halloween!

I've never been much of a fan of Halloween: not too sure if it's due to the loud and noisy firecrackers or if it's because I wore a bumblebee costume -- a recycled ballet costume -- for many years, which, by the way, my sisters subsequently wore once I outgrew the yellow and black jumper and the accompanying black, meshy wings.

Halloween is not very commercialized here; the Brits tend to fuss over bonfire night, which occurs at the beginning of November.

Halloween seems to be an after-thought as the store shelves are, presently, stocked with Christmas goods, with only a small sub-section dedicated to scary masks, plastic skeletons, and candies. When I was walking home through the city centre yesterday, the streets are starting to line with twinkle lights, tinsel, and other Christmas decorations. It's only the end of October, people; at least, wait until November, or better yet, after Remembrance Day.

In an attempt to pay homage to my North American citizenship, I opted to make a jack o'lantern this year.

It's been a while since I've carved a pumpkin. The last time I participated in a proper carving -- at least, one that I didn't convert into a pureed soup -- was at my friend's Halloween wedding, 4 years ago. But this year, I multi-tasked by both carving a pumpkin and making soup with the gourd's innards.

Happy Halloween, everyone!