Got the whole dress-up, trick-or-treat, carved pumpkins, and party the night away routine down? Maybe this Halloween you can spice things up a little bit and throw in some international flavor with the standard traditions and Halloween customs that you’re used to.
As my friends and I have made our travels around the world, we always make it a point to brink back a little culture with us in order to mix things up a bit. Having had the privilege to spend Halloween in other countries several times, I’ve been fascinated with some of the different traditions that our friends around the world have on the day of ghosts and goblins. Whether it be different costumes, foods, activities, or methods of bogeying down at night, adding something different to your Halloween always goes down smooth with family and friends.
Brazil and Mexico were two of my most enjoyable Halloweens and both contain some fun, and spooky, traditions to check out…
Brazil - Dia das Bruxas (Day of the Witches) is not an official holiday in Brazil but it’s being celebrated more and more in some of the larger cities. They do a lot of the standard costume parties and trick-or-treating that we do here in the U.S. However, their costumes are very interesting as their versions of the skeleton, witch, and other spooky Halloween figures were some of the best I have ever seen. They really stick to doing the “scary” thing down there and they do it right. They put a lot of work into making their costumes look as freaky as possible. And as always in Brazil, their holiday parties and barbecues are out of this world and the big grill-fest is one addition that I’ve inserted into my Halloween routine.
Mexico - Mexico does a standard Halloween as influenced by other cultures. What is really interesting and exciting there, is the subsequent celebration of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). This celebration occurs on the 1st and 2nd of November. It gets kind of freaky there with the tradition of going to cemeteries to communicate with the souls of the departed and building private altars containing the favorite foods, drinks, as well as photos of the deceased they visit. With the intent being to encourage visits by the souls of the dead and the fact that there is a very strong belief that this can and does happen, I must say it was an especially eerie night there. Some people believe that possessing “Dia de los Muertos” items can bring good luck, even going as far as tattooing images on their bodies. The main symbol there is the skull and skeleton, and they do some very freaky versions of those costumes. The focus on skulls and skeletons even goes as far as using what I found to be very tasty sugar skulls as gifts that can be given to both the living and the dead.
While I only tapped into a couple of different cultures with Brazil and Mexico, there are a ton of other interesting and enjoyable Halloween customs used around the world that aren’t found in the U.S. If you want your party or gathering to be one hell of a hit this year, mix it up a bit and throw in a little international flavor. You and your crew will be glad you did!
Now that my friends and I are well past our years of being rambunctious, hell-raising boys, I can confess to some of our Halloween mischief that will no doubt come back to haunt us as youngsters of our own set out on their own Halloween adventures. In doing so, I hopefully will regain some positive Halloween-karma and avoid some of the pitfalls created by being part of a wild and crazy crew of boys who saw Halloween as another opportunity to get ourselves into a bit of trouble while leaving our quiet little city shaking their heads come the morning after. Take note, as I will hook you up with bits of inside knowledge, thus providing a good opportunity to learn how to avoid being the future victims of Halloween pranksters…
“The Switcharoo” - This was a classic when heading into some of the wealthier parts of town. When king-size candy bars and other massive treats are the reward, one pass down the street just wasn’t enough. By resorting to the switcharoo, we could end up with a loot full of top quality candy by making a pass down the street, switching masks or other parts of our costumes around, and then making another round down the same street and loading up once again. Tip - When you’re going above and beyond with your Halloween generosity, you instantly become a target for the switcharoo. Pay attention to who is passing by your house and keep an eye out for costumes that are mixed and matched. For example, if you have a trick-or-treater that is wearing a Superman cape yet has a Freddy Krueger mask on, chances are he’s pulling a classic switcharoo.
The “Smashing Pumpkins” - Unfortunately, this bit of Halloween nonsense had nothing to do with the famous music group and everything to do with getting joy out of seeing a beautifully-carved squash explode on the city streets. The more elaborate the carving, the bigger target it became. Tip - As the night comes to an end and things start winding down, pull in your jack-o-lanterns or go ahead and put them in the trash. Don’t wait until morning, you may end up with a big orange mess on your driveway.
The “Raid” - While many people find themselves unable to sit at home and hand out candy all night, leaving a bowl of tasty treats on your porch with a note saying “please take one” is sometimes just too much to resist for candy-crazed children. The likelihood that your candy will remain through the first couple waves of trick-or-treaters is slim to none. We called these homes “the jackpot” and left with handfuls (or more) of whatever goodness was put out. Tip - If you just can’t be home to hand out candy but insist on hooking up the trick-or-treaters, have a neighbor refill your bowl periodically and keep an eye on the children passing by.
The “I’m Way Too Old To Be Trick-or-Treating” - While I can honestly say this was never my cup of tea as far as Halloween mischief went, some of my closest friends were offenders in the worst way. They had a hard time resisting the lure of loading up on free candy to last them through the winter and would take to the streets on Halloween well into their high-school years. Tips - Acne, facial hair, and cracking voices are tell-tale signs that a trick-or-treater is well past his prime.
I hopefully haven’t violated any codes by revealing some of our secrets. It’s just now that I have children and am on the other end of the spectrum I’m trying to redeem myself in helping others to avoid some of the classic Halloween mischief. Halloween will be here before you know it, the pranksters will be ready to roll….. Prepare yourselves!
Remember all the talks I had with my son about his Halloween costume? First he wanted to be a Superhero, but we weren’t sure which one. Then he thought a mummy was right up his alley - and I was all set to make his costume like I do every year! But alas, the Sunday before the big day, he stomped his foot and declared himself a VAMPIRE.
Have you ever tried to argue with a 3 1/2 year old? I can tell you it doesn’t work too well. AND, some of you may be wondering how a 3 1/2 even knows about vampires - its not as if they’re fashionable like Transformers. I can only surmise that his knowledge came from the many Halloween decorations we saw on our evening strolls through our neighborhood in the weeks leading up to the holiday.
I had a few days to sew a black cape and such, but with the cookie-baking, pumpkin carving and trick-or-treat bag to finish, I didn’t have much time. Luck for me, HalloweenMart had last-minute express shipping. I ordered a cape and plastic fangs, slicked his hair back, powdered his face and dotted his lips with red gloss. Voila - a mine-Dracula.
No, I didn’t get to make the elaborate costume I usually do, but he was happy!
Now we’re working on our Thanksgiving centerpieces…
Hannibal the cannibal Lecter
Fictional character in a series of novels by author Thomas Harris, the overly educated human-eating serial killer Lecter was made most famous when Anthony Hopkins portrayed him in Silence of Lambs.
Top Lecter quote: “I ate his liver with fava beans and a big chianti.”
