Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
The decorations have been packed up and put away for another year, the costumes are folded neatly and placed in their wardrobes and the masks are stuffed into the dark depths that are the back of young adults’ cupboards.
Yet, it’s not the depressing gloom that is the post-National Day celebration or festive season clean-up that one might expect, but rather the day after Halloween.
What began hundreds of years ago as a religious observance of All Hallows’ Eve and mainly involved such activities as church services and lighting candles on relatives’ graves is now a cultural behemoth, almost completely secularised in the face of commercialism. Again, the comparisons with Christmas are tangible.
So what is it that makes Halloween so popular? For the kiddies, it is the chance to dress up and pretend to ‘get one back’ on the adults by scaring them as part of the ‘trick or treat’ tradition. Oh, and the fact they are plied with sweets probably helps too!
Compounds across the kingdom have taken it upon themselves to organise mass Halloween events for their younger residents.
At Al Zamil Oasis in Saar a group of parents got together at the beginning of the month to arrange a special Halloween spectacular based on the traditional ‘trick or treat’ format.
Resident Camille Jones, whose sons Kieran, 8 and Aiden, 12, took part, said: “Beforehand, organisers went round the compound and asked if people wanted to take part. If they said yes, a sign was put up on their door which meant it was safe for the kids to ring the doorbell and shout ‘trick or treat!’ Out of the 30 villas we have here, more than half agreed which was really cool for the kids.
“We had around 30 children take part. The event started at 5.30pm with the trick or treating, and then after that they converged in our compound’s party room that was decorated with cobwebs, bats and skeletons and enjoyed a night of eating, playing games and watching scary movies. They all loved it and we are already excited about next year!”
In Yattem Gardens, a popular expat compound in the heart of Adliya, car loads of families descended on the residents who annually open up their spookily decorated gardens to visitors. One garage was transformed into a ghost house with eerie figures jumping out of the gloom to frighten members of the crowd gathered who were brave enough to venture in.
For those who are now slightly older and have outgrown knocking on doors begging for sweets, Halloween is still one of the most exciting nights of the year. Hotels and nightclubs across the kingdom were stuffed to the brim with revellers dressed in a variety of outrageous costumes and make-up.
One such enthusiast, Hanna Moore, a 20-year-old who lives in Janabiya, says that Halloween is her favourite night of the year.
“I love Halloween and even prefer it to Christmas because I love special effects makeup and the challenge of transforming yourself into anything ghoulish!”
Not one to throw together a half-baked costume at the last minute, she described the process of creating her freaky look; that of someone holding a masquerade mask, except it was made from her own flesh which was carved out of her face.
She said of the process: “Ever since I was at school I have been buying everything from face paint to scarring liquid and wax. It’s all about being inventive. For my look this year, which I had been planning for months, I was supposed to use wax for my face. However it wouldn’t stick as I didn’t have liquid latex, so I used surgical glue and tissue. I then used lipstick, face paint and fake blood to complete the effect.”
Regardless of how much the traditional essence of Halloween has been lost, it’s clear that this juggernaut has no signs of slowing down. And if both children and adults alike can have so much fun with it and show off their artistic and creative talents, why should it?
