Australia doesn't really have Hallowe'en

[reynardo]

but we do get a few kids wandering around, so we put up a sign:

We Welcome Trick-or-Treaters in Costume Only ¹

.I used the paper-bag-lantern² at the front, and we would have run out (thanks to da_norvegicus being rather generous) if it hadn't been for a box of lollies in the stash that darkwing22 gave us. About 7 groups came past in the 2 hours the sign was up. Our daylight savings has just started, so 6pm was still light whereas 8pm was finally getting dark.

I know it's a US tradition, but I do like the chance to be a kid :-)

1) Because teenagers who just want to scab lollies without making an effort don't deserve any.
2) You take a brown paper bag, a tea-light candle and a trowel full of sand. Put the sand in the bag, then put the tealight on the sand and light it. The bag glows a wonderful eerie orange, and protects the candle from the rain and the wind. And hey, if the thing catches fire (which it did the first time last night because a bunch of girls tried looking inside it and knocked the candle) you've only lost a 10c paper bag.

I've also started staying up really late again, and worked out why last night. The anti-snoring mouth-brace is now set so far forward that the jaws are really aching and I'm dreading putting it in. I think tonight it's back to the serious pain-killers and anti-inflammatory pills. Dammit.

Comments

[shadow-5tails.livejournal.com]

You poor thing. I know this device is doing some good, but the process sounds awful, and you have my sympathy in bucketloads. *hugs*

[shadow-5tails.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah - one of the more amusing approaches I've heard to the teens without costumes is here. I think you might appreciate it.

[dorukai.livejournal.com]

Man, trick or treaters were scampering all over the place when I drove home yesterday. Terrifying!

Hey, did you see the photos of my costume on unknownblogger's facebook?

[reynardo.livejournal.com]

Oh yes - Cthulhu as a pirate's hat-creature. Very cute.

[moxie_man]

paper-bag-lantern

I believe those are called "luminaries"--I had never seen one for real until I spent time in exilewent to graduate school in West Texas. It's a southwestern US (borrowed from Mexico) Christmas tradition. (shrug)

We started the night with two unopened bags of candy. We ended the night with the same two unopened bags of candy. That now makes 3 Halloweens with no visitors. Guess the kids in our neighborhood are too lazy to climb our hill. I think all but two of the houses on our dead end street had lights on (local tradition is to light-up your porch light if you're handing out treats), so lack of lights wasn't an excuse this year.

Oh well, more candy for me. :)

[nefaria.livejournal.com]

Halloween is great fun for kids, especially if you make your own costume. Mine were incredibly cheesy outfits made from paper bags and crayons, but it felt great to be an artist for a day. We also had parades and costume contests as well as the door-to-door thing. Free candy is a big plus too. :)

[mr-figgy.livejournal.com]

Every day is Halloween at the clubs I frequent, but they tend to do special shows on Great Pumpkin's Day just to put it over the top. Toxic Cocktail Tank! Somewhat annoying plastic and things draped everywhere that get the top of your head if you stand up too close to the bench you're sitting on (rather than diagonally away while moving)!

I did hand out little bags of chips before I left home; it seems to be my job, now.