their leadership seem weak that it happened on their watch and the fact that’s more important to them than putting things in place to stop it and deal with it head on proper angers me. There’s still far to much old boys club running through it and encourages to the younger lads. Some parts are slowly getting better but this is still very much an issue.

I’ve lost count how many times I’ve been told off for calling people above me out for being weak in dealing with these things.

Sadly too common in a lot of institutions. Hopefully as women rise through the ranks this might become less of a problem.

 

[Imurg]

Bunch of miserable old gits . Good etiquette where I live. If you have a little pumpkin outside your house, knock on the door. No pumpkin, no knock. Only little kids go out, in groups with at least one parent with them. No teenagers. It's a fun evening for the little ones, that people can take part in, or not.

Not my cup of tea but plenty enjoy it so why not

We stopped getting involved about 7 or 8 years ago..
We used to getbloads of kids and it was quite fun..
Then, for 2 years on the bounce we had none...the pumpkins were out but nobody came...took a while to get through all the sweets.
Then Covid came and it didn't seem like a good idea...now we don't bother.
I've heard about 2 or 3 groups going by the interest has waned....

 

[Tashyboy]

Loadsa little munchkins roaming around tonight. Tooth fairy is gonna be busy in a week or twos time.

A woman has put on Facebook. Am a nurse, on nights tonight and I have left a bowl of sweets out for the kids to help themselves whilst I am in bed. She is asking for the bowl back as someone has nicked it.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Sadly too common in a lot of institutions. Hopefully as women rise through the ranks this might become less of a problem.

Sadly there were quite a few women at the top that let this go because of their own careers and protected themselves over Jaysley their as guilty as the men at every level. Sadly it’s been an institutional problem across the genders allowing this to happen. There needs to be a huge shake up and removal of several top level staff positions and put the methods and practices in place to protect these young girls and guys in some instances from those preying on them and those covering it up in fear of how it looks on them ! It’s cowardice and and self preservation over the lives of these poor souls. Damn this really grips my

 

[cliveb]

I see the people who sprayed Stonehenge with orange powder have been acquitted of causing a public nuisance. Fair enough.

I tell you what IS a public nuisance: the grockles on the A303 gawping at Stonehenge. We had to (once again) divert around it this evening to avoid the congestion.

I sometimes think the best solution is to just knock it down.
(Only kidding)