Halloween is something that we have never really made much fuss of. Yes, in the UK we had all the american-style hoo-har over it with school parties and competitions among the cliques at the school gates as to who can create the most wonderful costume for their kids. But we never really got into any of that, thank goodness.
We have been known to have small parties with a couple of friends, but these were generally just an excuse for the adults to get together for a drink, rather than a desire to celebrate the day!
So when we found that here in rural Vendée they don’t make much of Halloween either, we weren’t too disappointed. It has been interesting to compare the small collection of Halloween items in the supermarkets here with that in the UK. In our local Hyper U and Leclerc there has been just one or two shelves of very low-key items and you could very easily miss them. Compare this with the likes of Tesco and Asda, where generally they give up aisle after aisle to ghostly-inspired stuff and the entire shop takes on a Halloween theme.
Now we like a good party as much as the next personm but we have never really “got” Halloween. So last night, being that we are a good 10 minute walk from the centre of the village up a very dark lane, we were not surprised to find that we received no Trick-or-Treaters at all.
I fear the ghosts and witches would have been too scared to make the journey! Ironic isn’t it? 
Must admit that I was glad to see that Halloween wasn’t ‘celebrated’ as happens in the UK, let’s face it it has become a manufactured excuse to flog plastic vampire teeth.
In France they have much more important things to celebrate and recognise at this time of the year such as the produce that is brought in from the fields.
We’ve noticed that Hallowe’en is celebrated less and less each year here too. When we first came, 6 years ago, lots of houses and shops were decorated with witches and pumpkins etc and there were masks and such on display in the supermarkets.
Now, there’s hardly anything to show for it but you have to be prepared for a few children to come to the door in disguise. last night about a dozen turned up at our house.
It’s nice to see a country resisting the American onslaught
You’re right Craig, i think they have their priorities right here.
Any trick-or-treaters that managed to find their way to our door would have probably deserved a good handful of sweets for being so brave
We were in the UK this year for Helloween (yes and e in there!)
Kids knocking on doors, begging for sweets, with parents smoking fags hanging around..chavs r us
I prefer it in France, far more dignified!
lol a bit cynical KevinD…actually let’s remember that it is meant for children and you ask the children….they love it!
Ah kids…what do they know?