Halloween & Australia

[The Night Shift]

Is it unAustralian to enjoy or celebrate Halloween in Australia?

Is it just some harmless fun for the kiddies and an excuse to watch some silly horror films??

[bigkev bleeds purple]

Is it unAustralian to enjoy or celebrate Halloween in Australia?

Is it just some harmless fun for the kiddies and an excuse to watch some silly horror films??

Yeah, it's un-Australian IMO. Harmless? Yes. But why should we give a stuff about some stupid, manufactured American tradition? I'm pretty sure they don't care much for our traditions like Boxing Day cricket or even important stuff like ANZAC Day.

[dominguez]

Agree with BKBP.

Halloween is big in the UK now too so it's probably only a matter of time before it really takes off here.

[estibador]

Harmless yes, but stupid.

It's bad enough that we've all fallen for the hype of a commercially driven day like Valentine'$ Day without Halloween too. Why can't we adopt a good one for a change like Thanksgiving - at least then we can all sit down to a nice big turkey dinner and give thanks that we aren't American.

I don't care how big it gets, I refuse to ever keep 'candy' in my house for any kids that knock on my door. Maybe I'll give them a world map instead, so the little bastards can learn how to swim to America.

They'll probably call me the grumpy old map witch and throw rocks at my house, but this is the price one has to pay for their beliefs sometimes.

[shibz_1989]

LOL @ Esti :D

Yeah, not really into to be honest. Never went trick or treating...Mum refused to let me hahaha

I always laugh at Halloween though...one year my Dad decided to piss my Mum off so he went and brought lollies from the deli to give to the random kids who knocked. He ended up eating them though...

Mum just hands out apples to the kids :D she reckons it's so they won't come back hahaha

[bigkev bleeds purple]

Harmless yes, but stupid.

It's bad enough that we've all fallen for the hype of a commercially driven day like Valentine'$ Day without Halloween too. Why can't we adopt a good one for a change like Thanksgiving - at least then we can all sit down to a nice big turkey dinner and give thanks that we aren't American.

I don't care how big it gets, I refuse to ever keep 'candy' in my house for any kids that knock on my door. Maybe I'll give them a world map instead, so the little bastards can learn how to swim to America.

They'll probably call me the grumpy old map witch and throw rocks at my house, but this is the price one has to pay for their beliefs sometimes.

I'm going a bit RTT now, but you've just reminded me of one of my greatest pet hates, which it appears you share. American words creeping into the common Australian vocabulary.

I'll sooner buy an eagles membership than call a lolly "candy." Or a biscuit a "cookie", a sultana a "raisin", a soft drink a "soda" or any of that shit. I've been known to viciously insult people who fail to use the correct nomenclature.

And to think, it's only 735 hours until I leave for the country which is chock full of people who use those terms without giving it a second thought.

[Stronzo]

Just another corporate invention along with easter eggs, valentines day and probably a few others.

Leave it to the yanks.

Edit: If kids happen to come to my door I'll give them SFA.

[estibador]

That's not really off topic kev - because the underlying theme of this thread (whether NF intended it or not) is American cultural imperialism and their seemingly relentless march towards non-violently taking over the rest of the world. (As well as violently - but that's for a different anti-American rant)

One thing that particularly shits me is how you don't find one single computer program any more that asks whether you would like to install in English - it's always American English. And I'm deadly serious when I say that one day it will progress to the point where 'English' will become known as simply 'American'. Maybe not in our lifetime but it will happen. I'd bet my life on it if it wasn't for the fact that I'll probably already be dead by then anyway.

Although somewhat hypocritically I have two exception to my hate of 'American English'. Those being the spellings of 'jail' and 'ass'. I find 'gaol' to be too similar to something a dyslexic soccer player would write - and 'arse' is just far too crude looking for perhaps the most beautiful part of a woman's body.

[Stronzo]

Arse >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ass

Arse suits the australian accent to a tee, though ass is not without its uses.

[estibador]

'Arse' just seems far too rough and crude for describing something this beautiful:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/222/510946385_cb633a44e8.jpg?v=0

[bigkev bleeds purple]

That's not really off topic kev - because the underlying theme of this thread (whether NF intended it or not) is American cultural imperialism and their seemingly relentless march towards non-violently taking over the rest of the world. (As well as violently - but that's for a different anti-American rant)

Yeah, pretty much. Just didn't want our mod to be in NF (;)) getting all pissed off at me leading his thread in a new direction.

One thing that particularly shits me is how you don't find one single computer program any more that asks whether you would like to install in English - it's always American English. And I'm deadly serious when I say that one day it will progress to the point where 'English' will become known as simply 'American'. Maybe not in our lifetime but it will happen. I'd bet my life on it if it wasn't for the fact that I'll probably already be dead by then anyway.

Although somewhat hypocritically I have two exception to my hate of 'American English'. Those being the spellings of 'jail' and 'ass'. I find 'gaol' to be too similar to something a dyslexic soccer player would write - and 'arse' is just far too crude looking for my liking for perhaps the most beautiful part of a woman's body.

Agreed. Except the arse/ass bit, I'm with Stronz. Ass just sounds all wrong, it makes my Aussie accent go on holiday for just one word.

On the rare occasion that I use a spellchecker, it's always trying to tell me that color, favorite and labor are correct spellings, which enrages me too.

That country just has to do everything differently. When I was filing all of my visa application forms recently, I was continually getting pissed off at having to write the date backwards and I had to get a whole new set of passport photos that matched their imperial measurements. Bastards.

[Stronzo]

I think you're misunderstanding the depth of subtlety available to the word arse.

You don't have to roll the 'r', you can ease off on it a bit. It can be an accompaniment instead of a main course.

Ass is very one-dimentional, there is not nearly the range or character on offer.

[estibador]

I think you're misunderstanding the depth of subtlety available to the word arse.

You don't have to roll the 'r', you can ease off on it a bit. It can be an accompaniment instead of a main course.

Ass is very one-dimentional, there is not nearly the range or character on offer.

Bear in mind though that I pronounce it the Aussie way no matter how I spell it. It's just the harsh spelling of arse that I don't like - not the pronunciation. Tell you what... I'm willing to compromise.

Whenever I use the word arse/ass on here in a positive sense - like a beautiful woman's ass - I shall use ass.

But when I use it in an insulting sense - like arsehole - I shall use arse. It's ok for crude uses like that.

That's the best I can do. I shall never refer to a woman's ass as an arse because arse conjures up all sorts of nasty images of hairy, sweaty, smelly plumbers cracks.

[Stronzo]

Sounds reasonable esti :thumbsu:

http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/36/jennahazeassui4.gif

[estibador]

Now that's an ass. :thumbsu:

[Chops_a_must]

Now that's an ass. :thumbsu:
ur an arse

[Freo Big Fella]

One of the parents on the street where I'm currently renting does an organised thing where all the kids on the street dress up and go around in a pack. You tie a balloon to your fence if you want to be involved. Very well done and no-one's property gets damaged.

After that I'll generally turn on the sprinklers. That tends to keep anyone else away.