Young Splodge is nearly three and is increasingly aware of the seasons and celebrations in our lives. Last Halloween he, like his nursery contemporaries dressed up for Halloween and trick or treated around the nursery. He dressed as a spider in an outfit we bought for a few pounds from Quality Save. He loved his spider costume so much he slept in it for two nights.

This year he’s more aware of what’s going on and has ambitions to dress as a pirate. He still fits in his spider costume so he’ll be wearing that, like it or not.

I love Halloween but I hate English style trick or treating. It’s basically begging and it gets on my nerves. Before you all shout “bah humbug” at me, I have absolutely no objections at all to dressing up and having a little spooky party, carving pumpkins and telling ghost stories. I love it all.

When I was 13 I was lucky enough to go to America in October. It was a school exchange trip and I stayed with a local family. It was a bit of a weird experience but exchange trips often are. The highlight for me was going trick or treating with some of the local kids.

I’m sure you’ve all seen American TV and films where Halloween is celebrated. It was pretty much exactly like that. We went to a thrift store and bought our costumes, I was a witch but I can’t remember what the others wore. We all carved enormous pumpkins. Back then pumpkins were really expensive in the UK and we’d never been able to afford one. We all had a spooky meal, dressed up and went trick or treating.

At some houses the porches were all decorated pretty elaborately, they really went to town; they’d leave huge trugs full of sweets with a note to help yourself, so we did. Some doors you knocked on and were greeted by the householder dressed up and offering goodies. It was magical and the atmosphere was terrific. Nothing at all like the pitiful trick or treating efforts in England.

I’d love for Splodge to experience what I did in America. One thing’s for sure though, he won’t be doing any trick or treating in England. We’ll throw a party, have a special tea, bake spooky treats and carve giant pumpkins. We’ll make it special and different and start our own lovely family traditions. No tricks, just treats.