Halloween & that damned Danny Baker

[Scunner]

It amazes me how prepared, generous and friendly people are (well, the ones who don't pretend to be out!) when kids call. Mrs Scunner produced two halloween bags from a cupboard - so big that I complimented her on her optimism - and the kids came back with them almost full! People had obviously gone out and bought sweets and fruit etc - some obviously sat and made up little bags to hand out, and they are so nice to the kids it really makes for a memorable evening.

It shows a lovely side of human nature, I applaud it  

[usedbustickets]

Halloween meant nothing when I was a lad, it was all about Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes.  Blimey we'd start building the bonfire behind our block of flats - no H&S then! - weeks before Bonfire night.  Plenty of activity to build the fire, guard it from other bonfire builders raiding your bonfire and nicking your bonfire material, and you doing the same to them.  Always a small fire at the back of the bonfire during the evening, odd baked spud etc.  Great fun and no begging for us kids, if we did we'd certainly have got short shrift, probably in the form of of a verbal abuse and a kick up the ar$e for your trouble.

Colwyn, as to Baker offering me any advice, I remember him and his obnoxious Ginger mate, when they thought it was great to take gazza out on the pi$$ nights before games, great fun I'm sure from basking in the reflected glory of Gazza and a big contribution to his personal and football demise ..... nice or even wise bloke I don't think

[Marggie]

It amazes me how prepared, generous and friendly people are (well, the ones who don't pretend to be out!) when kids call. Mrs Scunner produced two halloween bags from a cupboard - so big that I complimented her on her optimism - and the kids came back with them almost full! People had obviously gone out and bought sweets and fruit etc - some obviously sat and made up little bags to hand out, and they are so nice to the kids it really makes for a memorable evening.

It shows a lovely side of human nature, I applaud it   

Just like us before them today's kids know which houses to go to.  At one stage last night we had a group of 14 at the door but already had bags of goodies made up.  Some of the neighbours won't even open the door - bah humbug!

[bewva]

It amazes me how prepared, generous and friendly people are (well, the ones who don't pretend to be out!) when kids call. Mrs Scunner produced two halloween bags from a cupboard - so big that I complimented her on her optimism - and the kids came back with them almost full! People had obviously gone out and bought sweets and fruit etc - some obviously sat and made up little bags to hand out, and they are so nice to the kids it really makes for a memorable evening.

It shows a lovely side of human nature, I applaud it   

I take it you just stayed in and scared any unsuspecting visitors you got Scunner when you opened the door :-)

[Scunner]

Well it wouldn't be me if that was all there was to it Paul  

Yesterday morning a friend of the twins called - they walk to school together. She knocked on the door and reported that the doorbell must not be working. Indeed, it wasn't, so I got a screwdriver around 6pm and set about investigating. Sadly it was too dark already and I had to go out remove it completely to bring it in to look at it into the light.

It's amazing how many people pass when you are out the front sometimes.

All looking at some miserable old sod, just before trick or treating starts, completely removing his doorbell.

[johntaylor49]

I love it, only practice I get before pheasant shooting, watch the little buggers heads bobbing along above the hedge then ---- "Pull"!

Seriously in the 1950's I never heard of Halloween, costumes or trick or treat, all came from television and Americans I am sure. When I ran away to join the Army, (Circus never came to our town) in 1960 I had never heard of Halloween and I cant remember any of the lads in our Company ever mentioning it. Mind you with many of them seeming to have no past -- certainly reluctant to talk about it -- and receiving letters postmarked HM Borstal xxx no wonder    I had never heard of mischief night but the first Mrs Meldrew  hailed from 'Uddersfield and apparently 4th November was Mischief night, kids would do silly things like knock your door and run off or stick your doorbell down etc.

Like a lot say, I moan as it is expected of me but there are still two big baskets in our hallway full of chocolate bars and oranges -- can see I will be eating Chocolate Orange Bavarois for weeks!

Oh well, off to the Pub to corner of Bar in specially reserved place for Boring Old Fart!

Meldrew

[marina]

There was an item on the news tonight about a cop car being torched in Liverpool. During that report I was amazed to learn that Halloween Eve is called "Mischief Night". What next??? I've omitted the TF between what and next     

Mischief Night was always 4th November in Leeds. Halloween never really existed back in those days - at least we knew nothing of it.

Same in Huddersfield.  Mischief Night on 4th November still exists here and I've always believed it to be a Yorkshire (and indeed West Yorkshire thing) as many people outside the area seem not to have heard of it.  We did really awful things like knocking on doors and running away!!
 
I can't remember 'celebrating' Halloween when I was young.

However, over the last few years I've got prepared with treats for any youngsters who come knocking at the door and am always delighted with the effort they, and parents no doubt, put into make-up and costumes and every single one saying thank you and wishing us Happy Halloween.  No muggings, or tricks, just nice kids.
 

[usedbustickets]

NEWS FLASH ... after my comments on Baker above it looks like the BBC have seen sense at last and sacked him from his BBC London job ... not sure about his other BBC 'jobs' with Radio 2 and various TV programmes though!!!  He has made a long rambling good bye on air, lambasting the BBC (who paid him well over the years) in the style of fellow DJs who were also sacked by the BBC like DLT, Simon Bates Mike Read  ....... yer and like we all miss them every day since .

The thing I wonder most about is the dunderheads called managers at the Beeb who sack someone and then let them straight back on air and are then surprised when they start slagging of the beeb, its managers and any other target they fancy in a cracked emotional voice.  Mind you not as funny as Blackburn locking himself in the studio a broken man cos his Mrs has left him for the goofy teeth bloke from the Doctors series and Robins nest.

[Gorgeous_bird]

We always celebrated mischief night with a bit of knock a door run in Leeds

[stoop]

We always celebrated mischief night with a bit of knock a door run in Leeds

Us as well GB - however 4 of us did once fill a rather large tin full of powder from bangers and then ran a trail of the same powder to it, lit it then waited for the inevitable. We actually set fire to Harehills Park grass and I remember the Parky chasing us on his bike. It was so funny watching him trying to decide which if us to chase when we split up.

Needless to say we went back to knocking on doors and running away after that episode