A Treat or a Trick?

I am the kind of person who finds it really difficult to change my mind about something when I have determinedly formed a view about it. And for years, the concept of 'Trick or Treat' every Halloween has been no better example of something I detest. I always feared for the little old ladies getting endless gangs of 'old enough to know better' yobs banging on their doors demanding money.

Yes, you're supposed to think that it's all about 5 year olds dressing up for a bit of fun and remembering their please's and thank-you's in exchange for sweeties, with doting Mummy standing just feet away. But come on... you know that for every sweet faced little excitable young cherub, there was a bloodthirsty oik in the next street causing havoc.

Welcome then to Victory Heights (the 'estate' - even though I hate that description - where we live in Dubai). Which is continuing to hold up its excellent reputation as being something out of The Truman Show / Stepford Wives / stereotypical middle class 1950s suburbia. But long may that continue. Because as I drove home tonight, the streets were awash with little groups of well-behaved, parentally-accompanied children of 5 or 6 years old. Not a BMX-er in sight.

Many of the houses were decorated with Halloween decorations. And everyone knew not to go near the houses without decorations or lights. But there weren't many of those it seems as almost everyone was taking the opportunity to get into the community spirit, with not a hint of aggravation or aggression on anyone's mind.

I was only home from work in time to have the door knocked once, before the non-discussed, but somehow universally agreed curfew of 7.30pm came about. But we were greeted by the most polite children - probably about 7 of them, aged between 5 and 10. They were offered a bowl of sweets.. and each took only one, before backing away nicely offering lots of thank-yous! A shame that this took me so by surprise, but a good surprise nonetheless.

And, having braced for an onslaught, we've now got so many sweets left over! To add to the mountains that Jack and Emma brought back from their first Trick or Treating experience (well... in for a penny, in for a dirham). Even Michele enjoyed it (although came home more empty-handed than the kids).

Perhaps I've been wrong all these years. Perhaps it has something to do with the spirit of our community.  Or maybe we were somehow just being visited by the ghosts of communities past...

Anyway, here's a couple of photos of some creatures you wouldn't want to meet on a dark night...

Next week (no doubt): "Penny for the Guy, please Sir?"