every year i hear it, from different mouths and different places; we're apes to mimic the cultures of our western counterparts, halloween has no place in the pages of our lives. it's a little sad when you think of it, how these people have closed their minds to possibilities, formed judgements before partaking and shut the door to their hearts. it's pointless to argue about assimilation of cultures and introduction of new experiences. when people have closed their mind their ears are seldom open.
i've celebrated halloween for close to a decade now, and i don't know at which point of time it qualifies to be labelled as my culture. it started out as an excuse for a get-together of close friends with little kids, and nothing spells more fun than good food, a safe warm place to hang around and chat and an excuse to dress up for treats. seriously, what other time can you dress up in whatever your imagination fabricates? please don't start telling me stories of what happens in your bedroom behind closed doors, that is another matter altogether. we've had french maid, queen amidala from star wars, school girl, mickey mouse, 60's a-go-go girl, pirate and a whole long list of imaginary characters. we've done it through clear night skies and heavy rain. we've done it through our galoshes, umbrellas and mosquito repellants. every year, with an array of delicious food that each has contributed to the dinner table, we took a little time off to sit down, catch up with good friends and let our hair down for a little while. from my place, to my cousin's, back to my own on last sunday night.

the little one has his final year exams this week and so we couldn't carry out our annual trick-or-treating without him exchanging all his candies for the lessons in his brain. we decided to stay home and partake in the quiet affair that was going on in our block of apartment. a few households have signed up for trick-or-treating and we were one of them. came the bewitching hour, i dressed up in my white cloak, messed up my hair and "floated" out to greet the little ones who were ringing the bell for some candies. i was trying my hardest to keep on the scary solemn look whilst reaching my hand out beyond the grill door to beckon them closer. after they left, and behind the closed doors, i was jumping around with glee, like the madness  that i am. lol. you don't know the thrill of being able to act scary and frighten the little ones without their mothers thumping on your head with a frying pan until you have tried it yourself.

so, really, when you say it isn't in your culture, do you mean it's not in your culture to let your hair down for a little while and have some fun?