Skip to main content

Marching to their own Drums

Yesterday was the very North American holiday, Hallowe'en.

I never realised it was so NORTH AMERICAN until I travel abroad and realised no one else really celebrates like we do.

Perhaps it is our self confidence in our beliefs that allows us not to be superstitious about ghosts and goblins. Or perhaps it's just another reason to spend money, including that every commerical savy Hallmark card.

At work over this past couple of weeks, I was getting the old 'oh ya, is't Hallowe'en' and then this knowing nod from the person that I have learned to understand means:

'I am simply placating your American sized ego but really think you are most ridiculous and juvenile for partaking in such a trival holiday'

I realise that I am not American but it seems anyone that comes from a continent that is not Europe or Asia is American and therefore, I have given up adding the NORTH bit every time someone mentions those AMERICAN ways. Please people, you must choose your battles.

The holiday did sort of come and go without much excitement. For some reason, trick or treating has not caught on here. Drunken parties dressed up as Elvis? Well, really, I'm sure that caught on in about 6 seconds and yes I did see some interesting characters when I was out on Saturday night.

But the whole buying loads of sweets to hand out to little goblins or witches or harry potters is not a 'thing' they do.

However, celebrating the holiday is starting to catch on in Belfast. And I'm all for supporting a culture that's 'learning' about our CRAZY OUT OF THIS WORLD American holidays.

But I had to put my foot down when a lady a work told me she had trick or treaters on SATURDAY NIGHT. WHAT?? DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT??

SATURDAY NIGHT??? OCTOBER 29???

Kudos to the parents who gave up their Saturday to go door to door but uh HELLO ?@?? If you're going to partake, you MUST do it right.

Hallowe'een is OCOTBER 31. Not the Saturday before. Not the Saturday after. Not when-ever-my-keen-parent-ass-feels-like-it. OCTOBER 31.

Can I tell you what would have greeted any cute little ghost that appeared at my door on Saturday night?

The same thing that appeared at my new neighbour's door Sunday morning when, in her own words, she thought the drilling at 9 AM ON SUNDAY MORNING was started at a reasonable hour.

A grumpy, tired, half asleep, angry banchee in her pjs.

Except of course on Saturday, I was probably drunk.

People of Belfast: Embrace the holiday, don't change it.

Comments

Chris Voidis said…
Hello there my fellow Canadian expat-writing-a-novel-overseas! How are things? Here in Greece, (where after 8 years I'm still trying to write a novel), we celebrate dressing up in February, and it's done over three weeks on Saturdays and Sundays. Only difference is that there's no trick or treating, but on the last Sunday, the adults (they dress up too), get treated to free drinks at all the restaraunts and bars...

See ya!
3:57 p.m.
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I'm baaaack!

Hard to believe that last entry was almost three years ago! Many moons ago, I set this blog up to chronicle our journeys. Once we were grounded a bit more, it kind of lost its way. I spent some time working on my writing offline, taking on different projects and working full time as a technical writer. It was difficult to keep this blog up. Not for any real reason I can articulate. Just had my words redirected to other avenues for awhile. But, I'm pleased to say, after over a decade away, we are back in the UK, living and re-experiencing a place we enjoyed in the mid-2000s. Social media has certainly changed the way we look at blogs. I'm excited to navigate this new world, explore just what people post, what people read. What's better on one of the many new platforms and what's still appropriate for good old fashioned blogosphere. For now, here's a peek at where we're staying -- in a pretty little village just outside of Oxford. A temporary home ...
2 comments
Read more

Room with a view

We've been in our new home for 10 weeks nos and it's feeling more like home than ever. Every day, I sit down at my desk to the most inspiring view. A collection of stories is building. This space makes it easy to gather my thoughts. I've been consumed with a few work projects and am looking forward to collecting my thoughts soon. Writers club is still going ... I was on a bit of a hiatus but hope to get into my routine for fall. For now, boat gazing is helping.
Post a Comment
Read more

In Remembrance

" In Flanders fields the poppies blow       Between the crosses, row on row, ." When I was eight years old, I carried the Canadian flag in the Remembrance Day parade for our Brownie unit. I can't really remember when I realized the importance of November 11 but I can only imagine that somewhere between learning about that day at school and taking part in a very solemn ceremony that it must have been ingrained in my head to always mark this day.    "That mark our place; and in the sky    The larks, still bravely singing, fly" I remember growing up, the assemblies at school, always with a older veterans, in those days many from both World Wars, would attend. When I got to high school, I remember not being able to fathom how these decorated men and women, had once been my age, had once stood up and fought, and had made these decisions during the same years I would try to decide which route to take from En...
1 comment
Read more