All Hallows' Eve

The eve of All Hallows' (All Saints') Day which is then followed by All Souls' Day. A time of the Churches' year when saints, martyrs and the deceased are remembered.

I've always hated the idea of children being allowed to go out around the houses begging and causing a nuisance! Call me an old grump if you like but the whole thing has now gone beyond carving out a face in a turnip and putting a candle in it.

When I was a child we were content being given a bowl of water and some apples to bob for. My children's' generation needed turnips and candles. Now the supermarkets suggest that children require a special dress for the evening and lots of other paraphernalia!

I must say, the children in our village were, as far as I am aware, very well behaved and got dressed up for a party in the village hall. I preferred to wander around the churchyard in the gloom looking for a nice tombstone as my way of representing the day.