The Ghost of Halloween’s Past

October 31, 2006 · Filed Under Uncategorized 

Officially in Germany, today is Reformation Day (as in Martin Luther), but for me it’s good ole Halloween. I was all prepared. I had a nice carved pumpkin and a boatload of goodies, and not one trick-or-treater stopped by. This was not for lack of trick-or-treaters in the neighborhood, I took Charlie out at one point and they were swarming over the neighboring houses. So what’s so unfriendly about my door? Rainer says the parents here probably only bring their kids to houses of people they are friends with. Normally I would consider Germans to be much less fearful than Americans, but this seems not to be the case on All Hallows Eve. Although, it could also be because Halloween is just catching on in Germany and they aren’t sure who’s gonna know why little kids are in costume and ringing their bell, but I’d think the jack-o-lantern would help out here.

Do American parents still just turn kids loose to wreck havoc in the neighborhood? Ah, blissful childhood reminiscences. I remember one year the cool kids actually invited me along to TP a classmates house (with the misfortune to be named Justin Wimpey). But Justin was hiding in the bushes with the water hose, so it didn’t work out. Then I was berated by the cool kids for dropping the toilet paper as we were running for our lives. Ach! Stupid me! We could’ve TPed another house! Needless to say, that was the last time they invited me along!


Here I am as Tweety-bird with my grandma and dad. I think this was the first Halloween that I got to go trick-or-treating. I remember getting homemade candied apples and cupcakes from the neighbors. Ah, the good old times. Soon thereafter, people got freaked out about someone putting razor blades in Halloween treats, so we didn’t get homemade goodies anymore.


With the upcoming heated presidential election between Bush, Perot and Clinton, my friends and I decided to dress up as the candidates, their wives and the secret service for Halloween 1992. That’s me as Clinton on the right. My little bro Christian is the trench coat wearing agent in the front, Vicky’s little brother is the other secret service agent. Vicky is back center playing Bush and Brian Nenninger is between us dressed as Perot.


And this was from the Duke ISDS Halloween Party 1999 where I went as a Bond Girl (I may not be skimpily dressed, but I had a lot of armaments). Next to me in the pic is Sining Chen, who’s now a professor at Johns Hopkins!

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Comments

4 Responses to “The Ghost of Halloween’s Past”

  1. Grafs on November 2nd, 2006 12:19 am

    I stocked up on at least 9 tons of candy and had only 16 kids show up. I guess I’ll have to eat it myself :)

  2. Christina on November 2nd, 2006 9:30 am

    Yeah, we’re slowly making our way through our stockpile as well. :-)

  3. Vicky on November 8th, 2006 3:24 pm

    WHOA! I did not know pictures of our Bush-Clinton-Perot Halloween existed.

    When I first saw the picture, I noted the sweaters “Hilary” was wearing and I thought, “Hey, I have sweater.” Then I took a closer look and realized that was my exact sweater.

    I still have that sweater and wear it. Is that weird?

  4. Christina on November 8th, 2006 5:20 pm

    Then I believe I must have the only photo of the event! And it’s not weird. I still wear the stupid graduation T-shirt we got (the green one with the trees and path on the back), it’s a very comfy sleep-T.

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