Anyone need to know how to carve a pumpkin? This is a link from Tesco, one of the biggest grocery chains here to let people know how to do this unusual thing! Last year I was laughing at one of the morning show hosts who was learning how do make a Jack o'Lantern because she had never done it before! Apparently only in the last few years has Halloween been of any kind of interest because they think of it as a "American" holiday. I talked about this in length in my blog post last year so I'd suggest you can go back and read that rather than my having to repeat myself (link to previous blog is after the pictures).
Try this: close your eyes and think of living in a place that doesn't know anything about Halloween, Thanksgiving or Fourth of July. No turkey, cornbread stuffing, pumpkin pie, candied sweet potatoes, summer barbecues, corn on the cob, ribs, baked beans and fireworks. It's hard to imagine isn't it? Ok, they have turkey here but Thanksgiving is just another Thursday. Turkey is usually eaten for Christmas with roast potatoes and brussel sprouts (don't ask me why brussel sprouts--I can't figure out why either). They have fireworks but usually set them off on November 5th, Guy Fawkes Day. Oh and by the way, fireworks are sold in just about any store along with alcohol--good thinking there.
What I'm trying to say is one of the harder things to adjust to is the difference in holidays. Family and tradition and sometimes national identity are so much a part of how we celebrate special occasions. When that is taken away or different it can really make you feel like an outsider--very alien (and I don't mean from outer space, but then again...). All I can try to do is keep as many of my traditions alive that I can and try to assimilate some of the traditions of my new home. I do, however, draw the line at sprouts. I don't hate them but I will never consider them "celebration food".
Last year I was able to get a pumpkin and carve it for our window and even taught Robbie how to carve one for himself. It was his first time--can you imagine being over 50 and never having carved a pumpkin? But, as I said, I wrote all about this in my post last year so I won't go into it all again. I'm just looking forward to being able to do it again this year. Hopefully tonight when we stop at Asda after my clinic appointment I'll be able to get a couple of pumpkins. I haven't gotten one yet. All the ones I've seen here have all been small like the one she shows first in the video. I've never been able to find a big pumpkin like you usually would get for Halloween back in the US.
Also, must buy candy....just in case... Have fun everyone!!
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| Pumpkin 2009-Decided to go with the vampire theme |
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| Halloween 2009 looking out the front window. |
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| My 2009 pumpkin from the outside of the house |
What I'm trying to say is one of the harder things to adjust to is the difference in holidays. Family and tradition and sometimes national identity are so much a part of how we celebrate special occasions. When that is taken away or different it can really make you feel like an outsider--very alien (and I don't mean from outer space, but then again...). All I can try to do is keep as many of my traditions alive that I can and try to assimilate some of the traditions of my new home. I do, however, draw the line at sprouts. I don't hate them but I will never consider them "celebration food".
Last year I was able to get a pumpkin and carve it for our window and even taught Robbie how to carve one for himself. It was his first time--can you imagine being over 50 and never having carved a pumpkin? But, as I said, I wrote all about this in my post last year so I won't go into it all again. I'm just looking forward to being able to do it again this year. Hopefully tonight when we stop at Asda after my clinic appointment I'll be able to get a couple of pumpkins. I haven't gotten one yet. All the ones I've seen here have all been small like the one she shows first in the video. I've never been able to find a big pumpkin like you usually would get for Halloween back in the US.
Also, must buy candy....just in case... Have fun everyone!!
I understood every word of this. I get candy every year too, just in case...... never happens. they don't have any pumpkins here either, just nobby brown gourds.
ReplyDeleteJanet, we in Australia never had Halloween when I was a child. I think we knew of it from American films, )in particular, Meet Me in St Louis) but it has started to be celebrated here now for the children and this year, I see special pumpkins in the shops. :-)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy it anyway in Scotland!
Cheers,
Brian