The annual ritual of spooky little monsters and their even bigger and uglier monsters (parents) prowling along the pavement to stop at random houses for treats can feel like a nightmare for some home owners.

But there’s no reason why Halloween should become a night terror. Get with the times.
“Trick or treat”

The treat is usually some form of sickly-sweet candy and the trick, well, to perform a mishievious act usually involving rancid eggs or toilet paper, all in the name of harmless pranks.

As I said earlier, the history of Halloween is steeped in an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain.

It marked a pivotal time of year when seasons changed, but more importantly observers also believed the boundary between this world and the next became especially thin at this time (31st Oct/ 1st Nov) enabling them to connect with the dead.

This belief is shared by some other cultures; a similar idea is mentioned around the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which also typically occurs in October and involves saying prayers for the dead.

However in Mexico, their traditional customs differ somewhat. Day of the Dead festivities unfold over two days in a joyous and colourful event highlighting the love and respect families have for their deceased members.

No evil plotting abounds.

There’s nothing more fun then to tell scary stories to get you in the grim mood for this celebration.

Here’s a book with some gruesome tales for you