So, anyone who knows us, knows that Halloween is a big deal in the Laughlin household. I am not sure how that came to be. Something about having two busy boys, costumes, mummies scary things and candy. It has the perfect appeal. I am serious, I think it rivals Christmas and wins. The excitement here is palpable. So, the day the calender gets moved on Oct. 1st, let the excitement begin. I am sure all of those still in Somerset Meadows breathed a sigh of relief this year, as the pressure to get decorations out early is off. Thankfully, unlike the US, the stores are not loaded up with Halloween items in September, tempting my feverish children.
Yes, I did pack and ship Halloween decorations. Not all of them, as JP reminds me. We are waiting for the arrival of "the man who takes off his head," not sure if he will make it past customs, but we will see. So we decorated the house with Halloween lanterns and plenty of bugs. What is missing... besides "the guy who takes off his head.?" A pumpkin!!!! Right!
I have heard that pumpkins are a bit scarce and may go quickly, so I was pleased with myself yesterday when I saw pumpkins at Carrefour, our local grocery super store. They are little more like gourds, not quite as orange, but good enough. So I found a nice specimen, with a good topper, and placed him in my cart to continue my shopping. It was expensive, about $20, but I have grown my own pumpkins for the past 4 years and it is part of what makes Halloween fun for the kids. If I knew what a spectacle I would become, I may have rethought my purchase.
So, I am cruising through the store getting other items, and some of the employees start to follow me. That is odd, I thought but then I realized they wanted to look at my pumpkin. They point, chuckle and talk amongst them. Then other patrons started staring into my cart. A few reached in and felt the pumpkin. I figured, they were thinking I was crazy. This continued all throughout the store. Then another westerner commented. "You sure are a spectacle with your pumpkin, they can't believe the price" Well the price tag did say 119 RMB (about $18). I am thinking they were more like, why in the world would I pay so much for such large squash which won't even be that good to eat. If they only knew I plan to keep in on my front walk area for a couple of weeks, then cut it up with a crazy face and then throw it away. I have to admit I was a little embarrassed bringing it home as my driver and ayi, as I spent about a half days wage on a vegetable.
Now that I have a pumpkin, I must get some mums to go with the fall theme and highlight my expensive squash. So off I went to the flower market, where it is $2 for an 8 inch pot. Overall the net cost of my fall decorating was the same or cheaper than in the US. More importantly, it feels like home. When I picked the kids up from school, they were delighted to see the pumpkin. Of course they wanted more..... maybe next year if I can bring in some pumpkin seeds to grow my own.
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