Halloween in the UK

Before we came over here, we were under the impression that certain holidays were only celebrated in the United States - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Fourth of July. Although I love pointing out to the kids that of course they have Fourth of July in England, it comes right between the third and fifth of July. Usually that punch line is met with an eye roll or two. So in fear that I wouldn’t be able to find anything appropriate, I brought big Rubbermaid containers filled with some of our favorite holiday decorations over with us. Actually I think Halloween is slowly and surely being adopted in the UK. It started mostly in the neighborhoods with the highest number of American residents. Now it has caught on; with the fire being fueled by the biggest Halloween lovers of them all - the greeting card and candy manufacturers. Most of the grocery stores carry “carving pumpkins”, treat sized candy bars and Halloween costumes. It cost me about $8.00 for two pumpkins the size of large cantaloupes. I am glad that I brought our decorations with us because there are still not many decorations in the store. Mostly things like paper skeletons, pictures of witches, etc. No motion activated Frankensteins or battery operated flying bats, no scary music cds or cute Halloween t-shirts.

I had been told that there would be some trick-or-treating done in our neighborhood. Because we have lots of Americans, I am not sure whether that is the reason or if Halloween has truly been embraced by the British. I also understand that in the past there is quite a bit of the trickery in trick or treat here, regardless of whether one has been provided a treat or not. Apparently the local constables are not too fond of Halloween (but I think that is true in the United States as well).

So I purchased several bags of candy in anticipation. In our US neighborhood, we didn’t usually get trick or treaters because we lived on a rural road and until 2 years ago didn’t even have a sidewalk. Once we got the sidewalk it didn’t change because traditions had already been established and most people in our area went to a certain neighborhood. So Snake and I weren’t sure what to expect. Chizz had a work function and Kiki was at a soccer team dinner downtown. Because we live in 3 flat building with buzzers and a foyer, I knew many parents wouldn’t even try to navigate that tough security. So we marched down to our front stoop with our lighted cantaloupe-pumpkin and waited. Fueled with wine for me and Dr. Pepper for Snake, we waited. Not long. I think trick or treating starts earlier here, about 5:00. That is because it starts getting dark at 3:30 – no lie! We were pleasantly surprised; we had quite a few kids drop by. I would say as many British kids as Americans. Our candy ran out after about 2 hours.

Our scary hand trick or treat candy bowl was quite the hit. You know the one, it has the rubber hand in the middle of the bowl and it is motion activated, the minute someone sticks his/her hand in the bowl to get a piece of candy the hand goes down and a scary voice says one of three things “Want some Candy?, Trick or Treat or Happy Halloween”. Except our bowl is very old, the rubber hand has a rip in it and has some its stuffing showing. It is very temperamental, as some of us get in our advanced years, and doesn’t go off every time – only when it feels like it. Still, since the decorations are fairly simple here – this was the hit of the street. Parents and kids alike were touching the hand. I heard “that’s brilliant” more than “trick or treat”. Sadly this bowl will be retired this year, the replacement already on its way to our US address to be brought back to London next year. Maybe I should buy a gross and when someone expresses interest next year, I can pull one out and say “Want one? Only £20.00!” Trick or Treat!