Oct 31 2008
My First Halloween in Maine
This is my second Halloween in Maine.
When I was still in the Philippines, I have an idea of what Halloween is and how it is celebrated though we don’t actually celebrate it back there. Yes, we don’t “officially” celebrate Halloween in the Philippines the way it is celebrated here in the US, that is. The real Halloween in the Philippines is called All Saint’s Day [which I will have a separate blog about it soon]. But since Filipinos are very adaptable and fond of embracing other culture, Halloween is now celebrated in several key places in the country like the gated subdivisions of the rich and affluent members of the society.
Halloween celebration in the Philippines is also gaining popularity in the corporate jungles where employees come to work in costumes and throw Halloween parties. Well, that is one of the reasons why Halloween is more popular among the rich people. Because they can afford to buy expensive costumes and decorate their houses with Halloween knick-knacks and expensive pumpkins which you can only buy from high-end grocery stores. However, my brother told me earlier that Halloween is also catching up like fire among the low-income children too where their creativity are matched with their resourcefulness by making their own costumes out of their old clothes and what they can find from their humble trunk of junks just to have a share of the Halloween goodies.
My first Halloween experience here in Maine was actually limited to just seeing my step-son Brandon fully clad in Power Ranger costume and climbing in his half-sister’s car to bring him to her friends’ houses for trick-or-treating. And my first Halloween experience was just as ordinary as watching TV and enjoying Hubby’s rhythmic snoring because he was too tired from work.
My first Halloween experience was not so Halloween at all. I have not seen a lot of kids walking in the street in different costumes. I have not seen any kids who came knocking at our door begging for candies and other treats. I have not even seen anyone in our street walking in costume because there are not a lot of houses around here. Our next door neighbor is half a mile away from us and there are more open fields than houses. And with 30 degrees [or lower] tempature around this time of the year, kids in costumes are in their car trekking the road and pulling over only on those houses which their parents know the residents.
My first Halloween experience here in Maine is based on the research I did in google and personal observation. I see that some people decorate their houses with spooky decors like the all-time favorite skeletons, the Casper-ific ghost images made out of white linen/blanket with holes, and witches in black robes and pointed cone hats riding brooms. Some use scarecrows made out of hay and dressed in old clothes. And of course the star of the Halloween manger - the famous Jack-o-Lantern which looks rather cute than scary when lighted up [well, of course it depends on how it was carved anyway] and lots and lots of pumpkins in all sizes and shapes.
Halloween means carving of pumpkins and lots of pumpkins. But for those who can’t carve or don’t have the time to carve pumpkins, they don’t worry at all because they can buy them anywhere. Aside from carved pumpkins, I also see painted pumpkin as an alternative for the good-old Jack-o-Lantern. This comes in different face designs or drawing.
Halloween is associated with everything scary and death. It is celebrated every 31st of October but it is not a non-working Holiday. The tradition was brought to the US in the 19th century by the Irish Immigrants. Halloween celebration and activities are not confined on trick-or-treating in costumes, jack-o-lantern and Halloween parties alone. Ghost stories, ghost hunting and everything ghosts – are common activities during Halloween.
And since Halloween is a celebration, it is now a multi-million business cashing in incomes for big retail businesses. Candies and goodies run fast from the store’s shelves during this time of the year. And from that fact, I am guessing that dentist appointments will also be fully booked right after the holidays. Hahahaha. Happy Halloween to everyone, anyway.
Additional Information:
History of Halloween
History of Jack-o-Lantern
My first halloween in US Ruthi was also very uneventful. My friend asked me to go with her kids trick or treating, so I will get to feel how it is like. But was not inspired to do go out in the cold ( I was in Connecticut then). Instead, I went to the mall and there I found out a lot of trick or treaters in their costumes. Some kids looked happy, some kids looked like they did not know yet what they were doing, hihi. But the next day, Nov 1st, I missed the suman, biko, etc. etc. Now, I want to make kalamay! No pumpkin pie for me, I prefer our kalamay and other delicacies made of sticky rice. Now, that’s yum yum!
By the way, I made a new post in my wordpress to make it active once more, I will be following your advice. Thanks a lot Ruthi