Pumpkin pound per pound
The difference: Canada vs UK

With three days left until Halloween these are my observations.

UK

• I have had no Halloween invites nor have I heard of a fabulous Halloween party that I should attend in full costume - I am going to a gig Wed night with work and doubt any of the musicians will be in costume

• I have not seen any pumpkins in any doorways or any type of Halloween decoration -unless you count the lone, orange pumpkin candle I have on our lounge table

• If you do want to buy a pumpkin, they are probably only sold for the expat American community, you will pay through the nose - at £1 a kg, thoughts of having pumpkins strewn along the stairs and on the porch may be quashed as it could end up costing you a pretty penny. The BBC reports that due to such a terrible summer pumpkins are in shorter supply as they are not ready yet so some people will have green-y orange pumpkins.

• Am positive that we will not get one trick or treater - we haven't even bought a bowl of candy!

I think Halloween is not so big in the UK because a) it is considered an 'American' thing and b) the Brits are always throwing 'fancy dress' (costume) parties - they happen a lot and it is great fun to get the chance to dress up in silly, flamboyant, outrageous or sexy outfits all year long -not just on Halloween.
CANADA

• I have heard of several parties and lots of talk of what people are going to wear and where they are going to get their costume from

• When I left T.O. in October there were already several houses with elaborate scary decorations, inflatable ghosts and goblins and bats hanging from trees

• Trick or treaters will be out everywhere and am sure friends and family will give out bags of candy and see a vast array of cute kids costumes

• Several friends have been to pumpkin patches to pick their own pumpkins and am sure the prices for pumpkins in Canada are not outrageously expensive - can anyone tell me how much they paid?

Am going to check the Time Out to see if there are any Halloween parties - fingers crossed some American contact lets me know of a great house party to slink away to after work on Wed! Must remember to bring some ad hoc costume ideas to work...