Halloween 2007

This was my first Halloween since I went back to Singapore before Oct 31 last year where it is not celebrated.

I noticed this festival when our department requested for donation of candies to be given out to children patients trick-or-treating at Hopkins hospital. We were encouraged to dress up in costumes when giving out the candies.

Supermarkets (e.g. Giants, Whole Foods), shops and homes were decorated in red, orange and yellow, colors of falls. Squashes, pumpkins, dolls of witches, skeletons etc. served as decorations.

Cinemas and TV stations started to screen horror movies, chilling-related serials and documentaries on Halloween.

It all began in pre-Christian Ireland where it was believed that the dead revisited the mortal world and large communal bonfires were built to ward off evil spirits. Coincidentally, Chinese culture also marked not only a day, but the entire seventh month of the Lunar calendar where the dead were released from Hades and allowed to roam the mortal world. Offerings of food, Hades money etc. were burnt to ward off spirits.

While waiting for the shuttle bus in the evening, children dressed as princesses, pirates and ghostly outfits were with parents, collecting goodies in bags or buckets. I also went around trick-or-treating, where I had two cute little boys, bony Mathias and clownish Amar as an excuse. They are children of friends I made here.

Two-year-old Mathias did not say trick-or-treat when collecting his goodies but no one minded since he was cute in his costume. The funny thing was he said, "Thank you" only after he turned his back from the giver.

Older Amar was observing the big inflatable decorations put upfront and costumes worn by other kids. They were scared when a man in a horror face mask came down the steps to give them candies.

The atmosphere was friendly where some families had their gathering and people were just sitting in the cold, giving out goodies to children and teenagers. The candies that Mathias received were brought to the lab since his parents would not like him to develop a sweet tooth. So much for Halloween.