Thomas F. O'Neill: A trip down memory lane on Hallows-Eve 👻🎃🧟‍♀️🦇

By Thomas F O'Neill

I always enjoyed celebrating Halloween, even when I lived in China. I enjoyed the pint-sized spooks who visited me on that howling occasion, but prior to my return to America, the President of China, Xi Jinping, outlawed this ancient tradition, which is widely celebrated worldwide.

I always bought various bags of candy for trick-or-treaters, and I would put up a glow-in-the-dark skeleton on my front door. It was not a real skeleton like the one in the School's bio lab. It was just a store-bought one, but scary, nonetheless. I think that attracted all the pint-sized visitors on those howling nights.

The kids didn’t say ‘trick or treat’ like American kids. They would say - ‘Gěi táng jiù dǎodà’, which means 给糖就捣蛋 if you didn't know that already.

One little witch yelled,“Hello Mr. Tom!!!” when I opened my door. She was holding a large chopstick for her magic wand. I opened the little witch’s bag to see what goodies she possessed. I then took a few of her candy bars and a bag of M&M’s.

“Hey,” she said in a little perturbed voice, “Mr. Tom, you are supposed to give me Candy.”

“Oh,” I replied, “Is that how it works? So do you know any tricks?”

She then started singing, “If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands …..”

“Oh, stop,” I said, “you are scaring me.”

I handed her a couple of candy bars, and she yelled, “thank you.”

“Good, now go away,” I replied.

“What are you doing?” she asked me while staring at my laptop computer on my desk, “Oh, homework, I hate homework,” she said as she turned and headed out my door.

Others also came on that Hallows' Eve, reminding me of the fun I had as a child going door to door. It was followed by Mischief Night. The only real mischief was the fireworks kids set off in front of my apartment building, and the half-eaten apple they stuck in my glow-in-the-dark skeleton’s mouth.

Boy, I could teach those little buggers about the mischief I did as a child.

I'm afraid I have to disagree with Xi Jinping's ban on the ancient tradition of Halloween in China, because during the ban, I no longer had a way to get free candy.

Don't let the ghouls, zombies, and ghosts get to you on this frightful occasion!

But for all you young spooks out there, I would like to wish you a fun and Happy Halloween 👻🎃🧟‍♀️🦇