Halloween mood (New kids on the block)
Cork, Ireland - Halloween is approaching again, and we are all getting ready for the "Trick or treat" reality. My neighbourhood is full of kids and it's a pleasure to see them coming over , knocking at doors all dressed up, handing over their open bags to receive the treats. I'm still debating if it's my husband the one having more fun, or the kids. Last year he got all dressed up in a scary vampire suite, he put horrifying music on, full of shouts and evil laughters, and he hid behind the door waiting for the approaching groups of kids... he would then open the door before the knocking, and shout and make faces and scare the hell out of the innocent souls! Quite fun, i have to say.
Last year was the first year I decided to get properly ready for the reality. I started a month ahead by shopping for halloween style cookie-shapers, searching the internet for yummy recipes and finally I spent a week backing different shape of cookies, decorating them with chocolate, green and orange icing sugar and so on. I carefully selected my pumpkin, the biggest one i could find, and i designed it and left the carving part to my husband, who is well trained after years of pumpkin-carving from his teenargerhood between Mexico and the States.
Well, what can I say! I was more excited than the kids and i have been waiting for the first knock all afternoon... and when they knocked, I wore my best smile and offered my hamper of home-made delicatessen, each one of them wrapped in a single transparent cookie bag with colorful ribbons... and you know what? The new kids on the block politely reply "No, thank you!" and went for the cheap candies i bought at the corner shop just in case of shortage of cookies.
I almost cried! No, thank you?! How come?? I am seeing in my head all those halloween American movies with mamas baking loads and kids divouring loads... and the only thing i get i a "No, thank you". I was so distressed that I asked my husband to take care of the offering, and he had the good mind of asking one of the kids why they didn't want to get any of the home made stuff.
"Because mummy said Only industrial candies!"
Fear of unsafe food give out in a peaceful neighbourhood, I guess. Understandable, but what a disappointment for me!
This year, only industrial candies for us. I wonder how are things around the world. Are people really getting suspicious of their own neighbours? Now that I have kids, I'd say i'd be the same... but movies are movies!
Posted by Silvia Zolfanelli
