All Saints Eve

Today is Halloween, and what a difference from the US!  This is our first halloween here in New Zealand. Last one if you recall (and if you don't go look up the blog entry) was a party at a friends house.  This is our first one trick-or-treating around the block.

So how is it different?  I am glad you asked, let me tell you.  The first thing that strikes me as strange, which is the same of all these fall/winter (or shall I say spring/summer holidays) is the light.  As I type this it is 8:15pm and still light out.  Second reason is that when Dennis and I went out door to door we only went to 13 houses in an hour of walking.  Granted that hour had a few good conversations with neighbors I had just met, however it did include a fair bit of walking.

We did not knock on every door in the neighborhood, someone had canvased the neighborhood asking adults who wanted to give away candy to identify the houses by balloons on the gates and for the kids to come between 4-6.  Really nice touch.

While Dennis and I were out Chris manned the fort here at home.  She had two groups of children show up.  We didn't expect a large turn out but that was pretty small!  But not to worry it did double while Chris and Dennis were at the Church All Saint's Eve party.  Two more groups of kids showed up!  I think we had a total of 14 kids at the door this year.

Our next door neighbor lilly thought we would get 20 kids showing.  So in the ball park just a bit light.  I do hear some children running around outside but I have taken our balloons down so maybe they are just passing us by.

Very low key holiday by US standards.