Celebrating our inaugural Halloween in Auckland required my mind to jump-through a few hoops as I grappled with the seasonal paradox; my instagram feed was flooded with festive fall posts, but meanwhile our family has begun to bask in the lengthening days and warmer temperatures as we shift into late spring. (Trying to tell myself we are now nearing Christmas as the balmy days continue to unfold and the sunsets inch even later adds to the cognitive dissonance!)
Our Halloween prep followed our family's particular tradition: I tend to order costumes very well in advance so the kids can play with them for a month or two prior. I wasn't sure what the costume scene would be like here, so ordered them far in advance online, which ushered in the season early-on. The
local embrace of All Hallows' Eve, we discovered, had blossomed over the past couple of decades. We were pleased to find skeleton-owls and goblins in stored, and did a mild decking of halls (with the simple spiderwebs in the windows and a spooky cat.) When the actual fright night rolled around - while not every house embraced trick-or-treaters - we found pockets of enthusiasm. Best of all, one of the greatest "hotspots" was conveniently located just a block away from us.
Halloween night brought ominous skies and passing rainstorms, typical of island life. Undeterred, we set out under a light sprinkle post-dinner, joining a delightful procession up the nearby hill. The eclectic vibe was captivating - not every house participated, but those that did went all out with spooky decorations and imaginative costumes. We encountered around 20-25 candy-giving homes, each with a unique twist to their treats, making our haul notably different from the abundance back in DC or Lexington. (Many candy offerings were a small baggie with a collection - one jelly-bean and a gummy worm or single M&M....)
The distinctive candy offerings didn't faze the kids. With pre-set expectations (reminded over and again by their parents, well in advance), the day-of they happily embraced the newness + uniqueness of the experience. Running into friends during our trick-or-treating adventure added to the joy. As we returned home, we shared laughs, smiles, and observations, making it a fantastic day overall. Here's to embracing the diversity of holidays in our new home.
Bonus: A wonderful, unanticipated surprise awaited us in our neighborhood. We realized the Tongan Consulate was nearby -- tucked away behind many of the other houses on our street. To our kids' joy, they treated us to mini-donut-like sweets (seemingly a keki...?) adding a charming touch to our inaugural Kiwi Halloween memories.
Yorumlar