Autumn eating

[Sakkarin Profile]

Amy, edited your earlier post to resurrect the two missing pictures, I hope they're the right ones now...

[Amyw Profile]

Ah thank you

[Joanbunting Profile]

70 years ago, in the NE, we celebrated hallowe'en with great enthusiasm. We usually were with the cousins and their parents in one of the houses. We had carved turnip lanterns - and didn't they smell awful? Bobbing for apples, snapdragon - a bit risky, and cut the cake which was a pile of flour pressed into a rectangle. Everyone had to take turns to "cut" a slice from the cake until the glace cherry in the middle fell off. The last person to cut the cake had to pick it up with their teeth and of course got pushed into the flour. We also had toffee cornflake balls which were threaded onto a thread and the threads tied to a long piece of string, The player was blindfolded and their hands tied behind their backs and then had to try and eat the toffee which. of course was jiggled up and down by the two people holding the string.

Those cousins who went to a church school had to go the church next morning but then had the rest of the day off. !st Novenber is a public holiday here. I don't think it is quite right to say Hallowe'en is an import from the us but trick or treateing certainly is.

[Badger's Mate Profile]

60 years ago in our part of London there was no celebration of Halloween. It featured in comics such as Beano and Dandy but mum told me it was an American thing. Presumably they got it from us originally, various European traditions modified by New World components and several centuries of separate evolution.

What was much more of an event for us in those days was firework night.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I think to some extent fireworks night and Halloween have done some exchanging

At the moment we are on day 4/5 of Diwali, so fireworks at or just after sunset

But over the last few decades I've noticed a tendency for just small back garden fire work displays in conjunction with Halloween parties, but people go to the very good council displays for bonfire night.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

What was much more of an event for us in those days was firework night.

Snap! Guy Fawkes night & the ' Penny for the guy' that went with it!

Some good guys & some Frankenstein ones - but they all got thrown on the bonfire on the night.

[Pampy Profile]

Same here! There was some open land at the bottom of the road that we lived on and all the neighbours on the estate (only 4 very small roads) used to collect wood for the bonfire and it was always really big. Anyone who was getting rid of chairs/sofas etc used to save them for bonfire night and they were placed around the edges bonfire for older people to sit on but were always thrown on the bonfire at the end of the night. Most of the dads used to make sure that everything was safe and they were the only ones who were allowed to set fireworks off. Mums made huge pots of black peas and potatoes and chestnuts were shoved into the fire to bake. It was long before the days of elf and safety but I don't recall anyone being hurt at all. My birthday is about 2 weeks after bonfire night and Dad always saved some fireworks to set off in our back garden, while we all watched from inside. Magical times.
Halloween was the night that bad spirits were around causing mischief before All Souls day so we all stayed in - there was no trick or treating and we didn't do anything to mark the occasion.

[jeral Profile]

Halloween wasn't really acknowledged when I was titchy since, as said, firework night was the big event with a bonfire on the bomb site when everyone burned things that would burn that they didn't want. We'd put spuds under too, and somehow found them...

We all went to Auntie somebody one year and did the apple bobbing etc. I won a little bambi ornament that was set in an acrylic block and mum won a butter knife. <- That came in handy as we got home and found to our distress that we were locked out - so mum used it to break in

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Ma ic indeed Pampy…………

We also put large pots under the bonfire too - they came out totally black-skinned - & very messy to eat but we ( us kids) thought they were wonderful. I always bought sparklers with my guy donations - still love them now...……….

[Badger's Mate Profile]

people go to the very good council displays for bonfire night.

When I got together with Mrs B and moved up here we started going to the excellent one in Ware. It's run by the local Rotary club. Rather more impressive than my dad setting off a couple of rockets, a Catherine wheel and a Roman candle whilst mum & I waved sparklers about, but at the time it was a highlight of the year!

[Lusciouslush Profile]

There are many excellent ones around here & I am all for them now - we always used to go to Lewes bonfire night which was amazing, but wouldn't go near it now given the crowds ( we're talking not able to walk) & a large amount drunks in the mix......ugh! despite the Lewes Bonfire Society's brilliant efforts.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

My Dad was very sceptical of the new Church Centre just down the road from him (many years ago)
Then the vicar came round and explained his vision for getting everyone to come and have a big safe community bonfire night, no fireworks in cramped back gardens scaring the dogs, no kids chucking bangers

Dad gave him a good donation to help him kick off, it worked well - all the kids wanted to go to the "proper" fireworks, with music, it made some money for the centre, and dad enjoyed watching them through the window, glass in hand.

I have been to Lewes once or twice, a very long time ago, was good (then), as was the other big traditional one at Titchfield

[dennispc Profile]

Plymouth's firework competition in August is well worth seeing.

https://www.visitplymouth.co.uk/whats-o ... s-p1166573

12/13 August 2020

[Suffs Profile]

60 years ago in our part of London there was no celebration of Halloween. It featured in comics such as Beano and Dandy but mum told me it was an American thing. Presumably they got it from us originally, various European traditions modified by New World components and several centuries of separate evolution.

What was much more of an event for us in those days was firework night.

This makes some sense of it http://www.rampantscotland.com/know/blk ... loween.htm

[scullion Profile]

Plymouth's firework competition in August is well worth seeing.

https://www.visitplymouth.co.uk/whats-o ... s-p1166573

12/13 August 2020

agree, we haven't done it for a couple of years but well worth the trip up. good view from the hoe.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Bobbing for apples is the only thing I can remember for Halloween.
Oh -and scary films