First Halloween An Exciting Time - But What’s The Deal With Pumpkins?

I am standing in a fitting room in Value Village in a badly fitting and tasteless bunny costume with fishnet stockings and silver ears.

When I look at myself in the mirror, I start wondering if this is how I really want to look for Saturday’s party. After thinking about it, I decide to ditch the bunny costume and dress up like a devil instead.

This is my first Halloween. And I have just gone through the difficult procedure of finding a cool costume. Since I am an exchange student from Sweden (where we do not celebrate Halloween) I am really excited about experiencing this annual American celebration.

What I knew about Halloween before I came here, I had learned mostly from watching various American TV shows. I knew it had something to do with pumpkins, and I also had heard the expression “trick or treat,” but that’s about it. But I think I’m going to like Halloween.

The significance of pumpkins fascinates me. Why pumpkins? How come they are such a big part of Halloween? They are everywhere. It’s fun, though, and I am looking forward to carving my own pumpkin.

The weeks before Halloween remind me a little bit of the time before Christmas. It gets to be a bit too much of everything, even if Halloween is not quite as hyped as Christmas. Everywhere, there are kits with dress-up costumes, fake blood for your face, gross-looking plastic lips, witches, ghosts and pumpkins.

And people, including me, are actually buying all these strange things.

I’m trying to collect as many Halloween things as possible. Then, next year, at this time, when I’m back in Sweden, I can look at my plastic pumpkins and ghost figurines and remember my first Halloween.