Happy Halloween!

Halloween (also spelled Hallow e'en) is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints. It is largely a secular celebration but some have expressed strong feelings about perceived religious overtones.
The colours black and orange have become associated with the celebrations, perhaps because of the darkness of night and the colour of fire or of pumpkins, and maybe because of the vivid contrast this presents for merchandising. Another association is with the jack-o'-lantern.

Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, ghost tours, bonfires, visiting haunted attractions, pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

We don't have such celebrated events like this in Papua New Guinea apart from Christmas, Easter, and annual cultural events throughout the country. I experienced my first Halloween in 2000 after two months being in the country. I didn't understand what it was but I really loved and enjoyed the candy folks passed onto me.

After I got myself more acquainted with life here in the United States, I seem to get used to such celebrated events on the US calender. Today, my friends and I are planning to hand out more than a thousand candies to those pass our neighbourhood. For wantoks in the United States, 'Happy Halloween' and make sure you hand out less candy and eat more yourself.

*****DUK*****