North Americans take Halloween seriously. As soon as the back-to-school displays are gone, they are replaced by gooey candies and a wide range of merchandizes sporting skulls, bats, pumpkins, skeletons and the like. Be afraid, be very afraid…
When I was a kid in France, I read about Halloween and found the tradition really cool. Going door-to-door to beg for sweets? Lucky Americans!
What surprised me the most when I came to Canada was the fact it wasn’t just a tradition for kids. Adults apparently also love to dress up in scary costumes and decorate their house. We do the bare minimum (carved pumpkins and candies) because none of us grew up with the tradition, but I’ve seen houses and businesses splurging on elaborate decorations.
I took this picture inside Sushi 88 in Ottawa. Yes, even Japanese restaurants decorate their places for Halloween!
love the pic! I felt envy too as a kid… its also starting to get bigger in Europe now! (at least in Spain and the UK!). I’m sad to miss out this year, as I got sick and will habe to spend the weekend wrapped up in bed…
Ugh, sorry about that! I have a bit of a cold too… it’s seasonal.
I can’t wait to enjoy a proper american halloween next year! Like you, I’ve always dreamt of celebrating it (I was so excited when there was a “Chair de poule” episode on it) 😀
It’s just a bit strange for me because I’m really, really too old to go trick-or-treating even though I’d love to be able to!
One of the problems with Halloween is the amount of candy I eat – before, during and after October 31st – and it’s supposed to be for the children!
I’m lucky I’m really not into candies. Chocolate, on the other side… that’s a different food group!
Oh I have stopped doing most of the halloween sutff but I figure I’ve got it in for me in a few years down the road. This year I just hope we don’t have many visitors.. I no longer enjoy buying or eating that candy.
Happy Halloween!
You might remember how the Norwegian feel about it:
Some years are insane here, we can get hundreds of kids. Others are much quieter… and we can never predict!
I love Halloween, it is my favorite holiday, even though it is not really a holiday.
Your not expected to travel for Halloween to see relatives. In fact you are expected to stay home.
The stores stay open.
Nobody feels sorry for you if you are alone on Halloween.
The weather is still generally pretty good.
I’ll take Halloween over Christmas any day.
I agree except for the weather part… you know the joke, in Canada kids go trick-or-treating in a snowsuit! Although it’s not usually that bad, weather is still above zero.
I love Halloween, but it is more of a kid’s or early twenty-something holiday.
Once you’re in your thirties, nobody has parties anymore and you pretty much stay at home handing out candy.
I’m not complaining, it’s just a fact. I like handing out candy to the little ones, but I do wish everyone would keep up the spirit regardless of their age! 🙂
It’s kind of hard for me to get into the mood because I never celebrated as a kid. So I get the “chores” of handing out candies but I don’t see the spirit of it all, really.
Cool photo! We went to a Halloween party on Saturday in Munich and along with the 4 of us, maybe 10 other people were kinda dressed up out of 500+, i.e. wearing a witches hat or devil horns. I felt rather out of place in my bright blue bed costume and night cap. Even our German husbands were surprised that so few people had dressed up for a Halloween party.
Oops… 😆
I’ve never dressed up for Halloween so I really wouldn’t know. But I don’t think French do. The way Halloween was adapted in Europe is a bit different I guess.