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I'm ready for Halloween. *Gets shotgun ready*

From what I see around my neighbourhood, Halloween for Brits falls into one of two categories: We like it, although nowhere near to the extend that the US uses it; or we hate it.

My parents have always firmly been in the hate it department, mainly because they believe (and I agree) that it encourages institutionalised begging. Besides, we ourselves have had a case where youths have not had the door answered and they have put a firework through the letterbox. Fortunately they didn't light it properly and it didn't go off.

Then again, many people celebrate it quite strongly.

Firework, eh? That's... probably one of the reasons I don't like the holiday too much. Yeah.

Fireworks are unusual. Keyed cars and tires, nicked gates, etc, on the other hand, are relatively common. Hence the hosepipe.

Seriously? Around here if someone doesn't give out candy the usual response is to just skip the house. Time is candy after all.

Lighthawk wrote:Seriously?

Seriously. Over here (and in most places over there if half the stories are true) the "trick" in "trick or treat" is no joke.

A couple of unpleasant oinks have set up camp outside the local shops, with the crappiest Guy ever, demanding money of everyone who passes.

Lighthawk wrote:Seriously? Around here if someone doesn't give out candy the usual response is to just skip the house. Time is candy after all.

I think a lot of people that are older than you might expect get involved. I live in a statistically poor (as in degenerate, not necessarily financially) neighbourhood which may or may not have something to do with it.

Hmm. I see my fair share of teenagers out trick-or-treating, but in my experience (including both suburban and inner-city areas in the Northeast metro corridor) the mischief aspect is generally grossly exaggerated. Once in a while a house gets egged, a car soaped, or a tree TP'd; but truly destructive vandalism is rare.

In my current town in particular, Halloween is a big deal. We have a huge Halloween parade, attracting participants from over an hour away - a happening enough that the town generally has trick-or-treating the day before Halloween to accommodate the parade. We have plenty of houses that decorate far more lavishly for Halloween than for Christmas.

I'm just not big on candy. I think I have a mild allergy to mint, too. Never been tested but it can make me a bit sick.

My mother's cataract surgery went off without a hitch, thank God.

RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:My mother's cataract surgery went off without a hitch, thank God.

Good looks. My niece got a good report on the follow-up for her spinal surgery, and may even start some light cardio on the elliptical in a few weeks. She should be able to take the field again next season, and might not have to have further surgeries until after college.

Great to hear on your end, Mikey.

Gonna be about 40 degrees F tomorrow for my daughter's soccer game. Hooray.

yay for good soccer weather!

They're playing holiday music. Now... I don't mind holiday music, when I can listen to it and then turn it off. As it stands, I want a rifle and line of sight for all the speakers.