Speculation, Fact and Fiction

We had about a dozen rings on the doorbell last night - I had switched the outside light on and hung a small scary skull draped in black cloth on the corner of the porch as an indicator we were amenable to visits. I think that's only fair given our lads were out. This year they went alone which meant we agreed on a pre-determined route with them and their pals, and door-knocking was limited to visiting pals' houses and a few others who'd offered to be available beforehand.

None of our visitors were older than ten or eleven and all were in costume, in groups of twos and threes. Parents or in a couple of case mortally bored/embarrassed teenage siblings were trailing at a discreet distance. Most of the costume was shop-props-plus in that they'd all made a decent effort with make-up and additional touches. It was all over by 8.30 pm and this morning on the walk to school, there was no evidence of anything bar a few trails of silly string.

So, all very genteel, middle-class and unexceptional. Which makes a nice change from a couple of years back when it would be an evening of non-stop interruption, often by teenagers clutching, not even wearing, a Scream mask and expecting handsful of chocolate as an alternative to flour-bombing the cars. Nov 1st was the day for picking a path to school through puddles of smashed egg. I suspect the secondary schools and our very effective and locally-engaged community police officers should be congratulated for this.

We might have made some small contribution, after the year before last when my husband answered the door all evening in one of the old Live-role play costumes - the four-armed demon with the double-headed axe. Did I mention he's six foot and an ex-rugger player? The little kids loved it - and the teenagers disappeared pronto.