Halloween and Spooktacular

Halloween here is nothing compared to what it is in Seattle.  Our first year here the kids were sorely disappointed.  We had only been here a few months and we were still used to the American way.  The second year we teamed up with our Swedish friend, Toby, and his family.  We hit the American sector and it was quite overwhelming.  SOOO many people!!   It was almost too much for me.  But the past two years Halloween has fallen within a school break so there was no thought of how late we were out or that homework had to be done before hand.  This year it was on a Thursday and it felt much different. 

The kids were still excited.  I bought Benjamin a skeleton costume at H&M that day for half off.  Josie decided to be a symbol off the periodic table (?!?) and we joined our good friends Beth, Maya and Louis.  She had a car and very kindly drove us to the American sector.  Last year there were two American streets that we went to and one felt much LESS crazy than the other so we hit that one.  But the kids had only a small handful of candy after 30 minutes so we gave in and went to the crazier American street.  Thousands of people from all over Berlin were there.  The first area had houses straight out of the 1960's.  This is where a lot of the people who work for the American Embassy live. They were originally US military housing and it feels like you are walking in the movie set of the movie First Man about the first man on the moon set in the late 60's.  The second area, by drastic contrast, was filled with mcmansions.  Each house/villa was more palatial than the last.  Crazy, huge houses. The owners of the house would stand out by their front gate and hand out American candy.  There was a line in front of each gate.  Crazy!!  For the first time they actually shut down cars from driving in the area during trick or treating.  If you lived in the area you could drive in otherwise you had to park a good distance away.  It felt safer, save the swarms of German police with large guns.  It is still shocking to see police here with automatic style weapons.  You just don't see it much here except sometimes when there is a heated soccer match!!  But I have heard since this is an "American holiday and area" that it is a target.  Makes you feel safe, huh??  Anyway, the kids had fun.  Still nothing like Seattle and they had to work for their 20ish pieces of candy where as in the states they get 20 pieces of candy in the first 5 minutes. 

The following night the school had their annual Spooktacular event.  It is just for the elementary but Josie is really into drama at the high school this year and the drama club had a booth were someone was hidden in a coffin and then pops out to scare the kids.  Not sure exactly what part she played but she came with Benjamin and me.  I was signed up to sell margaritas with my friend, Fiounnaula, which kept me busy for the night.  Benjamin had a burger and went to all the stands, activities and performances and then spent a good portion of the night reading while sitting behind my margarita stand. 

Lots of reading, TONS of dog snuggles

Thankfully Halloween has never been a big holiday for me... otherwise I might have been disappointed by it too.  I keep saying that Germany well than makes up for their lackluster celebration for Halloween with how they really do it up for Christmas!!

And the weekend before Halloween we had good friends
over for the famous black bean/sweet potato enchiladas.