A 43-year Vancouver tradition, the Carol Ships travel the waters around the city in December, with different destinations each night. People gather in waterfront parks and house parties at homes with waterviews to enjoy these seasonal displays. We vividly remember our very first experience of them over 30 years ago soon after we moved to the Vancouver area from the very cold north. It seemed magical and unique to us to see these ships and boats with coloured lights reflecting in the water and carols ringing out as we stood on a bonfire-lit beach. There was nothing like this in the wintry climates where we grew up and lived the early years of adulthood, though we still miss the snow, a rare happening here on the west coast. (We have to go up the mountains for that.)

(In all honesty, though the number of nights the Carol Ships are out has grown over the years, the area that we live in has seen a severe dwindling of the number of boats in the “parade” – pity. Maybe the individual boat owners are getting tired of being out there too many nights at some personal cost.)

Another fun tradition for families with young children is Stanley Park’s miniature Christmas train, running from the children’s farm through the fairy lit woods and back. We also enjoy the very beautiful light displays and the choirs in gardens such as the Park & Tilford and VanDusen Botanical Gardens.

That’s what we, in our childhood, called out as we rang neighbours’ doorbells, dressed in inexpensive home-made costumes. Today it’s “Trick or Treat” and often some pretty sophisticated costumes that Mom bought! Treats most desired by the little goblins are mini chocolate bars and candies – no more candy apples or homemade goodies after some bad tricks with hidden razors. Lots of carved and candlelit jack o’ lantern pumpkins line every doorway, then lie smashed on roads the next morning after the older goblins have made their rounds.

This type of Hallowe’en is predominantly a North American phenomenon, though originating in the British Isles. Immigrant parents reluctantly allowed their children to go join in this strange new form of “begging”.

Increasingly commercialized, Hallowe’en now ranks third in consumer spending in Canada, behind Christmas and the back-to-school season. And this is ironic…according to the Telegraph:

“thanks in part to a vigorous drive by supermarkets to import America’s Hallowe’en traditions and rituals to Britain, it has become the second biggest seasonal event after Christmas.”

I guess I’d qualify as a Scrooge for only buying two pumpkins and about $25 worth of the mini chocolate bars for the neighbourhood kids (and the at-home “kids”).

So, if you are out trick-or-treating tonight with your young ones or attending various fireworks (apparently a Canadian tradition!) or parties, have yourself a fun and very SAFE Halloween!

Links: some history of Halloween
Stanley Park’s Hallowe’en Ghost Train, a popular Vancouver family event.

Thanks to Erika for the skeleton drawing!

Update Nov.1.04 (All Saints’ Day): Thanks to Mark at Wood s Lot for finding this fascinating site about Halloween, Samhain, Day of the Dead, All Souls, All Saints at Mythology’s Myth*inglinks