When I first moved here from Belgium, Halloween was our first major American holiday. We soon realized that it was a much bigger deal than back home.

I dressed as clown once and some years we might put a scary pumpkin at our door .The best memory I have of Halloween celebrations is when I was 10 years old, and my school made a whole scary game in a forest during the night. 

But for the most part, there was no “trick or treating” or Halloween parties.  The decorations were nothing like the amazing decorations you see here.

Halloween was not a holiday at all for my parent’s generation. My dad says he didn’t think much of it, other than it was the day before his birthday. My mom knows it more as a “sad day when we remembered dead family members.”

Things started to change a bit in Belgium as American culture became more prevalent. Famous American TV shows and movies have helped the celebration spread. It became less a sad day and more of a time when I could bring my own disguise with my friends and drink warm soup with spider meatballs at school.

As Halloween grows in popularity, it’s not nearly as popular or important as the month of February. During Carnival, we have one week off and disguise ourselves. On Feb. 2, we eat pancakes for  La Chandeleur, and on Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, we celebrate Mardi Gras.

The city of Binch in Belgium celebrates Carnival for three days.  The festival brings you back to the 16th centuries with the official clothing, music, and dances. The Gilles, which are the representatives of the Carnival, pass through the streets and throw oranges to spread good luck. I always thought that they looked very scary, but it was a good moment that brought the Belgians together and felt like a trip to the past.

I hope that the ritual “trick or treat” will soon become popular in Belgium because it brings good memories and friendship relation to the children. I only have a few Halloween memories, so I hope that the next generation will be able to celebrate as the Americans do.