2013 Halloween In Beijing

We can definitely feel it this year as Halloween approaches. Unlike back home in Malaysia, where Halloween was only celebrated by a handful, parents here, especially coming from the States were already busy preparing for their children's Halloween party, trick or treating and celebrating weeks ahead. There were loads of bright orange pumpkins  stacked up at the grocery shop at the apartment where we stayed (nothing of course compared those we found when we were in USA last year where pumpkins were everywhere and the entire Disneyland was celebrating Halloween).

As the fever of Halloween picked up, I was tempted to try my hands to make this Halloween a little special for the little ones - carving our very first Halloween pumpkin. I have seen so many such carved pumpkins before and always wondered how difficult and messy it would be to carve one ourselves. However, I was hesitant, not knowing whether it will turn out right until the very last night before Halloween when I finally took the plunge and went out to buy myself two medium size pumpkins. But I was still unsure how to get started and what is the best place or resource for information? The internet of course. Armed with some basic knowledge, I told the children that we would do it as a family project. With the images I wanted to do in mind, I drew the outlines on the pumpkin, cut off the top and told the children to dig out the seeds with a metal dinner spoon.

Me and the kids goofing around with the two medium size bright orange pumpkins I bought before we started our quest to carve our very first Halloween pumpkin.

First step is to have the initial design I wanted to carve and trace out the outline on the pumpkins.

Being totally immersed in the experience is the most important key to carving out a successful Halloween pumpkin and I am sure you could see how `immersed' I was in the process ....

Ryan, deep in concentration, digging and digging, working very hard to spoon out the seeds of his Halloween pumpkin.

I had to wait till both the kids were asleep before I could start the real carving because I knew that I would never be able to do it in peace and with the consideration, especially not with two very eager `assistants' bugging me. Once they were in lala land, I took out a small sharp carving knife and a little thin saw and started out my quest.

Two hours later, I have two rather impressive carved Halloween pumpkin staring back at me. I was rather pleased with myself.

The final masterpieces ....The ones on the right and the left were those I carved on the first night. The middle...that is a different story ...

I must said that I outdo myself this year because I did not stop at two. We registered ourselves to participate and attend our apartment's Halloween's party and we were given another two pumpkin as part of the goodies. I had to carve one more and since Ryan would be dressing up as BATMAN to his school's Halloween party, I thought that I would be rather cool if he could bring an EVIL BATMAN HALLOWEEN pumpkin to school. 

The evil Halloween Batman .....

Ryan has a new costume this year. His mommy bought a new costume for him during her recent visit to the States. It was Sulley from the Monster Inc. movie. Chenya was not left out in all this. This would be her first Halloween, one that she could participate (since she was too young to remember or participate in the first one when she was one year old). Mommy got her an extremely cute red and black Ladybird costume complete with a very attractive head gear.

Mommy goofing around with her two most favorite characters of Halloween, Sulley and the Ladybird

As much as we love the Sulley costume, Ryan very much prefer his Batman costume and insisted to wear that for his school Halloween's party as well as the party held by our apartment. He only wore the Sulley costume at home for some pictures and a short while walking around the park.

One of the lobbies of our apartment turned into a Halloween party grounds, complete with hanging pumpkins, spider webs and creepy spiders.

The party at the apartment was packed and all the children came out in full force, all dressed in their cute and some, rather scary costumes. It was a night where little Iron Man fought with Spiderman, Superman holding the hands of Cindrella and Batman was seen having fun with some witches.

Mommy with the two superheroes of her life, the Batman and the very cute Ladybird

Our pumpkins on display .....

"This pumpkin is MINE ...."

Batman striking up his pose .....

Our Batman surrounded by pretty ladies .... I definitely need to dress up as the DARK KNIGHT next year ...

It certainly was a fun night for the children and an exhausting one for the adults, but a definitely an interesting Halloween for me.

Halloween in Disneyland

We were travelling quite a fair bit last year and with our relocation to Beijing, I have had little time to update my blog then. On checking, I actually discovered that I did not update much of Ryan’s first trip to USA, especially his trip to the happiest place on earth – DISNEYLAND.

 Disneyland at Anaheim, LA was decked with Halloween decorations when we visited last year

So, here I am, just to add that post into this journal, both for myself (to refresh my fading memories as I grow older) and for him to relive his childhood fun when he grows older too.

Before this trip, the furthest we have brought Ryan out of the country was to Beijing. Hence, we were initially apprehensive as to how he would cope with this 20 over hour flight. He quickly put our apprehension to rest, when he excitedly settled down quickly on the plane with the in-flight games, movies, his iPad and chatting up the air stewardess!

Our first stop was in Seattle where mommy has to attend to her business meetings while daddy was left with the job to keep him occupied. More of that in the next few posts.

But he was eagerly waiting for, was the trip to DISNEYLAND, the place where every kid dream of, not to mention many adults too, including yours truly.

 Bright orange pumpkins were everywhere, truly reflecting the spirit and atmosphere of Halloween

When we were there, Halloween was just around the corner and DISNEYLAND went full steam to capture the spirit a Halloween. The entire Disneyland at Anaheim, LA was decorated to reflect Halloween. The sight of bright orange carved pumpkins was EVERYWHERE! It was simply amazing. They even had a special Halloween night where guests were encouraged to go in their full Halloween costumes. We did not opt for that because, firstly, it was held on the first day that we arrived and secondly, it was rather expensive and we gathered that it would be so overly crowded that it would not be worthwhile paying that amount to fight with the rest for the rides.

 The main street in Disneyland, Anaheim, LA

But we had fun nevertheless, soaking in the Halloween atmosphere, on all the three days were there. Yes! We were there for three days and to Ryan, it is still NOT ENOUGH. Who could blame him, when DISNEYLAND has been branded as THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH and if you immersed yourself in all the fun and activities, she actually is.

 Standing in front of the icon of Disneyland, Walt Disney and his star creation, Mickey Mouse against the backdrop of the Magical Castle.

Posing in front of the GIANT Pumpkin Mickey Mouse, at the start of MAIN STREET USA

There is simply a special MAGIC in the air the moment you entered through her gates and you are transformed magically into this fantasy kingdom where cartoon characters that I grew up with comes alive! YES YES YES! There was Goofy, Minnie and Donald. And out of nowhere, apparently, CHIP and DALE popped up to say hello. And of course the STAR of the kingdom, MICKEY MOUSE himself.

 His best Halloween ever !

More pictures of that in the next post. For now, my dear son, you must be one lucky boy. I have to wait 49 years before I could see my dream coming true and there you were, cuddling Mickey Mouse at the age of 4!