treat or what will you do???

Well it is getting to that time of year again. The clocks go back… yes an extra hour in bed tomorrow. It is lighter in the mornings but it goes dark earlier. Don't like the travelling home from work in the dark. Central heating is switched on at tea-time (must remember to set the clock for it to come on before I get up brrrr). Time to swap the summer wardrobe with winter woolies (it is nice to be reunited with old warm friends… but equally as nice to be reunited come Spring with old skimpy t-shirt friends)

But I am in despair, as Halloween is on the horizon. Yes I know it is an age old tradition of:-


All-hallow-even, as it is the eve of ‘All Hallows’ day’ also which is now known as All Saints’ day. It was a day of religious festivities in various northern European Pagan traditions, until Popes Gregory III and Gregory IV moved the old Christian feast of All Saints' Day from May13 to November 1.. In the ninth century, the Church measured the day as starting at sunset, in accordance with the Florentine calendar. Although All Saints' Day is now considered to occur one day after Halloween, the two holidays were, at that time, celebrated on the same day. Liturgically, the Church traditionally celebrated that day as the Vigil of All Saints, and, until 1970, a day of fasting as well. Like other vigils, it was celebrated on the previous day if it fell on a Sunday, although secular celebrations of the holiday remained on the 31st. The Vigil was suppressed in 1955, but was later restored in the post-Vatican II calendar.

Thank you Wikipedia

I figure they changed the date from May (light nights, Spring in the air, everything anew & fresh) to almost November (dark nights, damp & frosty) for ‘fear factor’ only.

What would be scarier for children and old folk than a knock on the door in spring or on the onset of winter nights? It is a USA import as I remember photos from my American cousins being sent over some 30 odd years ago. They were dressed as ‘goules’ knocking at doors, when we had no idea what that was all about.

I have never allowed my ‘er to take part in the ‘knocking on’ for ‘treats’
1. it is tantamount to begging
2. it may upset/disturb folk
3. who knows what weirdo’s door you may knock upon

Instead we have a really good laugh doing the British traditional stuff. We dunk apples in the washing up bowl (always a good weeze). Tie up apples from the doorframe and try to catch them with our teeth & make indescribable jellies with quite awful content which is akin to dunking apples, hands not required!!. I have relented to sculpturing pumpkins and displaying them in the window with tea lights (which does take a hell of a lot of effort particularly when the kids get bored and you have 4 to do)
This is far easier and a bit of fun

Anyway before any one calls me a 'kill joy' I found myself getting prepared last week.

I took advantage of the 2-4-1 (mmm? 2-4-1 a reminder I have another birthday coming up) offers on Halloween suggested treats for the cold callers. Unfortunately I hadn’t factored in my ‘ers half term and swarms of ‘ers frequenting our abode whilst I was out toiling. So they have all gone!

So it will have to be now plan B…………………………….
Call in the professional door openers

And if that fails Plan C ……………………….. Play Snog the Goule…. It usually deters others !!!