ISSUE 4 OCTOBER 2012
Reflec<ng back on the origins of Halloween, it is s<ll an opportunity to remind ourselves that death is the other side of life. Many churches in America – certainly all of them in my small hometown – embrace the holiday, choosing to see it not as a celebra<on of evil but a reminder that there are two sides of the proverbial “coin”. Poking fun at the modern iconography of devils, witches and ghosts can be affirming and a way of presen<ng a definite non-‐ western approach to death – not that it is to be feared, but that it is simply a part of life.
But beyond all of the delicious and fun aspects, Halloween is a community event.
As a mum myself now, I can see how it was an opportunity for all of the parents and families to come together and share their crea<vity and baking in a collec<ve way. Sure, there was and always will be a sense of wan<ng to slightly outdo each other, but in America we call that kind of compe<<on “healthy” and it always seemed to mo<vate the mothers (and a few dads) to want to make something delicious and lovely to look at (if eyeball cupcakes count as “lovely”) to share with our friends and neighbours. And for the non-‐ professional baking community in the UK, shouldn’t that be worth something to us, in our streets and towns?
This year – for the third year running – I am organising a Halloween party with some of the parents I’ve met through my son’s school. We will hire a hall, organise some spooky/silly games and there will be cakes, decorated by parents and kids alike. We won’t be winning any prizes but we will all be having fun together, and that is what Halloween in America really is all about.
Okay, so maybe it’s a li>le bit about the candy, too...either way, Happy Halloween!
...on the subject of halloween
Tutorial from Glorious Treats >>
...WE LOVE THESE, and so easy to make! 18