My Life… My Thoughts

It seems that everywhere I go, there is so much frenzy about halloween.  But what is this celebration anyway?  What is the hoopla all about? 

As a kid, I have never celebrated halloween the same way it is celebrated here in America.  Raised in a devout Catholic family living in a remote suburban, predominantly Muslim island in the Philippines, halloween celebrations were not given much attention in my household.  I only see it on TV, in the movies, in magazines and in books.  The day after halloween, All Saints’ Day, was more important to my parents than halloween.  On the 31st of October, I am usually told to go to bed early so I can get up early the next day in time for church and cemetery visits to our dead relatives. 

As I searched for the history of halloween, this was what I found: http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/history.htm……. So indeed, in the old days, halloween is celebrated to honor the dead, which is not far from the celebration I know of as a kid.  I guess that living in a remote area makes one behave old-fashionedly, almost "amish-like."

It was only during my college years when I moved out of my parents’ house and into the big city when a different concept of halloween was introduced. It was all about dressing up, partying and getting drunk.  I guess halloween for adults at this day and age is freedom, or in my native tongue, Kalayaan.  It is about dressing up the way you have always wanted but never had the guts to (i.e. playboy bunny costume), getting drunk,  letting loose and getting crazy on the dance floor.  At the back of your mind, you would think that you wouldn’t embarass yourself as you are protected by the "armor" (better known as costume) you are wearing.

During my younger years (mmm…17-27…gosh! I’m old), I enjoyed halloween Kalayaan immensely.  Though I never really got to dress up in the playboy bunny outfit, I had my own share of partying and all-night dancing.  But now that I’m getting older, these things don’t amuse me anymore.  I guess that the Kalayaan that halloween offers has lost its luster.  So now I guess I’m back to my amish ways…

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 26th, 2005 at 11:34 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.