Halloween Cometh

halloween countdown - 5 more days to go! even the dogs are ready to go trick or treating :)

While other countries such as the US and the Philippines are celebrating halloween, it's sad to say there's no such holiday here. Not a lot of korean are familiar with Halloween; young people who learn English may know about it.

In the US when October rolls around, the signs of the approach of Halloween are obvious everywhere; stores begin to carry halloween candies, costumes, and other paraphernalia. Stores and houses begin to decorate for the holiday with skeletons, ghosts and witches, black cats, bats, fake spider webs, gravemarkers, and jack o' lanterns. On October 31st millions of children and adults don costumes that range from the frightening to the fanciful and either take to the streets, go to a mall or other "safe" place to go for "Trick or treating", or they go to parties to celebrate the occasion. I remember last year, jokingly L said I could go trick or treating, since I'm short once wear the costume it won't be obvious :)

It may not be cool weather with colored leaves, but Halloween is celebrated in the Philippines too. Children can do some "trick or treating" in some residential areas where American expatriates live, who brought the practice there. Ofcourse during these times most Filipinos observe this holiday religiously, the All Saint's Day and All Soul's day, wherein we remember the dead. I grew up with the practice of lighting a candle in front our door at night and play with it, till it's melted. In the morning everyone goes to the cemetery to clean the graves, and decorate them with flowers, some people stay overnight. While the purpose is somber, the effect is a picnic, full of merrymaking and laughter. During these times I just stay at home and watch on tv how crowded cemeteries are, while I indulge in a delicious "biko" (rice cake) that ma, usually prepare for this season.