Keeping your spirits up

Be careful ordering spirits at the bar

I'm one of those who regrets the importing of American trick or treating for Hallowe'en, but the fact is that to young kids nowadays, that's the norm. So I gave up moaning about it a few years ago after telling three charming tiny witches on the doorstep (with a beaming mum a few steps away on the pavement) that I had nothing for them: I felt quite mean seeing their disappointed faces. What's a bag of sweets once a year? At least they still call them sweets, rather than candy.

Afterwards, I'll stray to a couple of local hostelries to seek out some Hallowe'en beer; there's usually two or three on in the Guest House. It's a market Wychwood and Moorhouses have tried to corner, just like Guinness has bought all the rights to St Patrick, but you can't keep good microbrewers with highly developed punning abilities down. At least it will be more fun than watching Halloween Part 23 The Revenge or whatever.