WOOD GREEN, LONDON
I only heard "trick or treat" three times this year, and twice I said it myself. In the weeks leading up to Halloween the stores started their familiar displays of pumpkins, fake blood, and cookies made to look like fingers. All of the costumes however, seemed only to come in miniature.
While the stores revved up, nothing changed on the streets save the gold leaves on the trees. I was surprised when I noticed a pumpkin sitting on a second story window. It was one of the two houses that showed any acknowledgment of the upcoming holiday. I must say it was a relief to be spared the blow-up Charlie Browns and ghosts that deflate into puddles during the day, but I missed the jack-o-lanterns.
On Monday Dad, Abby, and I were coming home from a jaunt to Little Venice at about 5:30 (it was already dark). We were confronted with a gaggle of miniature witches and ghouls (explaining the size of the costumes in the stores) accompanied by a few parents to act as crossing guards.
We had been warned to buy candy just in case. In the end, only one three year old came by and took half our basket of Mars bars. We would have gotten more if we'd had a pumpkin, but it would have been a trickle of under-seven-year-olds.
At swim practice we brought candy to "share our American tradition." Everyone was a bit bewildered, but grateful for the sweets. One boy told us that kids our age usually smash pumpkins and egg houses on Halloween instead of ask for candy. Parents have told us they don't like to send their kids out to ask for candy, or they don't like people knocking on their doors all night. All in all, Halloween seems to be a holiday for little kids and stores.
Guy Fawkes Day (November 5th) is a very different story. I can't give a first hand account because we were in France, but it's traditionally bonfires and fireworks to celebrate the capture and punishment of Guy Fawkes, who tried to blow up Parliament and the king a couple hundred years ago. I can say however, that people seemed to enjoy themselves so much last night that they're still lighting fireworks tonight.
Lily
I only heard "trick or treat" three times this year, and twice I said it myself. In the weeks leading up to Halloween the stores started their familiar displays of pumpkins, fake blood, and cookies made to look like fingers. All of the costumes however, seemed only to come in miniature.
While the stores revved up, nothing changed on the streets save the gold leaves on the trees. I was surprised when I noticed a pumpkin sitting on a second story window. It was one of the two houses that showed any acknowledgment of the upcoming holiday. I must say it was a relief to be spared the blow-up Charlie Browns and ghosts that deflate into puddles during the day, but I missed the jack-o-lanterns.
On Monday Dad, Abby, and I were coming home from a jaunt to Little Venice at about 5:30 (it was already dark). We were confronted with a gaggle of miniature witches and ghouls (explaining the size of the costumes in the stores) accompanied by a few parents to act as crossing guards.
We had been warned to buy candy just in case. In the end, only one three year old came by and took half our basket of Mars bars. We would have gotten more if we'd had a pumpkin, but it would have been a trickle of under-seven-year-olds.
Guy Fawkes Day (November 5th) is a very different story. I can't give a first hand account because we were in France, but it's traditionally bonfires and fireworks to celebrate the capture and punishment of Guy Fawkes, who tried to blow up Parliament and the king a couple hundred years ago. I can say however, that people seemed to enjoy themselves so much last night that they're still lighting fireworks tonight.
Lily
No comments:
Post a Comment