Traveling through life...

Halloween Kippa-style

While they don't celebrate Halloween here, Danny's kids decided that it would be a good idea to start this year (which I suspected might be just an excuse to eat a lot of candy). So we hosted their first Halloween party tonight (yes, a day late as we have them on Thursdays, not Wednesdays) with some of their friends (max. 3 friends each).

They celebrate Purim here, which is like Halloween, but in March or April, I believe? Anyways, they dress-up for this like Halloween but they don't go door-to-door getting candies, which the kids think is a bit of a rip-off since finding out about the North American tradition. And, they don't do pumpkins!

So, in preparation for the big event, off Danny went in search of pumpkins. About an hour later, he called home to inform me that they seem to only come in one size – and that is -- humongous (more than 20 kilos and over a metre in diameter). With one for each of the 8 kids, that would be a whole-lot-a pumpkin! So instead, he brought home twelve, very small, long-necked, round bottomed, creamy-coloured, squash. Now how does one go about carving one of these?

Like any great innovator bound for success, Danny realized a prototype was needed. With great care and focus, he set out to carve his very small, long-necked, round-bottomed, creamy-coloured baby into a real-life Jack-o-lantern. And, presto – he invented a new model! The streamlined, easily-transportable, material-efficient, all-natural but not organic, Jewish (the top is so small it looks like its wearing a little kippa) Jack-o-lantern. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarmulke) Patent pending.

When the kids arrived, it quickly became apparent that they were more enamoured with the candy then our lovely would-be pumpkin. And, only 2 of the 8 came dressed up. Danny’s kids who spearheaded the whole event, actually showed-up without costumes! Hmmm, seems like my candy conspiracy theory was gaining some weight. Danny and I at least had the decency to put on wigs. Danny made a charming Pippy-Long-Stockings look-a-like with his up-turned red pigtails. I on the other hand donned the long pink curls, which I was told looked like Beethoven -- so much for my Marie Antoinette impersonation.

We eventually convinced the kids, that carving these little critters was a fun idea. So, outside we sat around our large patio table. The big kids (Oren and her eleven year-old friends) started first. Danny chopped off the tops (creating the kippas) and the kids worked hard to scoop out the centres (not easy going with these funny, long-necked specimens). Next the kids drew on the faces. Lacking liability waivers, Danny and I did the actually carving. And, while the kids were momentarily entertained, they soon ran off with their candy to play dungeons and dragons on their computer.

Round II was even more uneventful with the little ones (Itamar and the 7 year-olds) getting distracted before they even got their scoops down to the round-bottoms and some forgetting to actually draw a face.

So, there Danny and I sat, digging, scooping and carving, so that each of the 8 kids could go home with a very small, long-necked, round-bottomed, kippa-wearing, creamy-coloured, Jack-o-lantern. Personally, I thought it was quite fun and eventually, with some convincing, Danny agreed too.

Halloween in Israel…hmmm?

Without the door-to-door candy opportunities, I’m not convinced it’s going to fly.

posted by Heather Worosz @ 9:51 PM