As Jack-o-lanterns, witches on broomsticks and ghosts decorate store windows, cafes, bars and homes, and youngsters get ready to attend Halloween parties dressed in their spooky best, Canadian expat Rachel is transported to memories of home. “It was a truly community-celebrated holiday. We lived in an area that had many farms, so there were pumpkin-growing competitions. Every family participated in the holiday, whether it was decorating their homes or getting dressed to go trick-or-treating,” she says.
When she, a teacher at Canadian International School, moved to Bengaluru 20 years ago, none of that Halloween spirit could be found here. However, today, she notices a shift, as she says, “The holiday was largely misunderstood and had a negative connotation with black magic. Now, I see a huge shift in awareness. Our apartment community now celebrates the festival and children go trick-or-treating.”
Other expats, too, like content creator and parenting coach Karina A Shetty, are celebrating with their community like back home, albeit at a smaller scale. “In my lane, we get together with the neighbours who get ready with candy and allow kids to go trick-or-treating,” she says. This year is particularly special, since Shetty skipped celebrations last year because of a date clash with Deepavali. She plans pop-culture inspired costumes for herself and her kids each year, with previous costumes including characters from Coco, Barbie and The Flintstones. This year, she plans to dress her kids as Elphaba and Glinda from Wicked. “Since my kids are still young, eight and nine, we’re not doing things that are too scary, but it’s slowly getting there,” she chuckles, adding, “We’re making some Halloween cupcakes and getting candy. We’re also doing arts and crafts like painting pumpkins, because carving the pumpkins you get in India is really hard.”
For those who’ve moved from countries that don’t celebrate the holiday, like Malaysian expat Joonie Tan, Bengaluru presents an opportunity only seen in movies.
“Growing up in Malaysia, Halloween was something we’d see only in movies, but I loved the visual and creative side of it. Now, as a pastry artist, I think I’ve found my own way of celebrating it through desserts. Some of my favourite memories are from creating Halloween collections with my team like ghost cupcakes, monster cookies, and bloody caramel drips. Watching kids and adults get excited over something spooky-but-cute makes me happy,” she says. This year, she has channelled this creativity into desserts on offer at LICK and Lavonne Cake Studio, along with her son’s Halloween costume. “My son, Zev, is obsessed with spiders and ghosts and he’s been invited to a Halloween-themed birthday party. So, he’s going as a little ghost with spider deco, of course!” adds Tan.
Cultural Significance
Halloween holds a deep-rooted cultural significance for some expats. As Swedish expat Jonas Olsson, conductor and founder of acapella group Bangalore Men, explains, “Halloween for me is more of a traditional kind. When I was growing up, it was a day of remembrance for those who are no more. Seeing the candles flicker on graves was a moment of stillness and contemplation. Since I come from a music background, it was also a time when we sang a lot of requiems by composers like Mozart.” This year, celebrations are a mix of traditional and ‘commercial elements’. “We’ll start off with a small remembrance by lighting candles, then go on to decorating with pumpkins, cobwebs and eating some spooky and spicy food. It’s been an enriching experience to learn how other cultures celebrate it.”
In Mexico, the Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos, celebrated on November 2, is a major holiday and a moment to pay respects to one’s ancestors. Shetty, like Olsson, is making sure to continue that part of her heritage with Halloween. “The holiday is special and I put up an altar with photos of my grandparents, aunts and uncles who have passed and decorate it with flowers. I make the traditional bread as well.”
