My father once told me the story of the first time my parents took me Trick-Or-Treating. I am the oldest child, so I was the only child at that time. They dressed me up in my little costume, gave me my little pumpkin bucket to collect my candy, and took me out the door. My father said that at first I didn’t really realize what was going on, even though they explained it to me a couple of times.
“When we ring the door bell, just say ‘trick-or-treat’,” my father told me as he guided me to the door. When the door opened I nervously whispered the words. Then I saw the neighbor drop something in my pumpkin bucket. Candy!
After that I started running from house to house, quickly trying to fill up my bucket. That was when I fell in love with Halloween.
Growing up I had a couple of memorabilia Halloween parties that my parents threw for me and my friends. Costumes, bobbing for apples, scary movies, there was not one Halloween were I was disappointed. I was always the one in my family that wanted to bring out the Halloween decorations as soon as October hit. I went Trick-or-Treating until I moved away from the States, my last time being when I was 19 and in college. People were a bit hesitant to give us candy, but as I pointed out, we dressed up!
Halloween in Europe
Now that I live in Europe, I must bring the Halloween spirit with me. Its hard living in a place where people say “Oh, Halloween, what day is that again?” While Halloween is the second biggest holiday in the states, in Europe you are lucky enough to see a few Jack-o-Lanterns in stores.
My first Halloween party in Prague there only came a few people. But as I met more and more friends, and as my parties became known for their crazy decorations, food, and costumes, more and more people looked forward to my Halloween bash. While it took a LOT to get Czechs to dress up in costumes, every year they got better and better. It is even surprising to think that I had to explain that you could be anything on Halloween – it didn’t have to be something evil and dead as they thought. Halloween was the one day where your imagination could run wild and you could step outside of yourself.
Every year I look forward to Halloween, to purchasing more items to fill my Halloween boxes after the parties, to thinking up of new “gross” food to serve my friends, to showing the latest scary movies, and to wearing my next costume.
I have now moved to a small town in Northern Sweden. I successfully managed to bring Halloween to Prague. I will bring it to this small town too.
I like to think that every Halloween has been my Best Halloween Ever. And with this website, I hope to share my tips and tricks to help you have the Best Halloween Ever this year!
-Spook