UK Halloween 2012

Halloween was a fun day for our family. Well, it was mostly treats and only one trick.

We started off with the trick part. Jacob, Lucy, and I went to get flu shots. The clinic we went to had the nasal spray, which we all tried. It wasn't so bad. It had to go in both nostrils. Jacob was first to get injected and didn't have any problem. Lucy didn't want her second nostril shot but we coaxed her into it. They gave us tissues and said our noses might run a little, which they did. The whole experience was rather pleasant, all things considered. We still went out for cookies afterward even though we weren't traumatized.

We did a lot of errands and had some naps and some dinner, then it was time for the star of the day: trick-or-treating. We've heard that it isn't very big here in England. Last year we went to a party on Halloween night and weren't home to canvas the neighborhood or to greet revelers at our door. This year was different. Lucy was Winnie the Pooh again; Jacob decided Iron Man's helmet wasn't too comfortable, so he switched over to a bobby.

New crime fighting duo

My wife took the children around the neighborhood while I stayed in case anybody came to our door. She reported back that of the ten doors where the children knocked, three houses answered the door. One had candy and was ready for Jacob and Lucy. The lady who answered offered them a bowl of treats and said they could each take two. Lucy took two; Jacob took one. When he turned away, she asked if he wanted his second. Jacob said, "Oh yes, I would love another one!" He then took a second. The other two houses were caught off guard and had to be creative in coming up with treats. Jacob and Lucy scored some juice boxes and some tangerines and some granola bars. Then they came back and rang our doorbell. I gave them treats as well.

While they were out and about, I did have some trick-or-treaters come to our door. The first group was about five or six early teens who had masks and street clothes. I dutifully gave out candy. After that, I was worried that we might not have enough candy for lots of roving packs of kids. The next group was two girls dressed in black with red stripes and white face paint. Maybe they were supposed to be someone recognizable, but I didn't know who. Another boy came with a scary mask and a big axe. Later on, after my kids came home, two other small groups came by. It was pretty quiet compared to our old neighborhood in America, but still enough to satisfy me that we had a proper Halloween.