Halloween: I don't get it

 Call me a killjoy, old and boring or just English...I really don't get Halloween. Actually, it should be Hallowe'en. Erm. Or in full, All Hallows' Eve.

For me, the real autumn party is November the fifth - Guy Fawkes; bonfires, fireworks, toffee apples -oh, my first kiss (in Endcliffe Park) too!

If we want to to do witches and stuff, then surely that has to be autumnal equinox - preferably somewhere nice and remote like Pendle Hill or Salem County, chuck in some bad weather...or just a fab location like Stonehenge or a Mayan pyrammid?

We are a long way from Luna! Compared to life in Japan 20+ years ago, things are a lot more multi-cultural (on the face of it). Kids don't point and shout 'GAIJIN' anymore for a start, like they did when I first landed on the moon (Suzaka). Christmas starts in October. I can get real Guinness...When my friends & I went carol singing in Christmas Eve 1990, the police were called.

Kokoro and Kyoichiro dressed up for our play lesson this morning...for once mums not in matching garb. But, both families featured in this month's life & style magazine...so maybe some teacher envy?! Nooooo. We have the best train set in town!



A few links:

• All Hallows' Eve from the Beeb
• All Saints' Day images from the Grauniad
• An 'out there' link
• What does Wikipedia say?