With Halloween getting scarily close, I guess it's time to write something about this holiday. Before I came to the US, I'd never seen kids trick-or-treating. I mean I did see them on TV or in the movies, but never in real life. So, after I got here, when Halloween arrived, I set sail at 8 pm(*1) and headed to Boston. I figured the city had to be where all the activities were. I took the subway and noticed there weren't many passengers on the train; however, I did see three young people dressed in customs, but that was it.
Downtown Boston turned out to be boring, too. It was dark, cold and very quiet on the streets. I could go to a mall, but that wasn't my objective and there was no point in seeing ordinary shoppers on Halloween night.
A few years later, while in the office, I asked a colleague about it. She took her two little kids to work that day, and it was our pizza day, so we were chowing down our pizza and she said “Of course we don't go on the streets. Who knows what kind of men my kids would run into?” Still, I wanted to know the place, so I asked her where she brought her kids to go trick-or-treating. “The mall, of course. It's much safer there.”
After the conversation, I thought the mall was the place to see kids dressed in customs and asking for candies on Halloween, and still, I didn't go. I don't know why. Now to think of it, I guess the image of little fairies, witches, ghosts, monsters, and what not walking in a brightly lit mall simply lost its appeal, and with a lack of the mystique, it just wasn't enticing enough for me to drive 30 minutes to get to the mall.
In 2007, the US rolled out the new daylight saving schedule. What it means was that, in the past, when kids went out doing their trick-or-treating at 5pm, the sky was dark(*2); and now, for the first time, it was still bright. The funny thing was I wasn't aware of it at first. That day, a small group of us friends were headed to a restaurant around 5pm. We took side streets to avoid the congested highway I-95. On our way through the town of Lexington, while driving, I spotted a little girl dressed like a fairy with two little silk wings on her back walking toward the town center. I saw her, but I didn't pay attention. Then two more fairies. (I said to myself, “Interesting. They must be having some sort of play at their school.”) Then three more, five more, and flocks of them when we were closer to the town center. Suddenly I realized what it was and what they were. “Ah, a Spider-Man there,” I said to my friends in the car, “there too, and there.” Just for the fun of it, I started to count how many of them were Spider-Men, but I lost track when the number hit seven. There were just too many of them. Other than Spider-Men, I also saw loads of little Hulks, Supermen, fairies of course, and many-other-I-can't-remember-what-they-were characters.
I didn't know if it was always like this in Lexington on Halloween, but I bet parents there must have noticed the difference the extended daylight saving time brought them and considered the bright streets a safer environment for their kids to go trick-or-treating. Still, I'd rather see them in a darker setting.
This year, if time permits, I'll remember to snap some pictures when I see those cute little munchkins.
(*1) Yeah, some of you may have spotted the problem right there, so, bite me. (People have to work, you know.)
(*2) In Massachusetts anyway.
(Yes, Salem would be the ultimate town to see it all, but I didn't go and don't plan to, so, like I said, bite me.)
* * * * *
Some fun facts about Halloween:
(source: http://www.masterpiecepumpkins.com/abouthalloween.html )
(I'll just pick a few that I think are relevant.)
Fact Two: In the United States, 86% of Americans decorate their homes for Halloween.
(I don't know about 86%, but it's true that many decorate their homes.)(Maybe I'll take some pictures of these.)
Fact Six: It is believed that the Irish began the tradition of Trick or Treating. In preparation for All Hallow's Eve, Irish townsfolk would visit neighbours and ask for contributions of food for a feast in the town.
Fact Eight: Vampires think Halloween is tacky and don't bother going out that night.
(I throw this in for kicks.)
Fact Ten: People have believed for centuries that light keeps away ghosts and ghouls. Making a pumpkin lantern with a candle inside may keep you safe from all the spooky spirits flying around on Halloween.
