Soon it will be the day to enjoy that great time-honoured Australian tradition of ... Halloween.
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The shops are bursting at the seams with all sorts of Halloween goodies for people to decorate their homes in.
From giant pumpkins, the skeletons that talk and all manner of spiders and creepy crawlies.
Now if you are thinking this column will be taking the standard, easy route of potting Halloween then you will be sadly disappointed.
There will be no "it's American crap" or "what a load of rubbish here". No sir.
No, we are creeping it real and calling on all the Halloween grinches to put their prejudices aside.
Halloween in Australian neighbourhoods has evolved to celebrate the Three Cs - Creativity, Community and Chocolate. How can that be a bad thing?
Halloween, or Hallow's Evening as it was once called, in its essence was traditionally held on the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day.
It was a time to remember those who have departed including the saints (or the hallows).
For many people the original meaning of Halloween would be lost.
That's okay though. If you are going to get upset about that, then you might as well get upset about that little celebration we call Christmas too.
Many households and neighbourhoods across Australia now get into the spirit of Halloween decorating their houses and having stockpiles of "candy" (read: chocolate) at the ready for the little trick or treaters.
Last year our household was under-prepared and ran the Flinders corner store complete dry of confectionery. We almost started handing out fruit.
Some households now go to the complete extremes.
Friend and Canberra Times head phpotographer Karleen Minney this week photographed the most epic house in the Canberra suburb of Gunghalin featuring a gigantic spider on their rooftop.
It has to be seen to be believed (you can check it out on our website).
Let's all just relax, get into the spirit and enjoy it for what Halloween has become - some good, harmless fun.
Julian O'Brien is the editor of the Illawarra Mercury