All Hallow's Eve

Welcome to the spookiest day of the year and one of Ireland's greatest gifts to western civilization. The Irish, as we all know invented Halloween–all the best parts anyway–in spite of good St. Patrick's efforts to have them toss all the old Druidic partying out the window. So when you don that scary outfit, light up the jack o'lantern and go door to door begging for sweets tonight, you can thank your ancient Irish forebears for making it socially acceptable to do so. For tonight, anyway. You try that in a month or so and you might find yourself in that other Irish-themed invention, the Paddy Wagon.

So be careful out there. And watch out for the ghoulies and ghosties and long leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night.