Here, children must say a poem, sing a song, or tell a joke before they get their sweets. I offered a choice -- sweets OR three tiny, but very strong, magnets. The older boys chose the magnets ("Or can we have 2 magnets 1 sweet?"); the younger children and most, but not all, of the girls chose sweets.
This is my friend Cairistiona, as (her idea) "a witch's daughter."
A "witch's daughter" -- she said she was "too young" to be a witch.
All the children who were trick or treating (they call it "guying" here) on their own came by -- I heard some shouting eagerly:
"Let's go to Libby's!"
It was raining hard, and windy, but I didn't hear any of them talking about THAT. They just seemed excited and proud of their costumes.
"I'm a glampire," one boy said, spreading his arms proudly and opening his bin bag cape so his princess dress showed:
Another boy -- Frankenstein's monster -- made the little magnets into ear-rings, one column on each side of his earlobes. They are so strong that they stayed on. (Pictures of the boys posted if I see their parents to ask permission before I leave.)
The island children are a creative, and charming, bunch. Here are some of the girls -- including Cupid (also her own idea):
