Yayyyyy, it's October and that means Halloween season is here! I don't know how you guys celebrate, or if you even celebrate this festival to begin with, but I wanted to share something more personal this time - a glimpse into my childhood, really. So let's get straight into it.
But wait - I've got to stop you right there because there needs to be some sort of backstory before I can tell you this story. Long story short (and this is what I usually summarise my early years with when introducing myself for the first time), I was born in Singapore and moved to China when I was four. Lived in Shanghai for three and a half years and then Beijing for six years before moving back to Singapore in 2005. For those 10 years, I was incredibly blessed to be enrolled at International Schools where I was allowed to experience different cultures and approaches to education in general. Those years really molded me into who I am today! So now you know where I got all my sass from HAHA.
When I got back to Singapore, I genuinely felt the culture shock. It was REAL. I had to adjust back to the Singaporean syllabus, learn how things worked here and finally touch base with my roots. But I was really sad to find that the Halloween culture in Singapore was nothing more than barely-there attempts at 'Halloween-themed' food, decorations and last minute $2-per-item shopping at Daiso. And then there were the clubs/parties where girls would dress up as scantily as they possibly could, using Halloween as an excuse, and dance the night away with booze and such. Oh yea, let's not forget Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Singapore which Sky has mentioned, multiple times, was a waste of his time so... meh. 'Where's the Trick-or-Treating?', the inner child in me would scream year-on-year. I miss it all.
So when I was four, I told my mum I wanted to be a Zombie Bride. Don't ask me how I came up with that at four years of age but I did. Lol. Our neighbour happened to be a super talented seamstress and she literally sewed me a wedding gown just so I could run around the estate with the other expat children, ringing doorbells for candy. I experienced dressing up as many scary ghouls over the years and collected so much candy it's no wonder I developed a sweet tooth! People would really pull out all the stops for this festival. It was serious business. One time, a Caucasian family two blocks down had the management change their light bulbs to red so the house glowed a haunting crimson all through the night. The husband and wife then dressed up as vampires and were waiting in their yard with light sticks and jelly brain-shaped snacks. It was so kick ass. #Icanteven
But anywho, enough of my blabbering. Scroll down to see some photos from my childhood - try to spot me in my wedding gown! Also, just a huge shoutout to my mum who painstakingly pieced this book of memories together as a gift to me on my 21st birthday. BEST GIFT EVER. Extremely touched :')
The evolution of your home girl.
29th October, 1995 – Probably when the estate I lived in held the Trick-or-Treating event. My brother went as Batman and my sister was a Genie.
We’d also get into the spirit of Halloween at school. Check out the bottom left corner – I was a skeleton!
Here’s a bonus photo of how I looked in my school uniform at seven years old.
And proof that I was born to be posing in front of a camera – HAHA!
I hope this gave you a better idea of how Halloween is celebrated out of Singapore and that you were entertained by my story!
Till next time,
C