I celebrate Hallowe'en because it is a part of my tradition and custom. My childhood (and pretty much what there's been of my adult life) in Northern Ireland involved special customs and festivities on the 31st October. I still bake apple tart (with money and a ring in it), light bonfires and carve turnip lanterns (although I've been moving over to pumpkins as turnips are so bloody hard to carve, but I miss that singed turnip smell - and I'd like to start the N. Ireland no-such-thing-as-a-swede-it's-a-turnip argument if anyone wants to join in).

I love Hallowe'en, and I'll continue to celebrate it, even though I live in England at the minute where it loses out to some poxy effigy-burning on Nov 5th. Bring on the apples on a string, bobbing for apples, monkey nuts, sparklers, bonfires, dark clothes and an underlying hint of old traditions. It's my favourite time of the year, I think.