Is Hallowe'en going out of fashion?

Apiarist

Compared to the last several years, there seem to be less Halloween decorations around, at least where I live in Blanchardstown. Choice of costumes and decorations in the shopping centre is also very poor compared to even last year. Can't see any children hoarding materials for a fire either.

Has my area been gentrified :eek:? Or is Halloween going out of fashion?

Pixel Eater

Actually I was out on Saturday night with a few pals that were dressed up and the club we went to had hardly anyone in costume, which was very surprising. Have heard a lot less bangers this year too (which is a good thing).


To be honest, while I like Hallowe'en, I'd be happy if we dropped the current utterly Americanized version that we've imported and bring back a more traditional festival.

D3V!L

The retailers are pushing Christmas earlier and earlier every year so the Halloween stuff is well out of the shops long before the actual time.

HeidiHeidi

If only!

The amount of plastic rubbish involved is scary, I'd be glad to see the back of it (as poster said above, the over hyped American imported version anyway)

r93kaey5p2izun

Not where I am anyway. Mine is the only house with no decorations on my road. We've had bangers every evening since the third week of August. I think it's really interesting that all my neighbours from Eastern Europe seem to have really embraced Halloween - they go all out.

SEPT 23 1989

The State has organised different events in various locations where the children of the state are permitted to have fun for an hour or two

Pixel Eater

Yep. Walking past Arnotts this morning and there was a big hullabaloo with people in costumes (non-hallowe'en) obviously pushing Christmas.



And Hallowe'en is tomorrow.

Roger_007

Pixel Eater wrote: »

Actually I was out on Saturday night with a few pals that were dressed up and the club we went to had hardly anyone in costume, which was very surprising. Have heard a lot less bangers this year too (which is a good thing).


To be honest, while I like Hallowe'en, I'd be happy if we dropped the current utterly Americanized version that we've imported and bring a more traditional festival.

I have noticed in the last few years that the practice of kids going around the local houses on Halloween night has practically disappeared in my area. It's something that I used to look forward to as a child.
Parents seem to be terrified of letting their kids out after dark unsupervised. Kids these days miss out on a lot of fun due to largely irrational fears.

TheBoyConor

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

The State has organised different events in various locations where the children of the state are permitted to have fun for an hour or two

The State? Sounds like something from North Korea, or the Purge

neris

Was up in Musgraves cash and carry few weeks ago and they had all the xmas stocks on display. Made a comment about it to one of the lads working there and he said they werent doing halloween stuff this year because they didnt make money on it last year so were pushing the xmas stuff earlier. Though going by the state of the houses around my area id be surprised if some of them have enough attic space for the halloween & xmas decorations. Used to be the odd pumpkin with a candle now its lights, skeletons in the front garden, ghosts hanging in windows and lights on the tree in the front garden

D3V!L wrote: »

The retailers are pushing Christmas earlier and earlier every year so the Halloween stuff is well out of the shops long before the actual time.

neris

TheBoyConor wrote: »

The State? Sounds like something from North Korea, or the Purge

with the way insurance is going it might as well be

alchemist33

I was in Derry last night and it seems to be going from strength to strength there. But closer to where I live, and even in my own house, there seems less interest.

Deebles McBeebles

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

The State has organised different events in various locations where the children of the state are permitted to have fun for an hour or two

steves2

Where I am every house is putting up decorations for Halloween, it's like a nuclear arms race with each one outdoing the other. Started a couple weeks ago, wasn't like that when I was growing up so it seems like it's getting more popular every year to me.

iguana

Pixel Eater wrote: »

Yep. Walking past Arnotts this morning and there was a big hullabaloo with people in costumes (non-hallowe'en) obviously pushing Christmas.



And Hallowe'en is tomorrow.

Fao Schwartz* has opened up an outlet in Arnotts today. They are doing a massive promotion on it. Won’t be surprised if it’s on the 6.01 news tonight.

*The New York toy shop from Big.

beerbaron

iguana wrote: »

Fao Schwartz* has opened up an outlet in Arnotts today. They are doing a massive promotion on it. Won’t be surprised if it’s on the 6.01 news tonight.

*The New York toy shop from Big.

*The Big toy shop from New York.

whisky_galore

If the bastardised American version of Halloween with the plastic decorations went out of fashion along with bangers and messing it'd be no loss.

I think there's definitely something to the post that Xmas is pushed instead and pushed earlier as there's more money in it, Halloween is very short in comparison.

Once the adults started dressing up they ruined it..

Balmed Out

I'd say its gotten a lot more popular from one evening to a week and a half of events. Perhaps your neighborhood has just aged?

briany

Pixel Eater wrote: »

Actually I was out on Saturday night with a few pals that were dressed up and the club we went to had hardly anyone in costume, which was very surprising. Have heard a lot less bangers this year too (which is a good thing).


To be honest, while I like Hallowe'en, I'd be happy if we dropped the current utterly Americanized version that we've imported and bring back a more traditional festival.

Damn, I remember the old days of Halloween when the neighbourhood would be like Vietnam with all the ordnance going off. Screamers, monkey rockets, black cats, catherine wheels and roman candles. A bag full of peanuts and the smell of burnt propellant in the air - now that's Halloween.

neris

Deleted User wrote: »

Once the adults started dressing up they ruined it..

the adults always dressed up, they just kept in the bedroom or dungeon

PhilOssophy

Its a massive thing with the nouveau riche, we've a few new neighbours in recent years who have their house tackily dressed with all kinds of crap.

JustMe,K

Most of the houses where we live have decorations up, which I've not seen to this extent before. Will be interesting to see how many kids are knocking on the door tomorrow night. I think its gone crazy with people making up bags and bags of treats to give out to those who knock, must cost a fortune.

Tammy!

victor8600 wrote: »

Compared to the last several years, there seem to be less Halloween decorations around, at least where I live in Blanchardstown. Choice of costumes and decorations in the shopping centre is also very poor compared to even last year. Can't see any children hoarding materials for a fire either

Yea I noticed there was less in the shop this year. Are bonfires still allowed in places?

I remember when we use to go trick or treating and there was one woman in our estate who really bought into Halloween, Christmas etc decorating the house and stuff before anyone did it and it was always ott.

The first year she did the Halloween stuff, we knocked and she told us that she wasn't ready, to come back. When we knocked in again, she opened the door jumping around dressed as a giant cat. She said 'well do you want a trick or a treat?' We were just stood there like...just put the sweets in the bag so we can leave now.

Pineapple1

I feel like if anything, Halloween has really taken off in Ireland the last 5 years and has gone SO Americanised. Theres people taking their kids to pumpkin patches, that was always only an American thing imo. Bakeries now selling pumpkin pies, 5-10 years ago pumpkin as a pie or pumpkin spice lattes were non existent in my part of the country anyways. Although I live in a small town and we barely have anyone call to us trick or treating anymore. 10 years ago the door never stopped ringing. But in other aspects Halloween is gone so popular recently.

Doctors room ghost

Halloween is a big load of American sh1te.
And as for a pumpkin, it has to be one of the most useless fcukin articles you could buy.
Even a fcukin crow won’t eat a pumpkin and them fcukers would eat anything.
Carving the fcukers today and looking for a ditch to throw the fcuker in tomorrow.
Waste of time the lot of it

Zaph

victor8600 wrote: »

Or is Halloween going out of fashion?

We can but hope that this is the case. I thought it was awful tedious nonsense even when I was a kid, and my opinion hasn't changed in the meantime.

razorblunt

Trick or treating isnt the same when you have to wear a jacket over your skeleton outfit!

It's always bigger on years when it falls on Friday or Saturday.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Pixel Eater wrote: »

Actually I was out on Saturday night with a few pals that were dressed up and the club we went to had hardly anyone in costume, which was very surprising. Have heard a lot less bangers this year too (which is a good thing).


To be honest, while I like Hallowe'en, I'd be happy if we dropped the current utterly Americanized version that we've imported and bring back a more traditional festival.

I’ve noticed that too. Much less than any other year I’ve lived in Dublin. But nothing could compare to last year when the surge in bangers going off on the night was notable. I hope it’s more calm this year.

I feel sad at the thought that children might not play the traditional games anymore. They were so much fun. Can’t they do those in addition to trick or treating?

Roger_007 wrote: »

I have noticed in the last few years that the practice of kids going around the local houses on Halloween night has practically disappeared in my area. It's something that I used to look forward to as a child.
Parents seem to be terrified of letting their kids out after dark unsupervised. Kids these days miss out on a lot of fun due to largely irrational fears.

Going trick or treating wasn’t done in my area at all. I didn’t think it was commonplace in Ireland not so long ago and doesn’t seem to be now even.

The Tetrarch

iguana wrote: »

Fao Schwartz* has opened up an outlet in Arnotts today. They are doing a massive promotion on it. Won’t be surprised if it’s on the 6.01 news tonight.
*The New York toy shop from Big.

I visited their shop in New York twenty years ago (when I was 48). Fantastic. At the door to greet you was a huge black man in black top hat and crimson tails. Great shop.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

razorblunt wrote: »

Trick or treating isnt the same when you have to wear a jacket over your skeleton outfit!

It's always bigger on years when it falls on Friday or Saturday.

Good point actually!

r93kaey5p2izun

We trick or treated in the early 80s and my cousins had been doing it since at least the 70s. We also had a Halloween party and played traditional games like bobbing for apples and snap apple. We went to the bonfire, and ate colcannon with coins in it and brack with a ring, a rag and a coin in it.

freshpopcorn

When I was younger Halloween was basically a day during the midterm.
In school you might have made something in Art such as a hat or mask.
Now however. Schools have dress up day on the Friday of the midterm and it sort of fizzles out for them I find.

JohnnyFlash

Remember kids - resist the urge to dress up as a Nazi or to get ‘blacked up’ - stuff like that will comeback to haunt you.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

freshpopcorn wrote: »

When I was younger Halloween was basically a day during the midterm.
In school you might have made something in Art such as a hat or mask.
Now however. Schools have dress up day on the Friday of the midterm and it sort of fizzles out for them I find.

What do you mean?

neris

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Remember kids - resist the urge to dress up as a Nazi or to get ‘blacked up’ - stuff like that will comeback to haunt you.

or a KKK member

freshpopcorn

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

What do you mean?

They have a day in school where they dress up,etc and then they don't seem to be overly pushed about Halloween night when it comes around.

facehugger99

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Remember kids - resist the urge to dress up as a Nazi or to get ‘blacked up’ - stuff like that will comeback to haunt you.

Women - feel free to continue to dress up as novelty stripograms.

Ash.J.Williams

Pixel Eater wrote: »

Actually I was out on Saturday night with a few pals that were dressed up and the club we went to had hardly anyone in costume, which was very surprising. Have heard a lot less bangers this year too (which is a good thing).


To be honest, while I like Hallowe'en, I'd be happy if we dropped the current utterly Americanized version that we've imported and bring back a more traditional festival.

like burning people?

is_that_so

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Remember kids - resist the urge to dress up as a Nazi or to get ‘blacked up’ - stuff like that will comeback to haunt you.

The face blackening goes way back to the Celts and the Samhain festival, so there's half an excuse anyway! Black faced skulls with white bones like Dia de Los Muertos would probably also get you a pass!

Zaph

Zaph wrote: »

We can but hope that this is the case. I thought it was awful tedious nonsense even when I was a kid, and my opinion hasn't changed in the meantime.

Same here. The only thing I've ever liked about it was monkey nuts. Havn't been able to find any this year. Apparently* you aren't meant to give anything with nuts in it as a treat and so they aren't selling them anymore.

*So I heard. May not be true.

Doctors room ghost

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Same here. The only thing I've ever liked about it was monkey nuts. Havn't been able to find any this year. Apparently* you aren't meant to give anything with nuts in it as a treat and so they aren't selling them anymore.

*So I heard. May not be true.

The proper fruit and veg shops are full with the monkey nuts.buy them by the weight.

neris

The Spanish still do it for the 3 kings or little christmas in January. The snowflakes only found out this year they did it and got very upset, especially the yank snowflakes who barely have any understanding of any European traditions

is_that_so wrote: »

The face blackening goes way back to the Celts and the Samhain festival, so there's half an excuse anyway! Black faced skulls with white bones like Dia de Los Muertos would probably also get you a pass!

Penfailed

It's getting bigger and bigger in Derry. What used to be a one night thing is now a week long celebration.

JohnnyFlash

is_that_so wrote: »

The face blackening goes way back to the Celts and the Samhain festival, so there's half an excuse anyway! Black faced skulls with white bones like Dia de Los Muertos would probably also get you a pass!

I dressed up as Linford Christie for a Hallowe’en party in London in 1992. The dude had won the Olympic medal that year. I also wanted chicks at the party to go ‘well Linford is it true what they say about what’s in your shorts’? The old Linford Lunchbox.

This was before smartphones and outrage culture, but I do vaguely remember a few Polaroid’s being taken that evening. I’m not an important guy but nobody wants to be tarnished with the old cultural appropriation thing. Dangerous business.

dublinman1990

Did anyone see the ending from the Six-One news tonight? I thought it was very well put together.

scamalert

seems very decent almost, well hope so no more trick a treaters, mostly kids with parents. so pretty much quiet and similar to last year.


fireworks on the other hand are firing for last hour, not some crappy ones either, dont mind, but the dog is howling and barking his head off.

beejee

Halloween 3: Season of the witch is on later, Irish cultists trying to murder millions of children... Doesn't get any better

Edgware

The Tetrarch wrote: »

I visited their shop in New York twenty years ago (when I was 48). Fantastic. At the door to greet you was a huge black man in black top hat and crimson tails. Great shop.

That was probably Trudeau doing work experience

Edgware

facehugger99 wrote: »

Women - feel free to continue to dress up as novelty stripograms.

Your Ma did the local slut dress very well. Pity she changed for Halloween

zerosugarbuzz

My scumbag neighbors having a Rave, safe in the knowledge that there is probably so much going on elsewhere there is no point in bothering the guards. They don't even live there, older and deceased parents house. If the rain keeps coming it might close them down.... then again with the techno music who knows