"Süßes oder Saures" – it’s All Hallows' Eve (Eve of All Saints)!

I started celebrating Halloween only since I moved to California, in 2005 but, thanks also to my son, I was very soon seduced by the this festival and its historical aim to overcome the most ancient fears of death.

I am fascinated by this ancient tradition, in which the spirits of the departed are celebrated. They are thought to revisit their old homes, stalking in procession through every street, stopping at the front doors lighten with candles, and they are offered goods and candies.

I like the tradition of Trick or Treating ("Süßes oder Saures", literally "sweet or sour", as they say here in Germany), when souling children proceed from house to house singing carols and reciting poems, such that a soul is delivered each time a candy is offered. Of course, I don’t eat any of the treats but I enjoy taking part of it.

Halloween is indisputably one of the most successful celebrations in South Pasadena. 

Thus, when we moved here, I feared that we wouldn’t be able to take part of this traditional festivity any longer. In fact, I learned that Halloween was not popular in Germany prior to the 1990s. The main reason appears to be the opposition of the Lutheran Church, whose tenets were against scary costumes, as well as fear of spirits, ghosts, and the devil. Reformation Day was established on October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg protesting the sale of indulgence.

I still find a bit contradicting the selling of Lutherbonbons, orange candies in wrappers bearing Luther's portrait)… 

But things changed so much in the past years! The festivity was introduced in this country in 1991, when the state cancelled celebrations for the hugely popular Karnival, due to the First Gulf War. 

The German Association for the Toy Industry (Deutscher Verband der Spielwarenindustrie, DVSI) was forced to look for alternatives because the economic losses were huge. But which one?

Apparently the US 435th Transportation Squadron stationed at Rhine-Main Air Base had already started, since 1978, an annual Halloween festivity at the Frankenstein castle, near Darmstadt (the one who is believed to have inspired Mary Shelley's novel). 

The popularity of this event (it is now one of the biggest Halloween festivals in Europe), the need for the Germans to find another festivity to boost their economy and replace their losses together with a campaign promoted by the DVSI, all together helped spread Halloween across Germany. 

Since then, the capital Berlin organizes quite a variety of events for this increasingly popular event: you can experience ghosts and special horror effects in a former air-raid shelter of the Berliner Gruselkabinett, or visit the Berlin Dungeon, watch a selection of horror movies at the Fantasy Filmfest…or just go out in the street and have fun! That’s what we did. 

We live in the Dahlem, a western neighborhood in Berlin, which was part of the American zone during the Cold War and is still known for its American residents. Due to the strong US influence, the popularity of this event is huge here: thousands of children roam the streets, ringing the bell at their neighbors and ask for tricks or treats. Kids and parents dress up as ghosts, wizards and mummified corpses. We decided that we wouldn’t miss the opportunity. Josh invited a couple of American friends: we carved pumpkins and the guys dressed up while waiting for the sundown. 

  

We even had an unexpected visit by some kids, dressed in costumes, who knocked at our door…

Then we went strolling around the neighborhood. The streets were filled with people parading as zombies, vampires, ghosts and monsters. The homes were fully decorated with spooky spider webs, masks and skeletons while pumpkins adorned most of the windows and front porches. Some owners even offered us Glühwein (mulled wine)! Of course, some Germans, manly elderly, reportedly complain of vandalism in association with Halloween "Tricks" (eggs thrown at the windows, fireworks put through the letterboxes), but luckily we haven’t witnessed any of this. It was a spooktacular evening!!!!   

You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave….

Last week we received a letter, formally requesting us to be back to L.A. for some important documents. I’m not going to explain all the details here but the sound of this letter didn’t leave too much room for rejection or dismissal.  We had to go. Let’s just say that booking an international trip with only three days notice was not exactly in our budget plan… In addition, Josh had several quarter tests right before school Fall Vacation week-off, which all needed to be re-scheduled a couple of days in advance (much to his delight…). Fortunately, in the end Josh skipped only two days of school. With just one hand baggage each and an empty checked in suitcase, off we went!

The first impression from the airplane, while flying over L.A., was that of an unrecognizable panorama: the lush vegetation and the thousands of green front yard were gone. Everywhere I looked, plants and gardens were shriveling up and dying. It reminded me of when, as a young child, I landed back home in Jeddah after my Italian summer vacation: a limitless, deserted, dry city. 

Aerial view of Los Angeles

Then, as soon as I was able to identify the plethora of turquoise dots that represent the endless backyard pools, so characteristic of the city, I knew I was most certainly in Los Angeles! 

I understand that, during a historic drought as the one California is experiencing now, having a dead lawn can be seen as a badge of honor. Of course I am against the deeply ingrained habit of of watering environmentally unfriendly plants..such a money-wasting cycle! Nonetheless, this out-of-the-window aerial view of a golden landscape was striking, especially for someone who has spent the past 6 months surrounded by a green forest.

Aerial view of Berlin

As soon as we jumped on our rented car, I was reminded that L.A. has the worst traffic in America anytime of the year, rain or shine. Unpleasant memories are ephemeral; they tend to fade faster, at least for me. So I forgot, as soon as I left, what an appalling ordeal is to drive in L.A., especially during the rush hour. It’s only 30 miles from LAX to South Pasadena…nonetheless; we arrived at our yearned destination after 2 hours!!!! Going by bike would have been more effective… 

Indisputably, after experiencing both Paris and Berlin's metro systems...

 

... I am now more than ever persuaded that in order to resolve the monstrous traffic problem in L.A. (and at the same time reduce the pollution), the L.A. Metro Rail plan has to be carried on and hastened. 

Perhaps, one day, a tourist who lands at the LAX will hop on a metro and check in his Pasadena Hotel after only 20-25 minutes ride, as in Paris or Berlin…Keep dreaming!

We parked at the corner of Josh’s former Middle School is South Pasadena, right in time to see his astonished old mates get out from their class!

Afterwards we went to Etta and Nico’s house and from that moment on, it was all warm hugs, emotional tears, and familiar, passionate laughs with each and every friend we met: Nicky, Christina, Ben, Max, David, Sandra, Will, Isotta, Joern, Oliver, Mimi, Elena, Martino, Nicolo’, Jill, Paloma, Beck, Coco, Ubli, Abigail, Charlie, Simon, Fred, Giulia…It was a week filled with play dates, dinner, lunches, attractions and relax time. I felt blessed that so many dear friends made time to meet with us, even just for a couple of precious hours. 

 

 

During the weekend Giuseppe was able to join us for a short time. He arrived just in time to attend, completely jetlagged, Josh’s ceremony. Now I am married to an American and I have an American son. Hard to tell my feelings…

Before he flew back to Berlin, we went shopping in Santa Monica as customary tourists: I had several colleagues in Berlin asking me to bring them back items which are not easily found in Germany. 

 

In addition, we did something I believe only tourists actually do: we ate at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co and we took a roller coaster ride on the Santa Monica Pier ! It’s never too late…

Needless to say, when we were packing our suitcases to fly back home, my son began his unrelenting whine. It’s still hard for him to consider Berlin as “home”. As my dear friend Etta told me, “You can checkout any time you like, but you can never leave…” It’s true. I’ve been in California only 9 years, I still speak with a strong Italian accent, I make several grammar mistakes and I still cook mostly Italian food…but it’s hard for me to think of “home” without immediately picturing South Pasadena….