Halloween etiquette

Another October 31 draws near when all the goblins and ghosts start spinning around! What complete and utter fun! What a brilliant reason/excuse for our youngsters to have clean and exciting fun. Hats off to the North Americans, endless seekers of entertainment, for inventing "trick or treating".

For those of us who are unaware of this tradition, on this supposedly scary night young children dress up as creatures of the night or any other character they would like to impersonate and, bags in hand, go around safe neighbourhoods knocking on people's doors screaming "trick or treat". The usual, quick and kind response is that of a "treat", which consists of a sweet, a chocolate or fruit. The more daring grown-ups answering the door can "trick" the little visitors by dressing up themselves as vampires or witches and give the children a fun scare!

So remember, if you are a participating household and would like cute and creative children to come trick or treating at your door, there are just two preparatory things you need to have.

The first is a Jack O'Lantern. Buy a ceramic one or buy a fresh, orange pumpkin, round and flat to sit properly. On October 31, or the day before, slice off the top neatly and hollow out the seeds and flesh. Cut out a face. Put a candle, or a torch, inside the pumpkin. This makes a lovely decoration on that spine tingling night and children would gladly know they are welcome.

Secondly, stock up on sweets, bags of mini chocolates or lollipops. The ghouls and witches will visit in groups, so drop a treat in each bag. If you can't decipher their costume, ask them as it is surprising how creative some are and you would definitely be in for a treat yourself.

Let's support Halloween and may I suggest the bigger children, 15 years up, to hold their own, private, Halloween party. Egg and flour throwing is absurd and unheard of anywhere during Halloween. It is a deviance of the clean fun Halloween is meant to bring. Adults and younger adults hold parties, so look out for these and let the younger ones enjoy their trick or treating.

Happy Halloween everyone. Boo!