HOW interesting to see in Your Letters last week a poster and letters trying to discourage one of the seasonal customs associated with Hallowe'en, contrasting sharply with a photograph on page 10, showing happy faced children with their prize-winning seasonal masks at an autumn fair, where the proceeds were going towards the building of a new play area for their local school at Bredenbury.

"Trick or Treat" was, and now is, a revival of a British custom ("Guising" in Scotland) which was taken to America by settlers.

Mr Spencer obviously disapproves of Christmas customs too! Is he also opposed to rituals and revelries associated with Shrove Tuesday, May Day, harvest festival, bonfire night to mention but a few? Surely shared festivals and celebrations are the cement which keeps families and communities together?

As for the commercial exploitation of these rituals, I suspect from the general tone of his letter that Mr Spencer is a strong supporter of the market and market forces, so I would expect him to applaud enterprise, rather than condemn it.

P PALMER (a senior citizen), Albert Park Road, Malvern.