Halloween in Erlangen

Last week was Halloween, and I felt guilty--again! After living in Chicago for two years and experiencing Halloween parties, a haunted police station and trick-or-treating, Halloween in Erlangen, Germany, was disappointing for the boys. I never really liked Halloween. Just too much fanfare for a holiday centered around collecting candy, half of which I would find months later cached in their closet. But, this year I really missed all the homes decorated with ghosts and ghouls that light up and howl when you walk by them. I missed all the kids in costumes wandering around our neighborhood.

Halloween is a young holiday in Germany, and Europe. When we lived here from 2002 to 2004, stores sold a few costumes and paraphernalia--we bought a small, battery-operated skeleton that sings something about "scaring you home." This year I noticed more costumes and Halloween decor in shops and homes. There seemed to be a lot more jack-o'-lanterns in front of houses and apartments, too. Unfortunately, we didn't see anyone trick-or-treating. We saw a group of girls in witch costumes walking down our strasse (street), but they were not carrying bags for candy collecting.

Philip dressed in his Grim Reaper costume from last year and Alex as a pirate, and they went to a small party in the park across the street--a party hosted by Americans living in Erlangen. They got some candy there, and our German neighbors gave them chocolates. Although most of the candy they collected this year was what we bought them earlier that day at Handelshof, our local supermarket. After dark, we took them for a walk in the forest near our apartment. Bob and Oscar, our dog, ran ahead and jumped from behind a tree as we walked past. The boys were scared, which is what they wanted on Halloween. I think they had fun, but it just wasn't as exciting for them as Halloween had been in Chicago. And again, I feel that maybe it was a mistake to move them so far away, not only physically, but culturally as well.