Teaching English in Colombia: Halloween
Did you know that Halloween is celebrated in Colombia? It’s a big party too.
Adults and children alike dress up and put on makeup. Employees of many offices, banks, supermarkets, and retail stores also wear a simple costume, face paint, or special makeup. “Why do Colombians celebrate Halloween?” I have asked myself many times. I have been teaching English in Colombia for over a decade and still no one can really tell me how Halloween came to be adopted on such a large scale in Colombia.
“We never celebrated Halloween when I was a child,” says Doris López when she sees two of her grandchildren “dress up” as “Flash” and Princess. She adds, “My kids never celebrated Halloween or went trick-or-treating either.” Her sons, now in their mid-thirties, take their children out by using the expression “tricky, tricky Halloween” to trick-or-treat, candy and treats. of neighbors
A “rule” of Halloween costumes
However, when Halloween is celebrated in Colombia, there is an unwritten rule. It’s that you can’t wear a full face mask or “alter” your appearance beyond what is recognizable. Because? I think mainly because there is a certain “element” of people who would use the holidays to dress up and commit crimes. Just think, someone walks into a bank or a big box store dressed in a gorilla suit, then robs the place and its customers. After leaving the scene, the perpetrator need only dispose of the suit and would be totally immune to recognition of any kind. The person could even be standing there when the police arrive and no one would notice!
Private Celebrations in Schools
Many elementary and secondary schools sponsor their own charge activities on school grounds inviting parents and family members to participate in games, dramas, parades, costume contests, and other types of contests. During classes, a variety of activities are included, such as coloring books, specially prepared meals, treats, and baked goods. Creepy stories are read, seen or heard. Realia such as plastic spiders, ghost figurines, witches, jack-o-lanterns (funny because pumpkins are not grown in Colombia), and a variety of “monsters” are used for decoration, name tags, and in a variety of other ways. shapes.
A highly commercialized party
Traders are always willing to participate, as is probably true all over the world. Not only are there “specials” on a wide range of candy packages, lollipops, and candy, but commercial malls sponsor Halloween activities and have a “Trick or Treat” session from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. pm During this time, parents take their children to the mall to go from store to store where sweets are delivered. The larger malls here in Cali can have 80+ shops and stores that make for quite a “walk through” if the little ones can hold out long enough to get to most of them. Costumes and makeup range from queens, fairies, princesses, and folk costumes through a menagerie of animals, cartoon characters, superheroes (Batman, Wonder Woman, and Spiderman predominate) to pirates, Jedi, wizards (watch out for Harry Potter). kings and ninjas Vampires and soldiers are generally frowned upon. Halloween parties are also held in many houses at night with Cali’s favorite music: salsa. Have you ever seen Spiderman Salsa dancing with a Power-Puff Girl? It’s a real hoot. It is not surprising that teaching English in Colombia continues to be so interesting.
The day after Halloween is celebrated as “All Saints Day” or “Day of the Dead”, but that, my friends, is another story.