Happy Halloween!

It seems to me that Guatemala really hasn't decided whether or not to celebrate Halloween.

Which is I understand completely, since I also have mixed feelings on the issue.

On the one hand, I support the idea of celebrating Halloween because:

1. It's fun to dress up in costumes... for kids and adults alike.

2. There's lots of candy

3. Certain conservative evangelical fringe groups shriek that Halloween should be banned because it glorifies Satan and witchcraft. (To which I'd like to reply: "BOO!", which is a doubly appropriate response today.)

On the other hand, I oppose the idea of celebrating Halloween because:

1. It's not part of Guatemala's historical culture, but rather a holiday imported from "El Norte".

2. As in the States, it's all geared towards consuming more: buy the costumes, buy the decorations, buy the candy.

3. Most importantly: it runs the risk of overshadowing All Saints Day on November 1st, a profoundly important Guatemalan holiday where families gather in cemeteries to adorn the grave sites and remember loved ones who have passed away.

Families also come together in their homes to eat fiambre - a delicious cold dish containing, well, darn near everything (ham, all sorts of sausages, beets, carrots, lettuce, eggs, chicken, asparagus, onions, sardines, cheese, capers, olives, tongue, pickles, beans, etc. etc. etc.) It's basically a Thanksgiving-style celebration, with all the generations gathered around the dinner table, stuffing themselves silly.

Well... if Guatemala, as a nation, remains undecided about Halloween, then I guess I'll hold off on passing judgment, too. For now, then, let me share with you two photos of my family members who did enjoy their day trick-or-treating back home in New York!

My nephew Andy, dressed as a dapper Dracula

And my niece Sarah, as a sparkly unicorn.

(Cute as they both might be, I should add that neither of them seemed very enthusiastic about my suggestion that they mail some of their Halloween candy to their Uncle Rob in Guatemala.)

Tags: Guatemala, Halloween, Fiambre

Posted by elcanche at October 31, 2005 10:15 PM