(essay)

“Candy or life! Treat or trick!” is the slogan of the mystical night against November 1. To Americans, this sounds almost like Mary Christmas, and it doesn’t matter that Christmas is the complete spiritual opposite of the most mystical holiday, Halloween. Yeah! HALLOWEEN!

A little history. The first night of November summons to earth the spirits of all the dead. It is a time of horror and mysticism, evil and death. That’s the end of the story. At least for me.

In my mind, most Ukrainians know about this holiday only through cafes and supermarkets decorated with dark cobwebs and orange pumpkins, through TV shows, news, and social networks, etc. I bet that out of hundreds of passers-by on Khreshchatyk, two know the full essence of Halloween. All because Halloween is a purely American holiday of death and evil. The mentality, culture, and traditions of Ukrainians are absolutely contrary to all the rules and symbols of this holiday.

So, the logical chain of my beliefs leads us to the conclusion that “Halloween” should not take root in Ukraine at all. However, the holiday exists, Ukrainians still decorate their homes, cafes and supermarkets. Costume parties are organized. The web is starting to sag a little from such an insane number of photos in witch hats and with spiders on their cheeks.

In my opinion, Ukraine perceives Halloween as something unusual, bizarre and unlike anything else. After all, this is really neither “Shchedryk Shchedrivochka” for the beginning of March, nor Easter in May and not even the New Year. Although not all these holidays are purely Ukrainian, they are ours, native and familiar. Halloween is another occasion for young people to throw a party and hang out, an occasion for adults to organize a cool corporate party with their team, an occasion for kids to paint faces, dress in something unusual and not be afraid of everything that happens around.

This holiday is an opportunity for Ukrainians to step out of their comfort zone and try something new. Despite the fact that Halloween has existed for many years both in the world and in Ukraine, every year at least one person will try to celebrate this night for the first time.

Maybe one day my Instagram will get a photo of me with a spider on my cheek. But unfortunately, or fortunately, not this year.

Terrible / Happy Halloween!