Ya gotta love it. (Well, I do...)

It's amazing how my attitude to Hallowe'en has changed since becoming a parent. I'm sure I used to complain and moan on this blogsite in times past, annoyed at the Americanisation of a British date and bitching about the number of expectant visitors that used to show up on our doorsteps. But now I love it.  I don't care if it's based on devil worship or a celebration of dark deeds. I don't care if it's yet another example of our home country stealing an idea from across the Atlantic. I don't even care if it goes against the general teachings that we give children and instead encourages them to approach strangers and accept potentially-poisoned eateries from random houses; or if it leads to unhealthy diet and poor dental hygiene. I love it. It's become its very own thing now, over and above the dark origins and the borrowed-from-our-Yank-cousins-ness. It's fun, it gives families something to look forward to as the evenings draw in and the daylight disappears, and it's NICE. It's dressing up and going out and seeing your neighbours and sharing an experience with others and rewarding bravery and encouraging interaction and teaching trust and showing how to share and that's great, and if you see it any other way, I feel sorry for you.
And tomorrow we get to watch FIREWORKS!!!!

RC 4-1-25