Tonight Wallace Park will be like a fairyland for the children (and adults too). Last night there was a preview, as it were, and we went down to see the lights. The trees were lit up in beautiful colours - red, purple, silver, blue, yellow, etc. The paths were decorated with lanterns all the way round, with 'ghouls' heads, also lit up, screeching out. It was very effective. The park looked really lovely with all the lights and decorations round the trees and bushes. However, tonight will be more spectacular with music and fireworks too and I'm sure even more. Tonight is by ticket only. All tickets have been sold. We'll probably hear the fireworks, which Tess will not like as she's terrified of loud noises. The children, especially the little ones, will have a terrific night. It's great to see Lisburn having occasions like this in the park. Tonight it's for Halloween, but the park is being used more and more now for various events and why shouldn't it.

Anya,

Progress from "Never on a Sunday". Nothing lasts forever.

Hqve a fun Halloween. It does'nt exist where we live, see no one, hear nothing but the mooing of cows & Finn barking........Joe loves the peace, I have to get out to the city at least once a week.

Pat

Very evocative description that sparked memories of many fun Halloweens in Hilden. The excitement of collecting wood for the bonfire and a pocket full of bangers bought from Blakely's shop for a bit of skulduggery after dark.

Hildenboy, I also remember Halloween nights in the Low Road. In my memory it was always foggy and cold. Our only "dressing up" was false faces and old clothes. I don't know what we did exactly, except wander about the streets with a crowd of others. I'm sure we had nuts and apples but I can't remember calling at doors for them. My mother would have made candy apples (which she called "candy ball apples") and I remember they were lovely; crunchy toffee on the outside and sweet when you bit into the apple. Innocent fun. I always hated the bangers.

hi anya I'm afraid our memories are entirely different about Halloween night in the lowroad.we all used to run around in gangs going b*ck mad getting up to all kinds of devilment. and the girls were no better. a pagan ritual enacted for one night only. aaah those were the days, i'll say no more for I know how sensitive you lot on here are

toffee apples
as a young boy in mckeown street i used to go to sunday school in christ church via haslems lane and there was a wee house there ,nearly opposite the public loos and used to sell toffee apples.very nice i bought them with money granny gave me, probably as a bribe? to get me to sunday school. happy days

Hi all,

Halloween, you all forgot the apples suspended from the ceiling on strings & a basin of water underneath. Whoever bit into an apple first won, it was great fun, dipping & diving for the swinging apples. Water, water everywhere in the pushing & shoving.

Then the Halloween brack, full of currants & sultanas & a ring in the middle, everyone tried to get the ring in their piece. Also we had a fruity spicy pudding in a white cloth boiling on the fire for afters, lovely with custard. There was apple & potato bread smothered in butter piping hot too.

After that the ghost stories round the fire before bedtime, banshees fairies or hobgoblins appearing in the dark, no one wanted to be first up the stairs. Lights were left on till we went to sleep to dream of the day & evening's fun.

We knew Christmas would be the next celebration & looked forward, not back as Halloween was always a bit scary.


Pat

Eamon, you are younger than me. What you young ones got up to I wouldn't have a clue. I must ask my younger brother to spill the beans.