Happy Halloween 2022
Every year on the 31st October, Americans celebrate Halloween with costume parties, trick-o-treating, and jack-o-lanterns for a spooky evening of fun and lots of sweets.
Halloween is one of our favourite holidays growing up in our native California. It’s a fun spooky holiday filled with dress-up parties, pumpkin carving, and trick-o-treating around the neighborhood. With a school-aged kiddo, we are keen for Lady Yeya to enjoy the fun and excitement of Halloween.
Halloween Traditions and Weekend Fun
Since Halloween landed on a Monday this year, we celebrated over the weekend. My mom friend organised fabulous Halloween party on Saturday for a small group of friends. She transformed her beautiful home into a ‘witch’s coven’ complete with a witch pinata, cackling witches, and witch hats adorning the ceiling. The kiddos wore adorable costumes. There was a witch, unicorn, skeleton, Spider Gwen, a pumpkin, and Bat Girl. The adults were also in the Halloween spirit with the hostess with the mostess dressed as a Latina widow.
A nod to her South American background, my friend had a lovely ‘Latin’ themed spread of Mexican tomales, potato croquettes, and alfajores (dulce de leche sandwich cookies). I added to the Latin-themed afternoon by making a gigantic bowl of guacamole and corn chips. It is only fitting as All Saints and All Souls Day are important religious holidays in parts of Latin America. The Halloween Bash concluded with a witch pinata, followed by a bonfire and marshmallows outside on a rare balmy evening. Adults and kids loved celebrating Halloween and special thanks to the host for a “spooktacular” witch party.
On Sunday, Lady Yeya and her whole Reception class were invited to a 5th birthday party at a nearby cricket club. A non-Halloween themed birthday party, but the parents went all out with a bouncy castle, kids entertainer, and lots of finger foods for the kiddos. It was a fun party and a perfect way to end the October half-term break. Yes half-term! We survived, which I’ll write about later. As a little tradition, we always spend Halloween Eve carving pumpkins to get ready for Trick-o-Treaters.
Trick-O-Treat
It was a school night, plus rain was in the forecast, so we opted for an early trick-o-treating on our road in case we needed to abort plans. Back at homebase, the house had a lovely window display of a giant-sized spider, webs, crows, and lots of creepy spiders. Kenz delighted the neighborhood kids with his Darth Vader costume and his red lightsaber. Wearing a dishevelled red wig, I dressed up as Sally, Jack Skellington’s love interest from the Nightmare Before Christmas. Lady Yeya donned her best Spider Gwen costume with matching white-and-pink face paint. Her BFF, dressed as a witch, joined us for some classic trick-o-treating.
With Halloween behind us, it’s time for Thanksgiving and the Christmas festive season.
