Spooky, scary skeletons
Send shivers down your spine
Shrieking skulls will shock your soul
Seal your doom tonight
One of the many songs that goes around your head as the month of October starts. This song is actually the title of a children’s song by Andrew Gold. The smell of crisp autumn leaves, the variety of colors ranging from gold to red everywhere, and carved pumpkins at doorsteps. Perfect weather for Halloween celebrations.
When Growing Up
Though Halloween is not something that my parents celebrated, it was something that we all used to hear about when growing up. It used to remind me about carved pumpkins (which I later on learned was called as Jack O’Lanterns) and scary costumes.
Halloween Celebrations
The festival of Halloween actually originated in Ireland as a pagan festival called Samhain. It also marks as midway between autumn equinox and winter solstice. When I was growing up in Sharjah, I never knew these information, because it was not something that was celebrated then. But now in most of the countries, Halloween is a time to dress up and go trick or treating.
Celebrating Halloween For The First Time
We celebrated it for the first time when we were living in Japan. Devu was 2 years old then. When she got the chance to dress up at a fancy dress party, organized by an international school, Nabit, I was excited. I dressed her up as a fairy. I don’t think she really understood what was happening except that she was wearing a pretty dress and that she got lots of candies.
Celebrating Halloween in Ireland
Our first Halloween Celebrations
Halloween is celebrated in Ireland with a bang. Our first Halloween in Ireland was in 2018, when Devu was 4 years old and in Junior Infants. Reaching her school on Halloween morning, was such an eye-opener. We became so excited and surprised as well because all the staff were dressed up in the theme of Pirates of the Caribbean. They had the music playing in the background when every staff including teachers, office staff and the principal of the school came out with a flourish.
Devu had dressed up as a fairy again. Now dressing up simply means that she wore a frock that she already had, along with wings and a wand. She used to love the idea of fairies and always had a fairy wand and wings with her wherever she went. Actually, it was the first thing that we bought on our first trip in Ireland. Guess the place where we visited. It was a fairy garden called “Terra Nova Fairy Garden” in Limerick, Ireland.
Our Second Halloween Celebrations
In 2019, Devu dressed up as a fairy again. This time we did the hair into French braids as well.
The Third Time
It was 2020, and amid all the fears and lockdown, we had our Bhavi, bringing an additional slice of happiness to our little world. This year, we surprised Devu with the costume of Elsa. It was love at first sight.
Halloween This Year
This year, is so far, my favorite one. A character, I fell in love with while growing up. The person, whose adventures with his friends made me feel like, I knew magic too. Someone, whose character grew up in books and I used to wait to know, how the same would be in movies. Any guesses? Most of you might have guessed it right. It’s
.
.
drumroll……..
.
.
.
Harry Potter , one of my favorite fictional character.
Growing up, HP series were like a magical lifeline, where I used to wait after each book for the next one and after some time for the movies as well. Of course books were the best, but anything related to the series, be it movies, music, interviews with the cast, you name it, I loved it .
Coming back to the point, I started the narration of HP series to Devu and she was like a fish to water. Watching the movies with her was like a double treat to myself , nostalgia and answering all the infinite questions like a pro. This time I was even comparing how Harry Potter and Voldemort could be similar to real life characters or rather how they represent the physical embodiment of good and evil.
Long story short, we have 2 dedicated fans in the Anish family now. ( Hoping to add 2 more members soon) .
So this Halloween, what better character to dress up as other than the boy who lived . Luckily Dunnes had the costume with a cool wand, glasses and scarf. The only makeup I had to do was the lightening bolt scar and voila Harry Potter is ready with Expelliarmus and Wingardium Leviosa.
P.S: Devu nowadays watches HP series in her costume only. 🎃
Sources
Nice one dear🥰 Harry Potter – Always❤
Always…