Letter from the editor: Cashing in from Halloween

The younger members of staff look blankly at us and if someone has the time, they begin the explanation about it’s a derivative of All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Saints Day.

But you just know they are wondering what has that to do with trick or treat and pumpkins.

That’s the problem you see, if it hasn’t been on an American TV show then many folk don’t see its significance.

This is the bit where I sound like Methuselah and say guising was around in Scotland long before trick or treat.

And when did it start that you had to buy a fancy dress costume? It used to be that you wore a discarded dress from your mum or turned the clothes you had into a cowboy or pirate outfit.

Although I do remember once having a very fetching cat costume with a piece of black velvet sewn on to a black ballet leotard – well I liked it!

But now it seems that if it isn’t costing parents a fortune then it’s not worth having.

In a party shop in Falkirk the other day, I couldn’t believe the queues of people buying costumes, face paint and masks – weeks before the day itself.

Yes it was great to see a local business doing so well, but it’s just another day which has become so commercialised that parents feel under pressure to spend.

Wonder how long it will be before we start celebrating Thanksgiving?

Happy Halloween/Hallowe’en when it comes.