Project 289 - Day 228 (Saturday 31 October 2009) - Ghouls and Goblins, Witches and Wizards Oh My! It's HALLOWEEN!

Today was a fun day!

I have never really celebrated Halloween properly - partly due to the fact that it was never a big event in Australia (and really still isn't), and besides, in the Christian household I grew up in such a fascination with 'satanic' images was condemned outright; but also due to the fact that I never seemed to be in North America on the 31st October. Earlier in the month yes, in November, yes, but 31st October? Somehow no!

So this year I went the whole vampiric hog. I dressed up (thats me in the fetching and very macho monster mask and pink cowboy hat!) I helped carve pumpkins on Halloween eve with Ken and the kids (Graham dressed as a knight and Katie as a witch) - scooping out the pumpkin gunk was an experience; roasted, though, the seeds made great snacks! - bought candy and Halloween Mylar balloons at Safeways, got a snacking feast ready with Sandra (that included brie cheese baked with chilli paste...healthy yes!!.... chicken wings, dips aplenty, pita breads) just for us to eat while we waited for the Trick or Treaters.... and I even gave out candy to the kids coming to the door after a brief instruction on what to do! I guess I got it right as kids didn't throw candy back at me!!

The vibe was so much fun. Houses had been decorated with all sorts of decorations - one house had a soundtrack running on 'Thriller' interspersed with ghostly chants of little girls playing - everyone was relaxed and cheerful (much like Christmas Eve in Australia), and after all the fireworks, we ended up at neighbours of Ken and Sandra's, Warren & Elissa's, for drinks and Wii playing.

Lots of food, fun, and ghostly moments.... I loved my first Halloween experience!