Monday, November 12, 2007

#21 Halloween in China




The Chinese do not celebrate Halloween, but within our expat compound, Halloween was a major event. For our family it was even bigger, as the day of celebration happened to correspond to Joseph's 7th birthday.

Getting costumes for Halloween in China is not easy. Marco (Batman) received his costume last month as a gift from his grandmother in Kentucky. Joseph's Darth Vader was imported by our neighbor Patti who picked it up during a recent trip home to Chicago. Maria's Snow White was a birthday gift last year from our friends the Tomlins in Peoria and I am not sure where Juliana Montana found that blonde wig.

We trick-or-treated in the neighborhood and found many of our neighbors had put a tremendous effort into their adult costumes and house decor. One neighbor had created a haunted house in their garden and first floor which all of the trick-or-treaters walked through. It was a truly amazing effort with ghouls and smoke machines and more.

Later in the evening there was a neighborhood Halloween party with food and drink as well as games for the children. A group of neighborhood wives did a splendid job organizing the party. It was held at the Golden Lough clubhouse.

Finally, Phase 3 of the evening was a return to the Cazzato villa for Joseph's birthday celebration. The birthday boy is pictured with siblings and friends preparing for the singing-of-the-song and the blowing-of-the-candles. The kids sang Happy Birthday in English and Chinese - "qu ni sheng er kuai le."

Our guests departed fairly soon after cake and ice cream. Shortly thereafter, despite all of the sugar consumed, the Cazzato family collapsed for the night.

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