paddyo

well if thats not a defensive female statement I don't know what is!!

I like kids having fun, I have been to many continents and I can 'be arsed' to learn anything about other traditions, hence I was asking why it was celebrated...I reckon your just upset becuase you didn't know it was a pagan ritual celebrated by witches!!

I will however accept the bah humbug statement...guilty as charged m'lud!!

paddyo

well it isn't, this is Australia and we don't do stupid meaningless celebrations about....oh...hold on...yes we do!!

Rudi

Where we live in Brisbane there's heaps of kids that go out trick and treating!! They all dress up and lots of the houses are decorated as well.

My girls usually get together with a few friends and go out around the streets for an hour or more. We find most people really kind and some people who have forgotten to buy lollies, offer money instead - although I will not allow my kids to take money - it's a kind thought though.

I think someone mentioned the street parade in Manly. It's a lovely evening out with marching bands, spoofed up cars and people dressed up as the weired and wonderful! Lots of families out having picnics in the park before hand etc.

Love

Rudi
x

PunkDebutante

Apparently Halloween is quite big in Kenmore, QLD as well. Some friends of ours have invited us out there. We are really forward to it. My 13 year old missed Halloween so much when we moved from Florida to England but we always had parties for her and her friends.

Rudi

Here's a photo from last year's parade in Manly - sorry about the quality!

Japonica

Um, every kid in primary school knows it's a pagan ritual. Duh. Same as the Christian-appropriated Christmas, complete with the pagan solstice tree and all. Don't forget Easter with the spring fertility rites. Doesn't take an advanced degree to figure it out. I guess you missed that previous post where I commented that it was something that my very Catholic school allowed the kids to celebrate a pagan ritual. The significance of that was not lost on us even at that age. My childhood best friends--two sisters--had devout, fundamentalist Christian parents who refused to let them participate in any form of Hallowe'en festivities lest they burn in hell for it.

And if that's not a typical male attempt at rebuttal, then I don't know what is either. Complete with typo. I corrected it for you. No worries, mate.

Japonica

Well, that's good. What a relief. And two whole months. Kudos.

All Brits, please don't go on about what was "wisely" left behind--this includes all traditions, foods, consumer goods, favorite clothing shops, threads about house build standards, education standards, book prices, favorite beer brands, and any and all homesickness posts.

That should stop about, hmm...60% of the threads on here. I'm glad we cleared that up. Fresh start. How dare anyone talk about the country they emigrated from, especially when someone asks about it.

Just off to tell the Irish Club of WA, the Swedish Club of WA, and the Canadian Club of WA to close doors and get the heck out of town. They're in Australia now...the nerve of them...be Australian already.

Japonica

Love it! That would have been a kick driving an inflatable skeleton around town.

paddyo

Actually this website IS for ALL BRITS...hence the website name..its not ex Canucks trying to find gossip friends or those that think a few slighty longer than one syllabul words will deter a rebuttal!!

So if you are NOT a British Expat then why do you think you should comment on here, try the Canadian Expats site....its at www.fartoocleverformyownboots.com.ca

You may also note that I like adding a smile to my posts, makes me feel less in a bitchy mood!!

Pollyana

BE welcomes members from ALL countries and backgrounds. We just ask that everyone abides by the rules. If anyone wants a website just for one nationality then I suggest they leave now.
Quit the squabbling the lot of you or I'll shut the thread.

Japonica

Well, Dorothy, Comet, and Weezypenguin, guess we've been told.

My stepfather is British, as is the huge extended family we've been connected to through marriage for the last 20+ years. The vast majority of my friends here in WA are British. I've been on BE since before we moved. I've never met any Brits, online or IRL, who have a problem with anyone of other nationalities as friends, as members on this forum, or discussing other countries in a thread. Wow. Guess there's a first time for everything.

Japonica

Thanks, Polly. Ironically, my kid's watching a Hallowe'en Sponge Bob episode right now, so I'll go join her and celebrate the nothingness...

Pollyana

I'm off to get my broomstick rebristled!

ProudVIC

Halloween is just one of those traditions that didn't get carried over into Australia for whatever reason.

Groups of kids/teenagers go out 'trick or treating', depending on where you live you may get a few, a lot, or none at all. Most of them dress up in costume but some don't even bother to do that.

A few kids/teenagers might also have Halloween parties (any excuse for a party hey!), but they are the minority basically.

So in conclusion, it is certainly not a big deal. I would recommend stocking up on confectionery products so you don't get some angry brat kids throwing eggs at you or whatever but overall it is very low key.

paddyo

Understand all that Polly...but it IS British Expats is it not? So to start poo pooing 'the brits' on a website for them does get a response from me. I am all for free speech and all for opinions and enjoy good arguments and banter, its what forums are meant for. But to start insinuating that I hold no regard for kids fun and then to start TRYING to ridicule me for poor knowledge also gets a response....those who know me understand the opposite is true.
Comments like 'duh' are childish and only encourage me to lower myself to the same level...I can't help it, I always fall for the bait!!
However, I genuinely am commenting tongue in cheek on some of this, maybe it hasn't come across as such.