Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Trick or Treat

Halloween & Trick or Treating is not big in Belgium. But like many other countries with a growing expat community traditions are brought over and grows.

I found out about the Trick or Treating taking place in one of the towns just outside of Brussels called Overijse about 4 years ago.  I knew I wanted to take the kids but every year I missed the cut-off time.  Yes, there is a cut-off time.

This year, not so.  My friend Brona, who's been going for years reminded us in time and I managed to enroll the kids before the 15th of October.  

This is how it works; you enroll your kids via the official web page.  You pay the entrance fee and then you collect their arm bands and map from the local McDonalds. (yeah I guess they never want to miss out on a money making opportunity). Then on the night you take your kids trick or treating by following the map.

 So on Thursday night we raced over to Overijse to get there in time.  Noreen was not far behind and we met up at one of the starting points. Brona, on the other hand, was running late and said that we should go on without them and that they would meet up us later.

The weather was not fantastic, it rained softly most of the time but it did not bother the kids at all. They were running from orange balloon to orange balloon. Every house taking part would have a couple of orange balloons out front.  Some of the house owners had gone to a lot of trouble to decorate and had amazing decorations, others not so much.

Each child could get one piece of candy at every house but even so by the end of the night (8pm) they had loads.

The kids can't wait for next year.












 

 








8 comments:

  1. Oh, wow! So interesting to hear how Halloween is celebrated in other places around the world. I'm glad your kids had fun! I can't imagine not having trick-or-treating in our town.

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  2. oh wow so happy you found some people celebrating Halloween I love learning about new culture and how people celebrate

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  3. How cool that you got to celebrate this even though it's not that big of a deal there. I bet your kids had a blast! I can't wait to take mine tomorrow.

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  4. I'm so glad you guys were still able to celebrate! Following a map and all sounds rather complicated though. I guess that's what you've got to do in a country that hasn't always celebrated the holiday, though! :o) Cute costumes!

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  5. I wish there was a map here, so we didn't have to bother the people who don't pass out candy!

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  6. looks like they had alot of fun!

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  7. super awesome scary costumes!!! Looks like they had a blast and glad you got them registered in time - so neat! :)

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