They've really gone overboard with Halloween over here and I'm afraid that you're getting the spill-over.

It sure is unbelievably commercially exploitable. It has become second only to Christmas in the amount of money that Americans spend on a holiday.

We had several of the members of the Canberra City Planning staff over for lunch and a tour a few years back and they were flabbergasted at the extent to which we decorate for the holiday. It used to be a carved pumpkin/jack-o-lantern and maybe a few spooky paper decorations but now it's full fledged all out decorating of private homes with strings of orange and purple lights and animatronic figures. It's madness. I'm so sorry that the unique traditions of Guy Fawkes are getting swept aside by it.

You'd think that after "V For Vendetta" there'd be renewed interest, wouldn't you?

Best

AA