A Spooky Night

October 31st  is a most awaited  date among  North Americans , specially  for kids.  It is Halloween Night , a scary night  . Stores start  stocking up on scary stuffs a month before  the event . Kids start  deciding what to wear , the scarier the better  it seems . But  very young  ones  ( or their parents )  prefer  the hero -type costumes . Pumpkins abound  for  carving and for adding to the sombre atmosphere.

This year's Halloween Night  was  a cloudless night .  By  five o'clock p.m.  parents were rushing home so they could  accompany their young ones in trick or treating . Traffic  was quite heavy as I joined the rush hour traffic , not towards home  but to East  Vancouver  where  I intended  to capture  the Halloween  atmosphere  in some Mangaldanian  households.. First stop was  at Deo and Letty Tan's house . Their three  kids were getting ready  to join  the "exodus " to the mall  for  their treats . Deo  would  be behind them , of course . Joshua was  dressed as Mr . Spiderman , Michelle was white cat  and  Merly  was a pretty Geisha girl ( minus the make-up ) . Next stop  was at Ray and Madonna Tan's residence . Unfortunately , their kids and their cousins  were  already out in their quest  for more treats . Luckily , Marina came back with some friends so I was able  to take her picture in a " bepop "girl attire.

Earlier I had the chance to take some pictures of kids inside  St. Francis Sales church hall where there was a Halloween Costume contest . The first prize went to Matthew C. Perez , Gina and Mike's son  who was in a "mummy costume " created by  Mike .Other kids in the group were Mark Perez as Jack , the Ripper( ugh! !) ,  Clarissa C. Cox as a "ballerina "  and baby Lelina A. Cox as a  "Dalmatian puppy" . I captured  some pictures  of more kids in the neighborhood in very interesting and  colorful costumes . After  a few minutes of hanging out  with the kids , I decided  to head back to West Vancouver . I stopped by Nora and Franz place  for  see  what Gabriel  ( grandson  of Remo and me ) was wearing for the night . It would be interesting  to see  him because it was his first time  for him to go out trick or treating  with his  Mom . Well , he  was dressed as a fireman   ( complete with a rolled  fire hose ). He looked cute as firemen  usually are ( remember the firemen calendars ? ).Click, click , click for  photos  for more kids . Lots and lots of them  on the streets , like a  parade . But tired and hungry  I finally  head  for home . By  then , Remo  would be handing  out  the usual treats  to the "goblins"  dropping by our place . Our neighbour's house was decked with  dozen's of pumpkins and has 'ghost-like atmosphere" complete with "chilling and grave-like" music , very inviting to the " goblins" . Remo  carved a pumpkin  which he set up on  our front  entrance . Not many costumed  kids came , so Remo and I spent the rest of the night filling ourselves with the treat  of the night , left over chocolate bars  . I probably won't like to see  any "Oh, Henry " bars for months .

However , as I was  watching  kids and adults  go  excited about Halloween , my thoughts  were  in Mangaldan . People there would be celebrating " Pistay Inatey ". I could just  smell the "dermen"  made into inlove , the ginataan , the patopat and  other  kakanen  and my heart ached  for those times . I wish I could call  somebody  and talk about the good old days  but  it was quite late  so I just closed my eyes  and  prayed  for the  souls of my father, my mother  and my brother Tony and the souls  of all my departed  relatives  and friends and another " spooky " night is over.         

            

Comments

[Djoma]

Marie,
This is a wonderful article about traditions here in our adopted country. You did a wonderful job capturing images of children in their halloween get-up. Our kabaleyan would enjoy the pictures you took as well as appreciate your light story-telling writing.
Kudos!!!