A year ago we were in Florida, where on a warm October day, we watched my Brother in Law marry his Sweetheart in a gorgeous ceremony overlooking the longest, whitest beach imaginable.
You can’t beat an Autumn wedding, and there’s something really fun about being in the US at this time of year too – they of course do Halloween so very well…
The very next day we flew to New York, where the Small People somehow ended up joining local children in a spot of trick or treating. I don’t think they could quite believe their luck, and I couldn’t quite believe the amount of “candy” they had collected either! It was great being able to join in with some of the festivities and traditions though, and we even got to visit an authentic pumpkin patch while we were still down South, and that was just beautiful (thank you Grammi!)!
Here in Bavaria, Halloween is gradually becoming a bigger affair, and as they are an imperative part of the celebrations, the local farmers grow pumpkins in all shapes and sizes, and pile them up at the side of the road in the same trustworthy vein as the Pick Your Own Flowers…
And, as I am slightly obsessed, I will leave you with a pumpkin that you can’t carve – but a seasonal one nonetheless. If you ever thought papier-mache might be a good project for a class full of five-year olds, you would be very much mistaken. Around two minutes in, and all I could think was that I might be one “Parent Guest” that wouldn’t be invited back – the state of the classroom at the end would have given any seasonal horror film a run for its money… Plus I ended up having to take all 18 pumpkins home to add a further layer of paper or three, a kind of nightmare of the non-scary variety…
Happy Halloween!
I fancy going to the US for Halloween now!
Honestly Gemma, you think Christmas is a huge deal there? I think Halloween might be just as big! :)
Very brave indeed! Your US Halloween looks and sounds amazing!
xx Jazzy
Thanks Jazzy! :) xx
My word you’re brave. I got roped in to help with cooking some local delicacy at easter and vowed never again to step foot in a classroom, let alone with wet newspaper…
What did you have to make?? I think I can safely agree that I wont be suggesting anything involving paper and lots of glue again… :D
Sophie and i love your paper macha pumpkin
And I loved your felt zombies, they are brilliant! Tell Sophie that if she wants to make one for next year (or perhaps she could make a big fat father christmas with one), she just needs to cover a balloon in strips of paper covered with PVA. About three layers should do it. Leave it for a few days to dry, paint and then pop the balloon! :)
Our lanterns lit and ready – wrapped in clingfilm so the gales do not blow the candles out!! Waiting for the trick or treaters from the village – your lovely blog is helping to set the mood. If we get no visitors there will be loads of sweets for the children next time they are here!! Happy Halloween to you all. xx
Thanks Mum… That’s very clever! Hope you don’t get too many and they leave you some sweets! xxx
Your papier mache pumpkin looks the business! Seriously impressed you made them with 18 5 year olds – I found it stressful enough with one… Love the pumpkin patch photo and Halloween U.S style!
Aw thank you! Yes, I might have needed a large glass of wine that evening after helping them with that! Hope you have fun today, whatever you are all doing! :)
Happy Halloween!! Love your photos.x
Thank you sweetie… Happy Halloween to you. I hope you have more “candy” for the trick or treaters after you ate the last lot! :D xxxxxxx
Having just spent yesterday morning singing Martinslieder, what I want to know is this: do the children at 5yos school get shouty on the “Rabimmel, Rabammel, Rabum bum bum!” part at the end? I’ve heard kids get shouty at that part before, but I just assumed it was high spirits. Now I’m starting to wonder if shouting the ‘bum bum bum’ part is sort of a time-honored thing. I guess I’ll find out at our Martinsumzug next weekend. That should be an interesting cross-cultural experience!
I have just asked him, and he said they like to shout that bit, but they are really supposed to sing it! :D Have fun! Will you do the big duck dinner thing too? In Denmark they didn’t have any lantern procession, but they did have the food festivities! Funny how these things change from country to country!
In the spirit of generosity, I’m going to go with ‘brave.’ I’m sure it seemed like a good idea at the time! Halloween has been a hot commodity here in the German expat community in Seoul – Halloween parties galore, and the children with US Embassy connections are the luckiest of all, as you can imagine! I made a PowerPoint to show to my students called, “Halloween in the USA” after several of them expressed skepticism when I told them people in the US decorated their front yards for Halloween. Parties were all last weekend, so now our attention has turned to Martinstag!
You are too kind, thank you! It was definitely a good idea at the time, but not shortly afterwards! We are busy learning Martinstag songs in our house, my favourite is Ich Geh Mit Meiner Lanterne, which is probably just as well as the five year old hasn’t stopped singing it… :D
Hahaha….you’re a very brave lady, bringing papier mache to the 5 year old masses…. Happy Halloween!
Brave would be one word. Incredibly stupid would be two others! Thank you! :)