OPINION: A mother's Hallowe'en experience

TONIGHT I hung out with a pirate and a skeleton.

On the journey around the streets of Evans Head, I also met zombies, a very fat blow up man, the wolf that ate Red Riding Hood's grandmother and a myriad of other unnamed scary characters that had obviously raided a limited wardrobe and colourful make up kits.

Despite the misgivings of Hallowe'en being un-Australian and a commercialised American event, it was fun.

Creative fun

My 10 year old and his mate had used their creativity to dress up and, for a change, weren't sitting in front of a screen playing Minecraft, or whatever computer game is the activity 'du jour'.

And there were obviously others who had made the effort as well.

Not just the trick-or-treaters but the homes we visited.

The most impressive decorations had to be the Tregidgo house with the graveyard, skeleton and over use of cotton wool (aka spider webs) by far.

Australian Hallowe'en

There is a shyness with Australian Hallowe'en that Americans have obviously matured from.

Children mumble 'trick or treat' into their masks, while home owners scramble quickly to find something to give them and that includes, much to one little girl's disappointment, apples.

This is my second year taking my young son around as we catch up with friends, whose houses we visit, or pass in the street with their own little groups of ghouls.

There's something neighbourly and friendly when people get out on the streets and visit houses who are willing to participate and give our children memories.

Thank you

So while we respected those houses who didn't have decorations or even had put up signs asking to be bypassed, I say 'thank you' to those who joined in the fun, happily handing our kids lots of lollies.

I will be forwarding the dentist's bill after the next visit.