In a small Tesco store in Alresford, a pretty Georgian village in Hampshire, I saw a sign declaring that flour and eggs would not be sold to people under 18 years of age until after October 31st. What a strange development this is.
Tesco has imposed the ban because it is trying to do its bit to reduce the amount of damage done by those who 'trick or treat' on the night of Halloween. I don't know for how many years it has imposed such a ban. I was ready to believe that this was another case of the nanny culture gone mad. But the staff there told me that it was no joke. Even in this village that looks as though it is the epitome of English civilisation, they told me that Halloween night is an evening on which those who 'trick or treat' really do some genuinely nasty things. The damage that can be inflicted with flour and eggs is the least of it. The 'trick or treaters' have been known to go a great deal further including setting fire to letterboxes.
A sign such as Tesco now feels it must put up would not have been at all necessary even 20 years ago, let alone 50. It is hard to overstate the reduction in civility in British culture.
Posted by James Bartholomew • Indexed in Behaviour & Crime
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This 'trick or treat' behaviour has been pushed upon our children by commercial interests. I am no spoil sport but we have gone too far in permisiveness.
We need to be 'jerked back' to reality. A coup behind 'the general' is maybe necessary.
Posted by: Peter Crombie at October 31, 2006 08:14 PM
IIRC 'trick or treat' used to occur over 100's of years ago in the UK but the energies were diverted to 5th November.
I blame the film "ET" for kicking this nonsense off again in the UK, but possibly the mindset of "handouts" and a demand for "something for nothing...or else".
Posted by: Tim at November 1, 2006 10:02 AM
I have to add that there is another side to 'trick or treating'. I happen to live in a pleasant area of London with lots of Americans. Last night there were plenty of children on the streets around, going from door to door. There was no malicious damage at all. Instead there was an enjoyable sense of community. I and my daughter met a number of neighbours who we knew a little but not well. It felt like a community meeting itself.
Posted by: James Bartholomew at November 1, 2006 10:46 AM
I was staying with a family friend on Halloween. He returned home from work at his usual time (after 8) to find that he had already been visited by T&Treaters who were outraged at visiting an empty house and had smashed his front door. Luckily - the glass was double-glazed, so nobody had gained entrance to the house, but it has been expensive and inconvenient ro replace the door.
Best - Tony
Posted by: Happystance at November 5, 2006 10:18 PM
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It makes one absolutely despair about this country. Even if a number of people who feel as we do got together, is it not now too late to turn things around. It can only get worse.
Posted by: Maria Farry at October 31, 2006 12:10 PM