We have an almost identical "thing" going on in Scotland, too. By & large, 'Yob culture' does rule round here, unfortunately; although things have been getting a wee bit better of late, I certainly wouldn't be happy letting my daughter go around the houses alone, even though she and her mother live in a small, fairly safe, housing estate.

Purely in a personal way though, Hallowe'en doesn't really affect us as it does some others, because it is also my daughters birthday!! She was 10 yesterday, and is of the age where she is more interested in going out to her friends' houses for sleepovers, stuff like that! Though I have to say, we didn't get ANYONE coming round this year, either @ my "old" house, OR here at CA & my place!!

Kinda sad, in a way.... but it CAN be a bit of a pain sometimes, too!!

DM

__________________
The selfish, they're all standing in line
Faithing and hoping to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind