I know we've caught up with the Americans and gone pumpkin crazy at Halloween, but can anyone remember 'carving' a turnip/Swede?
Now that took some doing. First cutting the top off, then hacking out the insides for the candle. Making eye and mouth holes and side holes for the string to carry it. Finally adding a candle which was invariably too big so needed burning down a bit first.
Then we used to wander around with our 'scary' turnip ... no trick or treating though, that didn't arrive at our shores until much later.
We had mischievous night on 4th November instead which was no more annoying than ringing doorbells, knocking on doors and running away - we weren't very inventive - except the time we'd been to the chippy and flicked mushy peas at windows. Obviously we got caught and had to clean all the windows.
Then we had bonfire night - properly - on the 5th of November instead of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th etc.
Ahh, those were the days ...
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I just wish the Yanks had kept the silly idea, we all know that Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes in my day) had its place in History but Halloween seems more like a money spinner for the retail business before they get down to the serious spending spree for Christmas !
ReplyDeleteALI
"Now then, now then. What have we here?"
ReplyDeletehttp://tv-licensing.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/bbc-inspired-halloween-pumpkin.html
Ho, ho, ho! Guys and Gals.
I guess I'm too old to have done anything for Hallowe'en.
I can't remember every hearing about it when we were children.
But well before my time, I have read that it used to be a three day event called the Allhallowstide tridium.
The 31st of October was known as All Hallows, followed on November 1st by All Saints Day.
All Souls on 2nd November is the day on which to commemorate all the departed and we have the opportunity to pray for the souls of those of our families and friends who have died.
All so very different from today's artificial consumer fest.
And from the Spectator this morning I read -
"It may have originated in Europe as a Christian celebration for remembering the virtuous dead and wishing them on their way to heaven, but its origins have been long forgotten. Now, more even than Christmas, it is a secular festival sustained by commercial greed."
But in another blog I found 'Yes to British Turnips!'
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2014/10/this-hallowee-say-no-to-american-pumpkins-and-yes-to-british-turnips/
Take care…. Bernard x
It's the commercialisation that I dislike and I've never been able to get my head around trick or treating, it's nothing more than blackmail.
DeleteI just had this blog pop up on my dashboard. Rosie remembers swede and, would you believe, carving out a sugar beet!
ReplyDeletehttp://rosiepblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/tomorrow-is-all-souls-day-and-today-is.html
Cheers B x