I thought Hallowe'en had been promoted some years ago in Britain as a distraction from the uncontrolled fireworks and children begging on street corners with "guys" (stuffed figures like scarecrows, or sometimes real children pretending to be "guys") demanding a "Penny for the Guy" to get money to buy fireworks.
I haven't seen those for a long time, but we still have the fireworks and now Hallowe'en as well.