Complaints

{{{ This is not an opportunity for you to be amused Odo! Pretty on a rampage is dangerous for all! Besides she might read a certain Wholesome Tale about a certain Odo Banks helping Orwell and I out...}}}

Tyrannical as I am accused of being, I've never been a fan of false imprisonment. I did, after all, spring Odo from the Lockholes. However, threats against the Forumshire State Government are treasonous and will meet with the full force of The Law and Shirriffs if they continue.

{{{Was that aimed at Pretty, Eldo? Or me? I'm sure you couldn't mistake my high spirited attempt to seize control as treason? Pretty's threat on the other hand sounds definetly treason to me- best lock her back up poste haste!}}}

Just had aload or Trick or Treaters at our door! Not a complaint but it interupts Masterchef Australia!!!

They have master chefs in Oz? Who'd have guessed. I wouldn't have thought throwing a prawn on the barbie counted but there you go!

Trick or treaters Squach? HAve you and Kafria upped sticks and moved to the US?
We don't put up with trick or treating up here. Nasty greedy American thing. We have traditional Guising. And no song, joke, amusing anecdote or similar no bloody sweets. You dont earn it you dont get bugger all!

It is an American thing. I don't know why we have to copy everything American.

I had to take the little one out yesterday , here the downtown association of business men women offer treats to the children from three to five in place of children going out and taking things from strangers in even stranger houses. Here in the downtown it is policed so little chance of getting poisen or whatnot in treats. I personally don't like this halloween thing but she does. She abhors anything frightening or ugly looking, period which automatically makes her the odd man out. She wanted to be an authentic cow girl, so we bought the new very country jean jacket, i made the vest and she had the jeans. I had to decorate her cowgirl hat with a few tiny diamonds, fake of course and for some odd reason she wanted three baby lamb buttons on her vest, she said lambs are on farms and ranches. Then we watched on google how to properly tip one's hat and she practised until she seemed to come from Montana USA. On the street most of the ladies in front of the shoppes were witches which frightened the little one and when they held the treats over her and demanded she say treak or treat she would not She said 'that's rude to threaten someone and so reluctantly the women ( even I was afraid of them, I don't think half of them were in costume!) gave her the treats. She tipped her hat and said 'thankyou maam) and instantly they were won over. "Isn't she adorable ; they said and I breathed a sigh of relief. She is very firm on what she believes and sometimes I have suffered great embarrasment in public. Still to me she is precious and I am proud of her.

If a kid isn't embarrising mum there something wrong. Good on your liitle 'un Leeleee, she sounds like she has spirit and not one to just follow the herds.
But fear of poisoned treats? Where on earth do you live leelee? The most evil place on the planet?

Sadly over the years here and there treats have been found with razor blades, pins, some sort of poisen.It was always someone that needed help and not that often but still, who wants their little one to be the one in twenty thousand that gets something like that. It is lessening all over now, it used to be that the night was dedicated to really terrifying children, some houses would have fake blood and cats, not real nailed to a door, fright houses to go to which caused even some teens to faint or have panic attacks. Every evil thing thought of. Then the police dealt with this certain group of people , and got quite ruthless with them and they sort of moved on , causing trouble in other places, especially at hockey games or summer regattas or the foot ball. They would incite riots in the different cities for a lark and then the annual events would be cancelled to the sorrow of many families that enjoyed them for decades. It was very sad really because prior to that everything was family oriented community spirit and friendship. A few years ago I walked our little one who was dressed like a faerie princess and we have an annual thing of taking a walk around six to eat at the restaurant one family member has been chef at for sixteen years. At one point we heard a lot of screaming and laughing and turning we saw about six male teens and they saw the little one and started throwing lit fire crackers at her. She suffers from panic disorder and was terrified. I just talked calmly to her and we hurried and got to the restaurant. But really it ruined the evening for she had nightmares. In this country Halloween usually stands for hell coming to earth if you will. All supposed to be in good fun, but it never turns out that way it seems. Last night though we only saw about eight people out when we took our walk and it was quiet and peaceful, only fireworks in the sky and very lovely.
I live in the Okanagan Valley area of British Columbia. We are in a valley surrounded by green and lush mountains or extremely tall hills, whichever you like .We have world class skiing and a faerie looking ski village very high up. We have several lakes and vineyards,for about six years we have won internationally in competitions for fancy wines, including a rare type that comes from frozen grapes that freeze on the vine during an unexpected freeze and snowfall. We are despite the lakes semi arid and their are rattle snakes and a few scorpions to avoid. Very beautiful so this type of scarey behaviour is so out of character and dreaded.

I've always loved Halloween, ever since I was a little kid. I used to be scared of this one old lady a few streets over (quite a nice person, actually, I've met her once or twice outside the holiday) who always sits outside dressed as a witch and cackles at trick-or-treaters, but when I was in preschool I really scared one of my classmates with an alligator costume (it had fabric teeth on it), so I guess what goes around comes around.

Most of the people around here are really good about trick-or-treating etiquette (i.e., stay off people's lawns, only go to houses with the lights on, etc.) and we get a lot of families. Sometimes there are groups of teenagers not in costume who just run around and loudly demand candy, but they're turned away from most houses. This year I sat outside in a makeshift wizard costume with my step-mom and handed out candy to the people (mostly little kids with their parents) who came by and I had a blast.

"we saw about six male teens and they saw the little one and started throwing lit fire crackers at her"- leelee

Thats six kids I would have been sending home with their teeth in a bag- assuming I ws in a good mood to start with!

Eldo your halloween sounds more civilised but still, trick or treat, just turn up and get free sweets- whats that teaching?- sorry but I prefer our version where the kids have to tell a story, or a joke, or sing a song but have to do something, it fosters a great spirit, gives the kids a chance to express themselves creatively, it draws out the shy kids (there nothing like the promise of sweets for doing that!) and keeps alive old traditions like story telling.

I love halloween - my parents don't like or celebrate it- but I think it's a good opportunity to wear a costume that I'd otherwise never have the opportunity to wear! Haven't gone out trick-or-treating in the past few years but still have a lush time at the parties! There's a another halloween themed social event for the older student at my school which will be another excuse for me to don my masks and stuff!!

Pettytyrant101 wrote:"we saw about six male teens and they saw the little one and started throwing lit fire crackers at her"- leelee

Thats six kids I would have been sending home with their teeth in a bag- assuming I ws in a good mood to start with!

Eldo your halloween sounds more civilised but still, trick or treat, just turn up and get free sweets- whats that teaching?- sorry but I prefer our version where the kids have to tell a story, or a joke, or sing a song but have to do something, it fosters a great spirit, gives the kids a chance to express themselves creatively, it draws out the shy kids (there nothing like the promise of sweets for doing that!) and keeps alive old traditions like story telling.

Eh? Kids in Scotsland have to tell stories or sing for sweets?

Eldorion wrote:I've always loved Halloween, ever since I was a little kid. I used to be scared of this one old lady a few streets over (quite a nice person, actually, I've met her once or twice outside the holiday) who always sits outside dressed as a witch and cackles at trick-or-treaters, but when I was in preschool I really scared one of my classmates with an alligator costume (it had fabric teeth on it), so I guess what goes around comes around.

Most of the people around here are really good about trick-or-treating etiquette (i.e., stay off people's lawns, only go to houses with the lights on, etc.) and we get a lot of families. Sometimes there are groups of teenagers not in costume who just run around and loudly demand candy, but they're turned away from most houses. This year I sat outside in a makeshift wizard costume with my step-mom and handed out candy to the people (mostly little kids with their parents) who came by and I had a blast.

Really want to see you in an alligator costume now! I think trick-or-treating is okay in my area too, pretty small place, so most of the parents know where the elderly who hate Halloween live already so there's not too much trouble, plus the council have posters if you don't want to share your hoard with the children. But when I lived in Cardiff there was frequent troubles with "trick or treat" gangs and there were several incidents with vandalised homes and people who were pelted with eggs and flour. I blame America myself!

Sadly it was raining here in Wales so not many kids knocked at my door, I still gave a few bags of sweets out though; I have to do it 'cos my family don't believe in it! Personally I think it's just a load of great fun- and it's not every day you get to dress up as wizard without being considered loopy!

"Eh? Kids in Scotsland have to tell stories or sing for sweets"- Ally

Aye they do. And quite right too, get nothing for nothing! And I can tell you the adults who are the audience make the x-factor judges look gracious.

It's just like Christmas! It's alright I suppose with the kids who have a decent "party piece", seems a bit harsh on those without though! Obviously Scotland is very creative, it's not just one massive retail festival from the American's like here in Wales! It does sound like a better version of trick-or-treating if I'm honest!

Oh aye the Scots and Irish like a good story, mostly faerie by the sound of them. My adopted nan well she was called granny Mathews, loved to tell stories,, mostly ending up with the child terrorized into good behaviour. And when I stayed over as a tiny just barely past toddler age and saw her in the big four poster bed in a long nightie and some sort of wierd bonnet, to keep her sinuses from acting up I was terrified. And she knew exactly who I thought she just might be, for she would say 'cume lass and get inta bed new, it's me granny and I no eat ya. But being Jewish I was wildly imaginative and I was never certain of the truth of her words. I think to be sort of a child bard would get you in most older folks good books and ensure you got a second piece of something good anyway. Our little Peyton (named after our former shy and gentle priest Father Martin Peyton, once a hermit somewhere in Lancashire) got a terrible virus at two and a half and nearly died and when she came out of it she could no longer speak. It has been a long and heartbreaking road back and to help her I would play a game with her. Being a writer I often found it useful to give myself a word or two and a story would simply flow from that. So I would give her three words, say balloon, skysraper and alarm clock or something like that and ask her to make a story straight away in her mind and tell it to me. She became just brilliant at that and then I added singing, for though I love Celtic music and classical and was in the Dance, I and some of my family had a metal band for about four years, so I taught her to sing her thoughts and now she is fabulous and the words come out easier if she can sing them. So even though she is shy she would be in absolute heaven being able to stand before the doors and share a song or a story with someone willing to listen. She would be their willing slave forever after, she so appreciates kindness of any sort.

Yes we still try to hang on to some of the old traditions- particularly the stories and the songs. And its not all one way, just the kids performing, games are often put on for the kids, dooking for apples (a big barrel of water full of apples. Put your hands behind your back and grab an apple with your teeth or Treacle Scone where scones covered in treacle are dangled on string and like the apples you have to grab them with your teeth- very messy and therefore great fun).

We have Halloween games too (though the one with apples we Yanks refer to as bobbing for apples, at least in Maryland). Those are usually at parties, though, and not door-to-door during trick-or-treating.

Bobbing for apples? That doesn't make any sense Eldo. What are you in the barrel with the apples?! Apples bob! People dook! Americans!

Some Canadians imitate our American big brothers by saying apple bobbing as well but we say apple biting . It is only done at parties here , imagine how wet and sloppy the children would be if done door to door. And sometimes the weather is below freezing, they would be non talkative popsicles by the time they arrived back home. hmmmmmmmmmmmm, I wonder.
Our family create poems to share constantly and stories as well and when I told them about what you do Petty they oohed and aahed and then we all felt very left out. I am quite sure my adopted beloved brother Nelson, a descendant of the black Douglas's, that was his middle name too, would have just delighted in that. I lost him two years ago and still miss him. I don't drink alcohol, but my brother loved it. some years back he was visiting me, and I go to see him in action at hallowe'en
he lived mostly way up north and was a wildlife con;servationist, when he came down to the cities and civilization he was a trained chef, AT any rate he being exactly half Scot,half Irish, was quite a character. He bought an expensive doberman pinzer and would take it to the pub with him in Calgary and so O"mega was really fond of Labatts beer. He brought the dog with him when he came to stay. huge and he would sit on his behind on a chair if you please and watch the television. freaked me out. Once my brother left without him and the dog smashe through a second story window and bleeding ran a short cut and beat my brother to the pub. ANd on Hallowe'en my brother would magically and I say magically because I have tried for years and all my friends and we don't know how he did it, he would stop his race car along a street where the stately street lamps are , get out and walk over to the lamp of choice. Then he would say perhaps to me if I was with him 'hey sis bet ya can't do this'. At that point he would grab the street lamp, lock his arms somehow and hoist him self so that his legs were actually frozen and out in the air at an angle, just like that. And completely drunk. He loved Hallowe'en.One time he convinced me to come to the pub on such an evening and I protested but as he was leaving and we were both broken hearted I said fine. At the pub he asked what I wanted, I replied how would I know so he bought me a bucket of something like srewdrivers. I had only one glass and suddenly I felt panicked and terrible. I looked around and then walked right over to strangers at a table, told them not to be afraid. When they asked why I said because the doors were missing, gone just like that. I honestly could not see them and having a panic disorder I was trying to calm myself and others too. I heard my brother laugh and he picked me up and we left. Then I saw a door and shouted 'a miracle, look a miracle, the doors are come back. He said everyone laughed and laughed and so since I stay home on hallowe'en and do not drink. ever.

These don't sound like Eruvian Illuvataran customs and celebrations at all.... What happened to "Ankle biting", "Hog Befriending" and "Scotshobbit Baiting"? You know, the traditional Forumshire ceremonies?

odo banks wrote: These don't sound like Eruvian Illuvataran customs and celebrations at all.... What happened to "Ankle biting", "Hog Befriending" and "Scotshobbit Baiting"? You know, the traditional Forumshire ceremonies?

Indeed, what happened to those beloved Forumshire customs?

NB I have now posted on every section of Forumshire in the one go. I know I'm not the first - but do I get a badge? "Spammer Most Excellent" or similar?