Sunday, November 8, 2015

Halloween 2015

So I'm not sure who had more fun with Halloween this year, me or the kids. In the week leading up to the big day, a Saturday this year, we really got into it with our holiday activities. The Internet abounds with all kinds of suggestions of things to do to decorate and get into the spirit and here are just a few of the ones we adopted as our own.
With a few bottles of cheap nail polish Vivienne and I got creative, even on her tiny little nails. (Thanks to Auntie Moe for that tip).
Vivienne's nails
Mommy's nails (I could only decorate my own left hand…)
Feetloaf for dinner? But of course! Except Vivienne did not seem convinced. It was however, once you closed your eyes, quite delicious.
 A few carrot tombstones seemed appropriate with this meal.
About midweek Conrad started commenting that he really wanted candy corn, that it's not Halloween without candy corn. As he has never actually had candy corn, I think this was prompted by some of his older American friends who have been talking about it but, being a candy corn lover myself, I tended to agree with him. Of all the things we amazingly can find here in Thailand, candy corn, sadly, is not among them. As any expat worth their salt knows, sometimes if you really want a certain something, you just have to make it yourself. I mean, really, how hard could it be? So I found myself a recipe on the internet, went to the local baker's mart, found all of my ingredients and got busy. While it certainly wasn't complicated, it was hard, sweaty work in a kitchen with no air conditioning but I was quite pleased with the finished product. 
The recipe called for corn syrup which I switched out for honey and in the end the honey taste was a bit stronger than I expected. Next time (if there is a next time?) I might adjust that a bit. But my friend and neighbor Ann, an American, was there at the finish to sample the final product and declared it to have a very authentic taste. I couldn't wait for Conrad to try it but as I know he does not like the taste of honey, my expectations were low. When he saw it, he was so excited and said "Yay! Candy Corn!" He popped a piece in his mouth and said, with a big smile on his face "This is awesome! I'm in heaven!" But as he chewed his smile faded and turned into a decidedly "Yuck" face. "Ummm, I don't like it" he finally said. Bless him, at least he tried it and he certainly gets extra points for enthusiasm. The good news is that everyone else who tried it really liked it so it was definitely worth the effort. Perhaps next year we can share some with you Aunt Jenny. 

Saturday finally arrived and while out running some last minute errands I popped into the nearest Starbucks. I was excited to see that the baristas there were having some fun with the day. Halloween, American style, is truly beginning to enjoy international status.
Finally an update on Conrad's mask: it turned out pretty well and he was very excited about it. Off go Witchy and The Wolf to our friends' for a pre-trick-or-treat potluck and then the main event.
My friend Angela has such a gorgeous sense of style and decorates for every occasion with an amazing flair. Having missed Halloween last year, her family made up for it this year and we all enjoyed her decorating skills at the pot luck that she hosted.
 Scary!!
Everyone brought snacks and yummys but we brought Mummies! Pizza mummies, that is.
And potatoe-wrapped hot dog mummies that didn't quite turn out the way I planned…as Conrad would say: "Fail!"
But all the kids couldn't wait to get started trick-or-treating. The mean mommies (Mummies?) made them pose first for a photo.
Witchy Poo is ready to go!
I thought I had taken pictures of us out and about but apparently not. We have a lot of consulate families living in our neighborhood, our "Mubaan", so every year the American Consulate advertises it as THE neighborhood kids should come to if they want to participate in trick-or-treating. Word gets around and it puts a bit more stress on the residents here as we then have to provide for about 2-3 times as many visitors as live in the neighborhood, but it really adds to the authentic feel of a good 'ole American Halloween with lots of kids in costumes running everywhere and having a great time. It took us about an hour to hit every house in the mubaan and then we headed back to Angela's house where the party was still going on. Next step: the age old practice of dumping out your haul and sorting and inspecting your stash.
I love that my kids are growing up abroad, experiencing the diversity of an international community, but I am always so grateful when they are able to experience some of our home culture's traditions in such an authentic way.
What extra things did you do this year to make Halloween more exciting?

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