Halloween, Trick or Treat, and evidence that anyone can have a good idea.
Halloween means these days that we seem to have adopted an American tradition, but at least this evening we seem to have adopted it properly.
"Trick or Treat" in America is for small children, who go out in the early evening dressed up in costume, often with a parent or older sibling in the background to keep an eye on them. It is harmless and will not frighten any frail older people.
At one stage the British equivalent seemed to be teenagers in hoodies, which could be frightening in the wrong sort of way.
Well, we did get quite a few trick-or-treaters this evening, but they were mostly little kids (with someone older to look after them) who had gone to considerable trouble over their Halloween costumes.
The one problem this leaves us is that the large supply of sweets which we got in to provide for trick of treaters is an almost irresistible temptation for our own household, sabotaging both the adults' diets for the week and any attempt to persuade our children to eat sensibly.
I shall have to consider for next year a suggestion at the end of an article which was otherwise one of the silliest things I have ever read - for example - it complained that the government has not activated Section 40 (something I think the government was very wise not to do.)
Peter Wilby in the New Statesman, in an article which I otherwise had little time for, suggested keeping a supply of healthy treats to provide for trick or treaters - fruits such as apples for instance.
I think he might well have a point on that one and will have to consider it next year.
Just goes to show that people we violently disagree with on many things can also have ideas we think are very sensible. If everyone took the trouble to listen more to others, they might discover that this is true more often than we think.
"Trick or Treat" in America is for small children, who go out in the early evening dressed up in costume, often with a parent or older sibling in the background to keep an eye on them. It is harmless and will not frighten any frail older people.
At one stage the British equivalent seemed to be teenagers in hoodies, which could be frightening in the wrong sort of way.
Well, we did get quite a few trick-or-treaters this evening, but they were mostly little kids (with someone older to look after them) who had gone to considerable trouble over their Halloween costumes.
The one problem this leaves us is that the large supply of sweets which we got in to provide for trick of treaters is an almost irresistible temptation for our own household, sabotaging both the adults' diets for the week and any attempt to persuade our children to eat sensibly.
I shall have to consider for next year a suggestion at the end of an article which was otherwise one of the silliest things I have ever read - for example - it complained that the government has not activated Section 40 (something I think the government was very wise not to do.)
Peter Wilby in the New Statesman, in an article which I otherwise had little time for, suggested keeping a supply of healthy treats to provide for trick or treaters - fruits such as apples for instance.
I think he might well have a point on that one and will have to consider it next year.
Just goes to show that people we violently disagree with on many things can also have ideas we think are very sensible. If everyone took the trouble to listen more to others, they might discover that this is true more often than we think.
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