a malaysian abroad

Another World Blog Surf Day is here! The first was about life as an expat in general, and the second about food.  This time around it’s about holidays & celebrations: What is your favorite ~new~ holiday and how is it celebrated?

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When I first heard of Halloween being referred to as a holiday, I thought “That’s not right! Holidays are official days off, and you don’t get a day off for Halloween…”  Of course, that was back in the early 90s, I was still a teenager then, had been just slightly over a year in the US, and was still unused to having my mind expanded.

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Just like everything else here in the USA, Halloween is a ‘holy day’ that hasn’t escaped the crass commercialism that haunts the land.  I don’t remember when Halloween decorations started going up in stores this year, but I do remember thinking “It’s too early!!! Halloween is months away!”.

Halloween has its roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints.  On All Saint’s Eve, also known as All Hallow’s Eve, the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is very thin indeed; disguising yourself as a creature from the other side would help you not fall prey to harmful creatures that might have crossed over during this time.

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Since it occurs during the time of autumn harvest, Halloween shares with October (and November) icons such as pumpkins, corn and apples.

To many people, Halloween is just a day to play dress-up, where license is granted to be someone you’re not (or someone you long to be) if for just one night.

To most children, Halloween is a day for dressing up in order to get loads of candy.

To others, Halloween is the devil’s holiday, and they refuse to participate in any way except to hold prayer sessions.

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But what is Halloween to me? (more…)

I just found out that today is Mole Day!  *giggle!*  It is marked between 6:02 am and 6:02 pm on October 23rd by a specific group of mainly North Americans.  Who are they, and what do you think this day celebrates? (don’t Google it, just play along, k? I’ve given some hints already!)

… Mole as in the blind burrowing animal?

… or as in the Golden or Marsupial not-really-moles?

Or perhaps it’s celebrating the SI unit used in chemistry for the amount of a substance?

Perhaps it’s a celebration for all who have raised areas of skin usually with a darker pigmentation?

Or do architects have a day to celebrate a pier, jetty, breakwater, or junction between places separated by water?

Perhaps various governments celebrate the success of their spies in infiltrating enemy governments or organizations?

Or could it be a celebration of the variety of Mexican sauces, where the well-known guacamole is just one of many types of moles?

What do you think? (Answer after the break!) (more…)