Photos: A Halloween shop at a local Beijng market, expat Halloween costumes, our tailor-made Halloween rabbit and carrot, our Beijing street on Halloween evening, a mass of international trick or treaters.
Halloween is not a Chinese holiday, and yet, several weeks ago, Halloween shops popped up all over town. I expected Halloween decorations for sale at the neighborhood grocery; after all, it caters to many foreigners, but I was surprised to see a shop at the Tianyi wholesale market, where one can spend several hours and only see one or two non-Chinese. It seems many locals have embraced this American holiday with elaborate and festive holiday decorations outside their homes, which is fun for those of us who have celebrated this day our whole lives.
Europeans, I’ve been told, also do not celebrate Halloween, though an Irish friend told me it was quite popular in her country. In our neighborhood, we have a choice of whether or not we would like to distribute candy on Halloween. Those who want to participate simply leave their porch lights illuminated. A Dutch neighbor told me she arrived in Beijing the day before Halloween last year and unknowingly left her porch light on. She was surprised (to say the least) when a group of little goblins knocked at her door and yelled, “trick or treat.” “I felt sorry for them,” she told me, “They had to explain what Halloween was and how I was supposed to give them candy. I searched the kitchen, found some apples, and tossed them in their bags.”
And then of course, there are the Americans, many of whom go all out in an effort, I suppose, to compensate for not being at home. Or maybe just because it’s a fun holiday to celebrate. So we were all excited this year when our neighbors announced they were having a Halloween costume party – for grownups only.
One of the great things about being in China for Halloween is that tailoring is affordable and convenient. When my daughter told me she wanted to be a bat, I went to the fabric market, bought the material needed and took it to my tailor with a picture of what I wanted. For less than US$15, my daughter had a beautiful bat costume. In preparation for the neighborhood costume party, I repeated the process and outfitted my husband and me with a rabbit and carrot, respectively.
While overseas, holidays take on new meaning – and so do friends. With no family around, people rely on neighbors and spend holidays – Christmas, Thanksgiving, and yes, Halloween – together. We all strive to make sure we find and maintain American traditions with good company, no matter what it takes or no matter where we are.