The Guadalajara Reporter

Halloween: a charming holiday or a ghastly shambles?

I HATE Halloween!  I’ve decided that it’s extremely scary and potentially dangerous - not because of spooky costumes or the fear of tricks if my treats fail to measure up – but because someone really could be badly hurt.

Sending children out in costume trick or treating is an unfamiliar tradition to me, but here in Ajijic I’ve joined in. As usual, last week I bought 50 small packets of assorted candies, so when the cries of, “Queremos ‘Alloween”, began just after five o’clock in the afternoon, I was ready for the first group of smiling tots, accompanied by their moms, when I opened the door.

By dusk, however, the groups beating on the door were much larger and older. They clearly felt that the sweets were a right and fundamental civility was unnecessary.  Just after seven my ‘treats’ ran out and, somewhat alarmed by some of the youths’ demands for money instead, I decided to stop opening the door.

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