I have never carved a pumpkin

[Mucker1884]

9 hours ago, Boycie said:

 

I have carved some with them, but it normally ends up with them doing some extravagant design, getting bored and frustrated and me finishing them off.

Bit OTT innit?

Couldn’t you just ground them, or make them do the washing up or summat?

Who do you think you are?  The bloody Mafia?  ?

[1977 Ram Raider]

8 hours ago, ariotofmyown said:

Did anyone else use a swede as a latern back in the day. I only thought you could get pumpkins in America.

Yes back in the 80’s. I knew pumpkins were available in this country just thought mum was being tight. 

[ariotofmyown]

58 minutes ago, 1977 Ram Raider said:

Yes back in the 80’s. I knew pumpkins were available in this country just thought mum was being tight. 

I just saw this...https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/31/move-over-pumpkins-a-swede-which-looks-like-a-preserved-head-dug-up-from-a-bog-is-far-more-terrifying

[Crewton]

56 minutes ago, 1977 Ram Raider said:

Yes back in the 80’s. I knew pumpkins were available in this country just thought mum was being tight. 

We only had potatoes..... . used to dream of having a Swede (Agnetha from Abba).... 

[cstand]

Dispose of your pumpkin waste responsibly up to 8 million pumpkins are being used this halloween many people in the past think leaving them in the Forest helps wildlife but can be dangerous to hedgehogs. 
 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-63426864.amp

https://www.forestryengland.uk/news/dumping-pumpkins-the-woods-bad-wildlife-says-forestry-england-expert

Edited October 31, 2022 by cstand

[Ewe Ram]

18 hours ago, ariotofmyown said:

Did anyone else use a swede as a latern back in the day. I only thought you could get pumpkins in America.

Yes, my dad grew them on his allotment. The lovely smell of roasting swede when we put the candles in mmmm

[TigerTedd]

On 30/10/2022 at 14:18, David said:

Did you eat the pumpkin you carved out, or stuck it in the bin, popped a candle in and waited for it to rot?

I make a pumpkin pie each year out of mine. It’s well nice. But I had to work last minute today in London, so my 13 year old daughter is in charge of making it today. I’m looking forward to it when I get home. 

[TigerTedd]

On 30/10/2022 at 14:42, David said:

Of course I never went, look, we wasn't rich by any stretch of the imagination, we could afford chocolate and sweets without begging neighbours though.

There is help out there for those having financial issues, no need to send your kids out begging door to door. 

Pisses me off when people call it begging. It’s fun. Kids dress up, you reward them with a celebration.

I love carving pumpkins. We’d get one for every member of the household (5 of us) and I’d ask the kids to design their own on paper and then I’d recreate it on the pumpkin. Each year mine have got more elaborate and I’ve perfected the art.

now the kids are getting big enough to have a go themselves. I’ve been well busy over the weekend, so I’ve passed the torch for most things to my daughter. 

[Day]

3 minutes ago, TigerTedd said:

Pisses me off when people call it begging. It’s fun. Kids dress up, you reward them with a celebration.

I love carving pumpkins. We’d get one for every member of the household (5 of us) and I’d ask the kids to design their own on paper and then I’d recreate it on the pumpkin. Each year mine have got more elaborate and I’ve perfected the art.

now the kids are getting big enough to have a go themselves. I’ve been well busy over the weekend, so I’ve passed the torch for most things to my daughter. 

It is begging though, might be fun, when you strip it back that's exactly what it is though.

We've got away lightly tonight, just the 3 knocks so far, all of which ignored. We have all lights off, no decorations, yet still get bothered by them.

For what it's worth, I don't blame the kids, the parents should know better.

Kids are looking unlikely for us, but if a miracle did happen, I may take them so they didn't feel left out at school. But only round friends and family houses pre organised that I trust or hold a party.

Each to their own, I guess, but I hate this time of year. 

[Miggins]

58 minutes ago, TigerTedd said:

Pisses me off when people call it begging. It’s fun. Kids dress up, you reward them with a celebration.

I love carving pumpkins. We’d get one for every member of the household (5 of us) and I’d ask the kids to design their own on paper and then I’d recreate it on the pumpkin. Each year mine have got more elaborate and I’ve perfected the art.

now the kids are getting big enough to have a go themselves. I’ve been well busy over the weekend, so I’ve passed the torch for most things to my daughter. 

Man is a celebrating animal. Hallowe'en is part of those celebrations which mark certain times of the year. As an ex teacher I think these occasions are brilliant to give children a sense of chronology as they find it hard to make sense of time. Christmas, birthdays, Hallowe'en, bonfire night etc all help them to measure the passage of time,.

Lots of youngsters round our house tonight. All lovely,  polite and made us miss our teaching days with these wonderful young folk!!

It's not begging - its fun!

[Boycie]

1 hour ago, David said:

It is begging though, might be fun, when you strip it back that's exactly what it is though.

We've got away lightly tonight, just the 3 knocks so far, all of which ignored. We have all lights off, no decorations, yet still get bothered by them.

For what it's worth, I don't blame the kids, the parents should know better.

Kids are looking unlikely for us, but if a miracle did happen, I may take them so they didn't feel left out at school. But only round friends and family houses pre organised that I trust or hold a party.

Each to their own, I guess, but I hate this time of year. 

Like you’re gunna jump up and run to the door in your condition.

[Day]

Just now, Boycie said:

Like you’re gunna jump up and run to the door in your condition.

Exactly, so right now it’s nothing more than a nuisance, having to check the Ring live view to see if it’s actually someone for me to drop off some grapes and well wishes, or a kid sent out to beg. Really don’t need it right now.

Thankfully though the heavens have opened so they have all scarpered with their loot as the face paint is going to get ruined. Torrential downpours after the sun has gone down for the rest of the week would be fantastic. ?

[Day]

[Boycie]

1 minute ago, David said:

Exactly, so right now it’s nothing more than a nuisance, having to check the Ring live view to see if it’s actually someone for me to drop off some grapes and well wishes, or a kid sent out to beg. Really don’t need it right now.

Thankfully though the heavens have opened so they have all scarpered with their loot as the face paint is going to get ruined. Torrential downpours after the sun has gone down for the rest of the week would be fantastic. ?

Hope not, it’ll be a bugger to light the Halloween fireworks.

Did you tell em to sod off via the Doorbell?

[Day]

Just now, Boycie said:

Hope not, it’ll be a bugger to light the Halloween fireworks.

Did you tell em to sod off via the Doorbell?

Nah, they are kids, one minute they are being told at school never to talk to strangers, stranger danger and all that, the next they are kicked out the warm car to go knocking on strangers doors begging whilst the parents stay in the warm car uploading pics of their spooky kids to Facebook. 

[TomBustler1884]

Where we live, the 4 or 5 streets around us print off posters that tell people whether we welcome trick or treaters or not so it's obvious where to knock.

Those who join in have a great evening, everyone is polite and friendly. Those who don't aren't bothered by the festivities.

I never used to join in until we had Ziggy, but he really enjoys it. We always carve pumpkins though and use them to make pumpkin pie. Pick them ourselves.

Nowhere near how it was when I lived in America though. Shows like Stranger Things completely nail what halloween and trick or treating is like over there. Before all the monsters/upside down stuff starts anyway.

[Boycie]

10 hours ago, David said:

Nah, they are kids, one minute they are being told at school never to talk to strangers, stranger danger and all that, the next they are kicked out the warm car to go knocking on strangers doors begging whilst the parents stay in the warm car uploading pics of their spooky kids to Facebook. 

Nobody knocked on our door, we left a bowl of sweets or “candy” to give it its proper title for them to help themselves too.

They didn’t swipe them all each visit, very restrained and the parents were with them.

Still had a few sweets left too.

You’ll see things differently if you have some bin lids i’m sure.

So no begging I’m sorry to inform.

Edited November 1, 2022 by Boycie

[Boycie]

nobody like the hard one’s. That’s what the beggars left.

[i-Ram]

9 minutes ago, Boycie said:

nobody like the hard one’s. That’s what the beggars left.

Not sure I would take hard fudge off your doorstep either, no matter how you might dress it up.

[Day]

44 minutes ago, Boycie said:

Nobody knocked on our door, we left a bowl of sweets or “candy” to give it its proper title for them to help themselves too.

They didn’t swipe them all each visit, very restrained and the parents were with them.

Still had a few sweets left too.

You’ll see things differently if you have some bin lids i’m sure.

So no begging I’m sorry to inform.

How very American of you ??