Hi Claire,
It's interesting to hear you describe Halloween like that. It sounds more like our Independence Day celebrations then our Halloween. I'm in a new state now so I don't know exactly what to expect this year but in New York, it was mostly teenagers throwing eggs and covering everything in sight (including themselves) with shaving cream. Smashing pumpkins was also big there. People spend a lot of time carving them and then kids just destroy them. I keep mine indoors now. Do you carve pumpkins there too? I love to see the children in their costumes and I love the decorations for halloween but I can't stand the destruction. I have cats and they don't seem to mind the sound of firecrackers (bangers) but my friends dogs get upset with them.