It’s somehow that time of the year already, theres a crispness in the air, a darkening of the nights and the leaves are turning that gorgeous auburn colour. Autumn is finally here. We have, for once, actually had a pretty decent summer. We have had continuous sunshine, and almost, very almost, forgot what rain felt like.
Until now of course, in England, you will never be too far away from the greying skies and muddy puddles on the ground. But in Autumn, it not quite as bad.
Im finally feeling the excitement for the last few months of the year. Halloween is fast approaching, and even if it is not something you usually celebrate, you cannot deny over the years the celebration has gotten bigger and bigger.I love halloween, but I love the colourful, happy side. I love carving pumpkins, watching light-hearted films such as Hocus Pocus and the Nightmare Before Christmas and seeing the all the children dress up in the cutest of outfits going door to door trick or treating. I do not have a problem with it in the slightest, in fact, I welcome the celebration, when it is done light-heartedly. I do however, have a problem when it comes to the other side of halloween.
The tricks, the (actual) scary side. Teenagers going door to door demanding sweets or else they will in some way, vandalise your house. Knocking on elderly people’s doors, some who may have dementia, PTSD or simply not understand what is going on.
I remember once, when I was younger, trick or treating with my friends, we knocked upon a door and in our sweetest voices sang “trick or treat” as the door opened. Upon it opening, I instantly knew it was a mistake, don’t get me wrong, we weren’t dressed up in very scary clothes like some do now a days, I was simply a 11/12 year old in a purple witches outfit. But I could tell this old man was scared, he had no idea who we were or what we wanted, he handed us some money and slammed the door shut. It dawned upon me that this man actually had no clue what was happening, for all he knew, we were quite literally demanding this man give us something or else we were going to ‘trick’ him. And I was about 12. Imagine if I was a 15 or 16 year old boy, dressed with a clown or bloody mask. I posted the money the man gave us back through his letter box and just hoped that we would be the only ones to knock on his door that night It was at this point, I realised that there was another side to halloween, a not so cheery side we usually see.
From then, me and my friends only ever knocked on doors with halloween decorations or pumpkins out. Yes, it meant less sweets for us, but it meant we didn’t have to feel so scared or bad for simply being a child wanting to celebrate halloween.
So please, if you’re reading this, then do go out and celebrate, take your young children trick or treating at family, friends or close neighbours houses, but don’t go to those houses with no lights on. They’re spending the whole night, in the dark, trying not to make a noise simply so they don’t get pestered by people demanding they get something for dressing up.
Also, if you’re a teenager, unless you are taking your younger sibling, please do not trick or treat, it is scary. You are no longer a child, you do not need to dress up and demand sweets from others. Celebrate it another way, throw a party or go to a halloween party, even have a few drinks. It will give you a chance to dress up and cerebrate without terrorising your neighbours. P.s ‘tricking’ such as egging, flouring or TPing a house is vandalising property – you can get arrested for it and may even result in you gaining an anti-social behavioural order.
I know this was a very random post, but it was something that I think is extremely important at this time of year – please think of your neighbours and elders around you – but most importantly have fun and be safe!
The Whayve 