Probably been asked before but do they celebrate halloween in australia, my little one is starting to get excited now about calling round to all the houses on our street but I am worried we will get strange looks. In Ireland it is a big deal with fireworks, bonfires and all the house would have sweets, apples, nuts etc for the kids when they come around dressed up to do trick or treating!!!
Actually while I am here do they celebrate it in England?? Someone told me you have bonfires in November to celebrate some arsonist who tried to burn down your parliament, so do you have halloween there?
I know it is a big american commercial thing but that is why I am asking as the aussies sure do like their american stuff!

I don't think they'll have bonfires but check this out, their event for adults is excellent but I don't know about their event for kids/families:
http://www.networkcanada.com.au/events_current.html#b
Edit: FYI, We're also from Ireland and these events are international.

Yes we do.

I disconnect my doorbell that night.

BB

It's not that popular here. I bought a load of sweets last year and not one kid came to the door the year before we got one or two.

Manly Harbour Village (Queensland)

Halloween Street Party
Saturday 30 October 2010

from 11.00 am

Note: The Esplanade, Manly from Cardigan Pde to Cambridge Pde will be closed from 8.00 am to 11.00 pm for the Halloween Street Party.

This was from last years one...



Personally I disagree with it all.....

Not really popular. You might get a few kids, but don't be surprised if you get none.

Its mostly because of safety issues in much of suburbia that kids can't just go out, and most parents do not want to take their kids around.

Also Aussies in general HATE strangers coming to their doors. It is definately cultural, as it really doesn't matter what the reason for your visit it they will get annoyed.

If your kids want to do it, take them to an organised Halloween event, there are a few in the big cities. That way you won't massively annoy neighbours or disappoint your kids.

Door-knocking is not massive, but last year I accompanied my pre-schoolers...and we got some sweets...

Parties seem more common. I'm going to one this weekend...if I go as meself...I should be freaky enough..

They seem to sell lots of halloween stuff in the shops so they must celebrate it but i think its more of partys at peoples houses maybe? In all the time we have been here we have had only a few children knocking on the door but i didnt let my daughter go out and do it

Generally speaking, Halloween is a very low key event in Australia. For the most part, the most you will see on Halloween night is a few small groups of kids, some dressed in costume, some not, going door to door asking for lollies, chocolate, etc. The majority of children do not participate from my experience, it is usually only a very small percentage of kids. Obviously urban areas with a high percentage of children (thinking newer outer suburbs) will see a higher number of kids involved.

There is widespread resentment amongst adults towards Halloween in this country which is something that should be kept in mind if you have kids planning on going out, 'trick or treating', as occasionally these kids are treated in a rude way (by some people) and are rarely greeted with much enthusiasm. (A very different story in the USA and Canada I would imagine).

Many Australians resent Halloween because it is an 'American thing' and therefore erodes the local culture. Not necessarily my view but many people think that and some very strongly.

Also, someone mentioned about Australians not liking strangers coming to their door. I was unaware it was much different elsewhere in the world, but people definitely hold their privacy and space in high regard here.

There is nothing worse than a procession of kids coming to your door, trampling over your garden in the process and then aggressively demanding lollies right on dinner time and in the evening when most people are trying to relax and wind down from working during the day. Heaven forbid you don't have anything for them or you may find some stones or eggs lobbed at your house.

I have been here about half a year now and everything here is americanised from the way kids are starting to speak (only older folk seem to have a traditional aussie accent), to TV, even the news is not actually news but stories about people (or so-called celebrities) in america, I don't even turn the tv on anymore as its all about america this and america that, there is a huge american fast food culture, american music, american movies, american fashion, american foreign policy.

A guy told me the other day that if australia becomes a republic julia gillard wouldn't be able to become president (she wouldn't get in anyway as on-one would vote for her) as she wasn't born here, I asked him why is that, he said its because thats the way america does it???!!!????? I explained that if they do become a republic they will write a new constitution but he said they will do it the US way. I was shocked that people think this way. You wouldn't get this in holland, germany, france or actually any european country as a matter of fact.

They even go big on christmas here like I never saw before, They have the decorations out at the end of august???

Anyway rant over and sorry to go off topic but thought it was amusing that you think they don't like halloween because it is an american thing.

Apart from my rant thanks for your answer!

While on the otherhand every American who has ever lived in Australia say how British it is. Every American I have met say they feel like they are living in England.

The fact of the matter is Australia is neither. There are practices and customs here that both the British and Americans would resent.

Will be interesting for us. Didn't really know what Halloween was until we moved to England ten years ago. We thought it was an entirely American celebration.

Anyway we live in a remote part of our suburb, so will see what happens this year.

Hi

We love Halloween! we always have a big fancy dress party! its getting bigger every year

we dont do trick or treating though..didn't in UK either. we have lollies available if any come our way (last year there was 2)

Happy Halloween

Deb

No! I think Halloween is out of place in Australia at this time of the year. It's comical to see kids knocking at your door in the evening (with mum waiting a bit further away) in broad daylight, trying to look scary!

We buy sweets for the local kids but didnt get any last year and probably wont this year. Still its an excuse to eat sweets

It certainly doesnt seem to be a big thing in Perth which is strange given how many poms are here. Though Christmas also seems a much more low key thing as well. Very few of our neighbours put any decorations up. That and it just feels different in the heat.

On a final note i really miss Bonfire night - going to our old pub that did a big fireworks demo and in the chill night air and drinking a whisky to keep warm and the wife sipping a mulled wine. One of the few think that makes me homesick