Hiding from the Trick or Treaters.

Most trick or treaters aren't as hideous as this one! I still find myself turning the lights off and drawing the curtains.

Maybe I'm turning into a grumpy old git. I have no problem with little ones having harmless fun, dressing up and collecting sweets. Great fun.

My problem is that the principle is - give us some sweets or else we will do something bad to you.

I know most kids don't even know what meaning the phrase has and wouldn't do anything awful anyway but I still feel a little uncomfortable teaching them to demand goodies with menaces.

The real problem comes when teenagers are doing it - 14 to 16 years olds, not dressed up and wanting money for cigarettes etc.

The other problem is people get fed up with kids knocking on their door. I was in the USA some 20 years ago and over Halloween the local hospital was offering free X rays to check the candy before the kids ate it - just in case it had glass or something hidden in it. Not nice.

One mum I knew had a solution, knock on the neighbours doors in advance and ask if it's OK for the kids to visit. She offered to supply sweets. To my knowledge everybody said yes and bought in a supply of sweets and played the game. No problems.

No one asked me, I hid!

I've have finally become the grumpy old git down the road I used to hate when I was a kid!