Trick or Treat time again!

[John Hill]

Is it acceptable to give the little snot-gobblers chocolate laxatives?

[Karearea]

^ Of course not.

[PHXPhlyer]

Chocolate is always appropriate.

PP

[Karearea]

Poisoning with intent

(1) Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years who, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to any one, administers to or causes to be taken by any person any poison or other noxious substance.
(2)
Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years who, with intent to cause inconvenience or annoyance to any one, or for any unlawful purpose, administers to, or causes to be taken by, any person any poison or other noxious substance. ...

[Ex-Ascot]

Do not think that we will have a problem here in the middle of the bush. Better have a bale of hay ready though for a hippo.

[TheGreenGoblin]

Children demanding money with menaces! Borstal for the lot of them!

[tango15]

An American import which we could well do without. Whatever happened to 'duck apple night' and home-made treacle toffee? I have always found it odd that a nation which does not easily give money on a charitable basis, encourages the idea of children going onto other people's property in the dark in a country where so many people are trigger-happy. Also, all that effort put into growing pumpkins, when we (in the UK) could be growing something that we can actually eat. At least in the US, they make soups and pies from theirs. I am delighted to see that the made-in-China costumes for the little brats are not selling well and are being heavily discounted.

And just to even the whole thing up, I'd stop all this bonfire night nonsense as well. I'll bet most of the kids today have little or no idea about the origins of the celebration, or the ultimate end of Mr Fawkes, which was about as grisly a death punishment as any inflicted in the UK's history:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes#Torture

Oh and before anybody else says it, 'The only man to enter Parliament with honest intentions' - probably truer today than ever before.

[Undried Plum]

on both points.

It's amazing that in Scotland we celebrate an anti-Scots terrorist. Even the Catlicks join in the fun.

Most kids in Scotland haven't got a **** clue what it's all about on Nov 5.

[ian16th]

on both points.

It's amazing that in Scotland we celebrate an anti-Scots terrorist. Even the Catlicks join in the fun.

Most kids in Scotland haven't got a **** clue what it's all about on Nov 5.

At St Peter's School, York they do not celebrate the demise of their alumni.

[tango15]

on both points.

It's amazing that in Scotland we celebrate an anti-Scots terrorist. Even the Catlicks join in the fun.

Most kids in Scotland haven't got a **** clue what it's all about on Nov 5.

At St Peter's School, York they do not celebrate the demise of their alumni.

Quite right, too. It is only in comparatively recent times that I have come to learn of his ultimate punishment. That school has turned out a pretty impressive list of alumni!

[ian16th]

on both points.

It's amazing that in Scotland we celebrate an anti-Scots terrorist. Even the Catlicks join in the fun.

Most kids in Scotland haven't got a **** clue what it's all about on Nov 5.

At St Peter's School, York they do not celebrate the demise of their alumni.

Quite right, too. It is only in comparatively recent times that I have come to learn of his ultimate punishment. That school has turned out a pretty impressive list of alumni!

Norman Yardley & Jonny Bairstow are among the cricketers produced.

[Undried Plum]

Just goes to show, as if BoJo doesn't, that even the best of schools can produce utter arsesholes.

[G~Man]

An American import which we could well do without. Whatever happened to 'duck apple night' and home-made treacle toffee? I have always found it odd that a nation which does not easily give money on a charitable basis, encourages the idea of children going onto other people's property in the dark in a country where so many people are trigger-happy. Also, all that effort put into growing pumpkins, when we (in the UK) could be growing something that we can actually eat. At least in the US, they make soups and pies from theirs.

And the pies are mighty fine too. Most kids are not going to random houses these days. Some neighborhoods are "kid" friendly and those are the ones where the kids are going. One leaves a porch light on if you are willing to have kids come to the door---no light and they will not go. Also, there are places that will set up for halloween----like mall parking lots etc where there is some control. So not quite as gloom and doom as you think. Let kids be kids.....

[Wodrick]

If they get up as far as me 400m in 2km then they deserve something, I refuse to discuss anything with the JWs but offer water if they have got this far in their suits.

[tango15]

If they get up as far as me 400m in 2km then they deserve something, I refuse to discuss anything with the JWs but offer water if they have got this far in their suits.

There are (or were) a lot of them around here for some reason. Lived all over the UK and never seen so many - usually on a Sunday morning. I told them I was a muslim and they haven't called since, but I am reliably informed that they have now taken to leafleting...

[tango15]

An American import which we could well do without. Whatever happened to 'duck apple night' and home-made treacle toffee? I have always found it odd that a nation which does not easily give money on a charitable basis, encourages the idea of children going onto other people's property in the dark in a country where so many people are trigger-happy. Also, all that effort put into growing pumpkins, when we (in the UK) could be growing something that we can actually eat. At least in the US, they make soups and pies from theirs.

And the pies are mighty fine too. Most kids are not going to random houses these days. Some neighborhoods are "kid" friendly and those are the ones where the kids are going. One leaves a porch light on if you are willing to have kids come to the door---no light and they will not go. Also, there are places that will set up for halloween----like mall parking lots etc where there is some control. So not quite as gloom and doom as you think. Let kids be kids.....

Fair enough. Here it is much less organised and seems to consist of kids (in some areas at least) using the alternative term 'mischief night' too literally.

[G-CPTN]

I am reliably informed that they have now taken to leafleting...

Don't they know the risks associated with that?

[ricardian]

In Orkney, October is most renowned for the ancient festival of the dead - Hallowe'en.
Like the rest of Britain, Orkney celebrates the festival in practically the same way. Lanterns are carved from turnips and great care taken to avoid the influences of the dead. The lanterns, referred to as "Neepy Lanterns", are carried from house to house where each householder gives the bearer "a penny for the lantern".
In Stromness, the carved turnip takes a different slant. There, the children carve heads from turnips and after impaling them on sticks go from door to door asking for a "Penny for me Pop".
This is all that remains of an older anti-Catholic tradition where the townsfolk asked for a "penny to burn the Pope".

Orcadian traditions in October

[G-CPTN]

When I was a primary school pupil in the Tyne Valley, we referred to turnips as neeps (or, rarely, as snadgers).
Lanterns were always carved from turnips - I had never seen a pumpkin.

[TheGreenGoblin]

And just to even the whole thing up, I'd stop all this bonfire night nonsense as well. I'll bet most of the kids today have little or no idea about the origins of the celebration, or the ultimate end of Mr Fawkes, which was about as grisly a death punishment as any inflicted in the UK's history:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes#Torture

Oh and before anybody else says it, 'The only man to enter Parliament with honest intentions' - probably truer today than ever before.

Amen to that. I loathe bonfire night as do pretty much all other animals too.