Trick-or-treating is the customary practice for children in costumes to travel from house-to-house in order to ask for treats such as candy (or, in some cultures, money) with the phrase ‘trick-or-treat!’.
The ‘trick’ is a (usually idle) threat to perform mischief on the home-owners or their property if no treat is given to them.
Criminals, however, also celebrate Halloween in our beloved country of violence and death – not once a year, but daily. The problem is, there is not much treating going on, just a lot of tricking.
The criminals also occasionally get dressed up for the occasion – sometimes a ski mask might do – but in general, it is come as you are (they don’t really care about identikits), armed not with a pitch fork, but with handy tools to open your front door.
Many of these marauders do not travel from door-to-door only at night time, with sordid intention; they often do their looting and scaring under the bright African sun, fearless in the belief that they will scare even the justice system into turning a blind eye.
While Halloween remains fun for many, plundering houses and scaring residents is no joke.
The recent death of Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa, who was gunned down in Vosloorus, reminds us of SA’s prevailing culture of lawlessness.
But, for those who actually obey the laws of the country and who decide to make Halloween fun, I have to wonder if this is such a good idea in our modern society.
Firstly, children are usually the ones who want to get dressed up – preferably with a fake knife sticking in their head – as they roam the streets hoping to be rewarded with cavity-creating candy.
Problem is, in this country and across the world, children have become quite vulnerable as targets for pedophiles and human traffickers.
So, excuse me, but there is no way I would allow my child to roam the street while the unsavoury elements of society lick their lips at a chance of tricking and then treating for all the wrong reasons.
In our modern day society, it would be a better idea to follow your child with a shotgun, just in case the boogieman decides to jump out from behind the bush.
There is another problem with Halloween and children, which is the endorsement of a bounty of candy.
Hello, obesity is a worldwide crisis! Ever noticed how children are becoming lazier while they pile on the weight. Blame it on video consoles, satellite TV and junk food.
Maybe it’s time to rather dish out fruit and vegetables! That might just be quite a good trick. At least they would be treated to good health when they hit their 40s.
I have also wondered who can really go trick-or-treating in general in this country anymore?
Firstly, with costume and all you have to navigate the high walls (or electric fencing), then, secondly, you have to avoid being chewed up by the watchdog.
Thirdly, you have to go into Steven Seagal-mode to avoid the laser beams in the garden, and then hope that the home-owner doesn’t mistake you for an intruder.
And, spare a thought for the already nervous home-owner when he hears a knock on the door, or the bell at the gate rings – sure, it might be a trick-or-treater, but it might also be an unwelcome surprise.
The dangers of celebrating Halloween are a tribute to how South Africans are living these days – behind high walls, closed doors and with a finger on the panic button, all the while watching in fear for the marauder without a conscience.
