the time we tried to save halloween

i had some high hopes for UK halloween. this is harry potter's turf right? the land of witches and wizards? of jack the ripper and mary poppins? it's been the setting of so many magical/fantastical/historical/terrifying/downright bizarre events and stories that i just assumed halloween would be off the hook.

wrong-o.

i came back from paris sunday night to no costumes, no parties, and no candy. i passed two or three people in costume on the subway but that was it. we checked around the web looking for halloween events. nothing. zilch. zip. nada. we talked to a few brits about it and every time they responded with a shrug and a response along the lines of "we're just not that into it." they do have some trick'or'treating but even that was started by a bunch of americans in the area and isn't something widely practiced.

so let me get this straight: no labor day, people aren't really into halloween, and no thanksgiving? how do the brits get through the fall? i love looking forward to holidays- they give me something to break up the semester and things to day dream about. and as soon as one is over, you can start anticipating the next one!

but these folks seem to go straight from easter to guy fawkes day aka bonfire night. (which is actually tonight! we get to go see butt loads of fireworks! yes yes yes!)

highly disappointed in london's haunted offerings, our program threw a separate shindig a few days after the 31st. the whole flat was decked out and everyone came in some pretty decent costumes. we bobbed for apples and danced and ate chilli and compared costumes and swapped fall break stories and all drank our fair share of cider. It was like we had created our own little mock college-basement party right here in london. it warmed my heart.

i dressed as a gnome, using clothes i already owed (i don't know if i should be concerned that my every day wardrobe contains gnome clothes. . .) and a beard&hat combo i crafted out of felt (£1 a sheet! highway robbery!) and some handstitching. the beard was SUPER hat and i was sweating like a mad woman plus it was extremely difficult/impossible to eat in, but overall i was pleased with my costume. halloween redeemed itself american style and only two days late.