My family have just celebrated Hallowe’en. The kids and I are still eating the candy, and sometimes I sneak out special pieces to eat in my room later! Our bowl in the pantry has a collection of heart jellies, skull marshmallows and individually wrapped fingers and toes.
Here, in New Zealand, the tradition of dressing in costume to go out trick or treating is only a recent import. When I was growing up, we didn’t celebrate Hallowe’en. And, even now, the celebration is still in its nascent stages. We haven’t quite stretched to carving pumpkins and lighting candles, although I’m sure they’re on the way.
Even twenty years ago, when my eldest son was little, Hallowe’en was still barely a ripple in the pond. Yet, for my two younger boys, it has been a different story. They’ve grown up with the idea of going out in costume on October 31.
On the old Celtic calendar, October 31 was the last day of the year.
It was called Hallowe’en, or NUTCRACK NIGHT and HOLY EVE in ancient times. On that one night, all the witches and warlocks would be abroad.
After the introduction of Christianity, it was taken over as ALL HALLOWS or ALL SAINTS. All Saints Eve is associated with the ancient customs of bobbing for apples and cracking nuts.
Hallowe’en was also believed to be the best night of the year to find one’s future spouse by special rites.
Scottish tradition says that those born on Hallowe’en have the gift of second sight. Robert Burns details the customs in his poem Hallowe’en (1785).
‘Like it or not, Hallowe’en as a fully fledged event, as a big night.’
Sunday Times (6 November 1994)
This year, in our neighbourhood, there was more spooky merchandise in the shops and it was more heavily advertised than ever before.
The boys were excited to see more than double the number of revellers. We had a great night out. It had the feel of a street party.
We wandered around, chatted with the neighbours on the sidewalk, stopped to admire people’s gardens and look in awe at the garb of other revellers. It was joyful. The kids were frolicking, as if the masks and outrageous gear gave them the licence to run wild.
We had a laugh and some fun, and the boys came home with a bucketful of loot, which was carefully and scientifically divided between the pair of them on the couch.
In the future, I’m certain we’ll be celebrating Hallowe’en night in an even bigger way. The decorations will be grander, and the makeovers more elaborate. Funny when you think, such a widely celebrated custom began as a simple ritual observing the last day of the year.
What do most of us like to do on the last day of the year? Party like it’s 1999, that’s what!
I love Halloween because it lets me be a kid again. How about you, did you go trick or treating this year?
Even Mya, the eldest son’s new puppy, went trick or treating!
Talk to you later…
Keep Writing!
Yvette K. Carol
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“It is never too late to start enjoying a happy childhood.” ~ Joy Cowley
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Yvette Carol, Author 
I’m so glad NZ is getting Halloweeny. Looks like you had a fab time 👍
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It is! Although it’s taken us years to get with the program, NZ is finally starting to get the idea. I suspect my youngest was on the fence about whether to go trick or treating this year. But, the boys went out to play basketball after school and they came rushing back. They’d seen so many kids out on the street all dressed up that they couldn’t wait to join in. It was great! 🙂
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