There’s no way you can begin to compare Halloween in South Africa to Halloween in the USA.

For starters, we don’t habitually grow those oversized, pregnant-looking orange pumpkins. If you do get them, they’re usually imported and cost the earth.

And ‘Trick or Treating’ is not really considered a safe practice because of our unfortunate high crime rate.

In one camp, there’re the sceptics who believe that it’s just one more American-inspired commercial rip-off where you’re coerced into buying scary costumes, plastic vampire teeth and kiddie-sized, play-play orange buckets.

In another, there’re the staunch Christians who believe it’s an evil, Satanic celebration and anything to do with Halloween should be avoided at all costs.

But there’s another school of thought: it’s the ONLY day/night of the year where kids are allowed to dress up collectively - AND get sweets. Do me a favour. And they are allowed to be scary! Which kids don’t get shivers of delight down their spines while scaring the pants off each other with ghost-stories after lights out? Or getting their fill of horror and teen-vamp movies when they’re a little older?

Perhaps it all comes down to intent. If you just intend to have some scary, harmless fun with friends and family, hey, what a pleasure.

And some of the complexes and safe, gated communities make a special neighbourhood thing of it - getting all the kids to go off Treak or Treating in safe numbers, while all the parents get together in the common for a bring & braai. Whether they’re in Fourways Gardens or Fancourt.

If you do want to do something this Halloween, there are loads of good happenings - from the usual family stuff at Randburg’s Brighwater Commons and the Johannesburg Zoo to the Horrorfest Film Fest at the Labia in Cape Town to Halloween Balls to Pink Train Rides to hectically horrific house parties.

Check out your local newspapers to see what’s happening in your area or visit What’s On website and search for ‘Halloween’. GOTRAVEL24.com also has a great list of festive Halloween ideas.

So what do you think? Is Halloween cool or ghoul?

Any which way … Happy Halloween!