Hallow 'een Antics

#19 - Review a Party/social gathering

With Hallow'een just past, we had a few parties to go to - so thought I would have fun and pretend I was a social writer for a newspaper......


Halloween in Australia up until recently was generally observed by commercial minded retailers and themed college parties. Perhaps a lack of a fun spirit, a mistrust of anything seemingly American or misunderstanding of the origins of Halloween as stopped this festival gain more popularity than it deserves. Happily however, there has been a growing groundswell of support in the last few years with neighbours becoming accustomed and expecting trick or treaters to visit their door steps. It seems now that Halloween kick starts the season for parties and winding down into Christmas.

Halloween parties too are becoming more popular as a safe alternative to visiting strangers – but still allowing children to dress up and socialize. Sadly with the rise of violence in the streets, people are generally fearful of strangers, so the visitations of doorsteps may lapse into organsied parties for children over the next few years till this practice stops all together.

One such party was held in the leafy suburbs of Brisbane with over 30 children attending. Old fashioned and traditional party games such as eating the stringed up donut, apple bobbing, pumpkin throwing and lolly search were enthusiastically played by all who attended. Costumes were very detailed and delightfully roleplayed

Food offered continued the theme with deadmans fingers dipped in blood, green pond slime, blood soup, spiders legs and brains – which as you can imagine delighted the children attending.

Much thought and planning went into the decoration and set up of the yard for the party, with torches lit and spiders webs hanging from all branches surrounding the area. The entrance forced party goers to duck under gravestones and spiders webs with ghosts to show the way.

This reporter would be delighted to be invited again next year and looks forward to planning an even more spooky outfit to compete with the 6 year old witches sporting their false eyelashes and fishnet stockings.