Halloween
I hate halloween.
You may have read previous blog entries and decided that I am an opinionated idiot with a superiority complex who moans a lot - and you'd be right - but a killjoy I am not. Christmas? Love it. I'll complain about the cost, sure, but everybody does. At least those without wads of cash stuffing their mattress. Easter? Bring on the chocolate.
But halloween? No thanks. A few years ago I did like it. There was an organised trick-or-treat for all the kids on the road and they all went together and then we all had hot dogs afterwards. It was great for the kids. But the families who organised such things have all moved away and the street has lost some of its neighbourly feel. I suppose I could take it upon myself to attempt to organise another one, but frankly I can't be bothered. I'm not one for organising community events. There's not so many kids now, anyway.
A couple of years ago I tried taking Jess trick-or-treating. After a few houses we gave up because it just wasn't fun. Our neighbour gave us something, as did one lady across the road. Our next-door-but-one neighbour slammed the door in Jessica's face. The other next-door-but-one neighbour didn't answer the door but came running after us when they realised it was us. The indian family next door to them gave us something. But there was no enjoyment in it so we went home.
I don't mind innocent little kids coming round, accompanied by their parents, all dressed up and having a good time. I'll happily give them something (note to self: Buy some sweets on the way home tonight!) but there should be an official age limit or something. After about 11, i.e. from high school onwards, it should be forbidden. There's nothing worse than opening the door to find two teenage boys, their only attempt at dressing up being a mask - which is really only there to hide their face so you can't identify them - who then essentially demand goods with menances. For some reason they think it's acceptable that, should you refuse to provide them with free food, they can throw eggs at your windows or your car, or worse. Given the scum that lives in the council estate near us, you feel you have no choice but to give in and give them something for fear that in the dead of night your car windows will rearrange themselves into lots more pieces than they were in before. I'm sure if I went into a shop carrying a knife, for example, and demanded a free chocolate bar I would be arrested. I don't see the difference.
Last year, though, the worst was by the parade of shops. I foolishly decided to go around the corner and buy a pizza. When I rounded the corner I was met by a kind of eggy version of Beirut. There were hordes of teenagers hurling eggs and flour at each other. Shops were covered, cars were covered. The cash machine was covered. I had to side-step two flying eggs and did get dripped on by one egg that has exploded onto a sign that I walked under. It took ages for the street to get cleaned up properly. Halloween has degenerated into an excuse for serious anti-social behaviour. But what would the police do? If somebody throws an egg at my house or my car, it is criminal damage. If they throw it at me, it is assault. They are also guilty of intimidation. But if I try and get them nicked, I'll get laughed off.
Let the little kids have their fun, but We need a greater police presence on halloween to stop this behaviour.
You may have read previous blog entries and decided that I am an opinionated idiot with a superiority complex who moans a lot - and you'd be right - but a killjoy I am not. Christmas? Love it. I'll complain about the cost, sure, but everybody does. At least those without wads of cash stuffing their mattress. Easter? Bring on the chocolate.
But halloween? No thanks. A few years ago I did like it. There was an organised trick-or-treat for all the kids on the road and they all went together and then we all had hot dogs afterwards. It was great for the kids. But the families who organised such things have all moved away and the street has lost some of its neighbourly feel. I suppose I could take it upon myself to attempt to organise another one, but frankly I can't be bothered. I'm not one for organising community events. There's not so many kids now, anyway.
A couple of years ago I tried taking Jess trick-or-treating. After a few houses we gave up because it just wasn't fun. Our neighbour gave us something, as did one lady across the road. Our next-door-but-one neighbour slammed the door in Jessica's face. The other next-door-but-one neighbour didn't answer the door but came running after us when they realised it was us. The indian family next door to them gave us something. But there was no enjoyment in it so we went home.
I don't mind innocent little kids coming round, accompanied by their parents, all dressed up and having a good time. I'll happily give them something (note to self: Buy some sweets on the way home tonight!) but there should be an official age limit or something. After about 11, i.e. from high school onwards, it should be forbidden. There's nothing worse than opening the door to find two teenage boys, their only attempt at dressing up being a mask - which is really only there to hide their face so you can't identify them - who then essentially demand goods with menances. For some reason they think it's acceptable that, should you refuse to provide them with free food, they can throw eggs at your windows or your car, or worse. Given the scum that lives in the council estate near us, you feel you have no choice but to give in and give them something for fear that in the dead of night your car windows will rearrange themselves into lots more pieces than they were in before. I'm sure if I went into a shop carrying a knife, for example, and demanded a free chocolate bar I would be arrested. I don't see the difference.
Last year, though, the worst was by the parade of shops. I foolishly decided to go around the corner and buy a pizza. When I rounded the corner I was met by a kind of eggy version of Beirut. There were hordes of teenagers hurling eggs and flour at each other. Shops were covered, cars were covered. The cash machine was covered. I had to side-step two flying eggs and did get dripped on by one egg that has exploded onto a sign that I walked under. It took ages for the street to get cleaned up properly. Halloween has degenerated into an excuse for serious anti-social behaviour. But what would the police do? If somebody throws an egg at my house or my car, it is criminal damage. If they throw it at me, it is assault. They are also guilty of intimidation. But if I try and get them nicked, I'll get laughed off.
Let the little kids have their fun, but We need a greater police presence on halloween to stop this behaviour.
posted by Nej at
10:13 am
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