So Halloween is upon us, a 3 day event this time. I had to attend two parades yesterday, one for pre-school and one for school, tonight we’re going to a party at one of the neighbouring houses, and tomorrow of course, we’re trick or treating. Of course we hadn’t tried and tested the costumes till yeterday morning, which meant that the “tooth out” didn’t really work, and we had to turn round half way to school and re-apply already smudged make-up. F’s parade was a fairly modest affair and only took ten minutes, while E’s school parade was quite something. I was intrigued to see the costumes, as the costume guidelines in the newsletter read “Age appropriate attire, with no violent themes, no excessive blood or gore, no weapons (including fake ones), and no scary masks.” Honestly, what? It’s Halloween! So I thought it might be rather tame with all those pretty ladybirds, princesses and cowboys with no revolvers. And it was, kind of, but the costumes were pretty amazing. Anything goes, it’s not all witches and vampires, so it was a colourful display of princesses, fairies, baseball stars, cheerleaders, sharks, giraffes… and of course, the ubiquitous witches and scary ghosts. E was a headless horseman, and the only one out of all 600 kids, and she looked great. Of course she refused to pose for a photo, so all I managed was this little clip. Try and spot her!
HALLOWEEN PART II
And on it went. Saturday was the neighbours’ party, and we all made a real effort to look the part, make up, costume and all. Only to arrive there, and nobody had dressed up. A few people had put some sort of costumes on, but it was rather a “couldn’t be bothered to make more effort” look, so it was a bit tricky for S and me to have conversations with people we’d not met before looking like the undead. But I prefer to be overdressed rather than not making an effort! So it was kind of fun, but not really what I expected. And the trick or treating on Sunday was a bit of an anticlimax too. Everybody had raved about this one road turning into Halloween Central, and we simply HAD to go there and see, and so we did, and I have to say, it was alright, a tad more impressive than back in the UK as far as the decorations were concerned, but not really that amazing. And that’s one thing I experience again and again here. Things get so hyped up, and then they’re not actually that great. But the kids enjoyed it all, and fell into bed with candy smeared around their faces. God knows how long it’ll take us to eat it all. I actually have to leave the house now to work because that cupboard is filled to the brim, and it’s just too tempting! Can’t put the pounds on now, have Christmas to get through as well…
I’m Loving Today: The Baseball enthusiasm. The SF Giants, basically an underdog team made up of a very mixed bunch of players, just won the World Series, which hasn’t been done since 1954. So the excitement is palpable, and now I really have to look into the rules….
Transcontinental Overload 