BajaNomad - Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat

cabo3100 - 10-23-2010 at 10:08 AM

Have not spent Halloween in Baja. Driving down to Lopez Mateos to hang and fish. Should I expect little mexican gremlins knocking at the door. :spingrin:

vandenberg - 10-23-2010 at 11:08 AM

Yes, definitely!!

DENNIS - 10-23-2010 at 11:13 AM

The kids, and their parents say, "Tricky Tricky Halloween" instead of Trick Or Treat.

Some others invariably make it a point to protest that it's a Pagan ritual that undermines their culture.
They don't want to remember that their "culture" included filthy priests pulling still-beating hearts from peoples chests.

woody with a view - 10-23-2010 at 11:25 AM

last year in Asuncion we were mobbed by a roving band of ghosts, gremlins, and other assorted bandititos. you could here them coming, like a tornado minutes before they swarmed the campo. luckily, we brought candy or it might of been ugly...... :saint:

bajabound2005 - 10-23-2010 at 11:36 AM

Halloween seems bigger and bigger every year here!

Bajatripper - 10-23-2010 at 11:55 AM

Don't know anything about what they do in Lopez Mateos on Halloween, but might be able to provide clues from what happens here in La Paz.

Our first couple of years, a wealthy Mexican family invited me to take my costumed-clad daughter over to their place to celebrate. After a piniata, we went to the homes of wealthy Mexicans that our host knew, where the kids were given candy. But it was like, walk one or two blocks, knock on a door, another block or two, another house that participated. Those who participated seemed to be only wealthy people with connections to the US, so they'd become aware of this tradition from there.

In more recent years, we have followed a developing tradition, which is to go downtown, mostly along the malecon, and hit up businesses for candy. While not all businesses participate, the number of those that do seems to be growing with each passing year. But here, the chant isn't "tricky-tricky, Halloween," but rather, "quiero Halloween, quiero Halloween," said in a monotoned voice. Sometimes they get to "dulces o truco, dulces o truco." I do enjoy seeing the growing numbers of costumed children each year.

For adults, on the other hand, a few of the bars have begun hosting costumed affairs on Halloween night. We like to attend the one hosted at Las Varitas, where they have a costumed competition with the winner being decided (after several rounds of competition) by who gets the most cheers from the public.

Based on that assesment, I'd venture a (very) small wager that in Lopez Mateos (unless it has changed a lot since my last visit many years ago), won't have much--if any--of a celebration on Halloween since the American presence was non-existent.

But this, too, could be something I'm wrong about. Just in case, take candy, and if nothing happens, start the tradition yourself. Who knows? If you're successful, perhaps one day we'll see a monument erected to comemorate your contribution to the happiness of local kids.

Either way, please let us know what you find out. Tourism, and its effects on and interactions with local people is something I'm very interested in.

[Edited on 10-23-2010 by Bajatripper]

Bajatripper - 10-23-2010 at 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
They don't want to remember that their "culture" included filthy priests pulling still-beating hearts from peoples chests.

Now, that part of the culture could easily be incorporated into an amalgamation of traditional and contemporary celebrations. They could hold competitions for cleanest cut, most beats outside of the body, etc. etc.

cabo3100 - 10-23-2010 at 12:06 PM

Yeah I could see a bronze statue in the city square of me. Either that or locked up in the city jail for letting off too many bottlerockets at the local cops :rolleyes:

Pescador - 10-24-2010 at 06:45 AM

In San Lucas and San Bruno, which are just south of Santa Rosalia, the kids do this very creative dress up and the costumes are nothing short of fantastic with no store bought junk from China. It is one of my favorite days in Baja and I get to see all the children come out with friends and family and even some of the older "cool dudes" will even put on a costume for sugar. Here they shout Queremos Halloween and the literal interpretation for that is We want Candy. If you have good treats, it is not unheard of for a group to hit your house multiple times and in rather quick succesion. I did find out that it is important to dish out the portions and never will I make the mistake of using a big bowl and letting them take the piece that they want. I almost got mobbed and then I remembered the behavior when the Pinata breaks and realized that this would be pretty much the same deal.

Osprey - 10-24-2010 at 06:55 AM

Somewhere on this board is an old post of mine about "Ten Second Embassadors". I got the idea at Holloween because it seemed to me that many of the kids at our gate each year don't interact with gringos -- and we gringos don't interact much with them all during the year. It's a flash chance to make a lasting impression. Our smiles and holas are all they will know us by and their costumes, manners and demeanor are all we'll take away. It is a very small, very important opportunity for both of us. Viva Mexico!.

mulegemichael - 10-24-2010 at 07:01 AM

we bring around 100 lbs of miniature chocolate bars down each year for halloween and christmas...yeah, crowds of kids and their folks show up at our gates for handouts....beachgirl and i really get into it; this year we're peter pan and tinkerbell..fun stuff!

bajaguy - 10-24-2010 at 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mulegemichael
we bring around 100 lbs of miniature chocolate bars down each year for halloween and christmas...yeah, crowds of kids and their folks show up at our gates for handouts....beachgirl and i really get into it; this year we're peter pan and tinkerbell..fun stuff!

I could have some real fun with this post, but in the spirit of Halloween, I'll pass...........

DENNIS - 10-24-2010 at 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajatripper
Don't know anything about what they do in Lopez Mateos on Halloween, but might be able to provide clues from what happens here in La Paz.

Quite possibly nothing on an official basis. Like I mentioned, there really is a strong contingent of dissenters, who are seemingly nothing more than anti-US, that actively resent the idea of Halloween for it's connection to anti-Christian Witchcraft. They feel it detracts from the focus of their Day Of The Dead.

Jeeeezo, gente....it's a day for the kids. Let them have some freakin' fun. There are plenty of other events taking place in Mexico to relate to The Day Of The Dead.

Another personal observation on the new tradition of Halloween in Mexico....it seems to be most actively celebrated by the lower strata of the middle class. People who don't have a lot. The Tricky-Tricky Halloween ordeal is just as much an event for the chaperones as the kids. In fact, not too many years back, adults would hit the circuit, bag in hand, on their own....day after day. You had to tell them on the third or fourth day that Halloween was over.
Interesting topic.

mulegemichael - 10-24-2010 at 09:27 AM

bajaguy...you could have a lot more fun with my post if you could see my 255 lbs squeezed into a peter pan costume.

Diver - 10-24-2010 at 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mulegemichael
bajaguy...you could have a lot more fun with my post if you could see my 255 lbs squeezed into a peter pan costume.

And here I was thinking you'd be Tinkerbell !! :lol:

Did someone say "grumpy"?

toneart - 10-24-2010 at 03:28 PM

466-boiling-lrg [DVD (NTSC)].jpg - 28kB

cabo3100 - 10-24-2010 at 07:00 PM

You guys are a tuff crowd, almost like when mom said don't eat any apples till I check for razor blades :lol:

[Edited on 10-25-2010 by cabo3100]

sanquintinsince73 - 10-24-2010 at 07:32 PM

I remember a few years ago in TJ it was illegal for adults to wear masks on halloween. Too many trick or treaters were actually crooks robbing stores.

BajaBruno - 10-24-2010 at 11:45 PM

I can't testify to Baja customs, but in Mexico City, for at least the last 20 years (and no doubt much longer) the custom has been to hit up the local houses for treats on the three nights between Halloween and Dia de Muertos. The call is "Me da mi calaverita?", or "Would you give me a little jack-o-lantern?" Lots of cute kids.

Woooosh - 10-25-2010 at 11:11 AM

We get 500-600 kids at our door every year. It's a security nightmare, but we find someone to stand at the door in to hand out the candy after the local kids pass through. The first hundred are the local kids who walk around early (just barely dark) with their parents. They are the ones that count and we've met more families at Halloween than any other time. The next couple hundred are from TJ and pop out of packed vans and pick-ups like clowns at a circus. It is good to see the kids be kids though and we go out of our way to make it happen for them. Some costumes are cute, others non-existent and they really don't get the whole trick or treat thing. No matter- it's their smiles that count and parents are always happy when a stranger is kind to their child. We save the good chocolate for the parents- who appreciate it even more that their kids!

shari - 10-25-2010 at 11:58 AM

When I first moved to Asuncion, there were no trick or treaters at all but lots of dissent and the church was vocal against the idea of mexican kids celebrating halloween...for the record, the church was also against the internet cafe when it opened.

With tv and internet showing kids that halloween can be fun...a few kids would dress up and go to the store or roam around town, but we never had any door to door trick or treaters.

Last year, Lizbet (one of our amigas who cooks for people) organized a halloween kids party in a hall and after the party was over, she brought the whole gang over to Campo Sirena where they had fun hitting up the gringos for candy! So it is growing in popularity although there is still some opposition to it in the smaller villages at least.

Bajatripper - 10-25-2010 at 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
We get 500-600 kids at our door every year. It's a security nightmare, but we find someone to stand at the door in to hand out the candy after the local kids pass through. The first hundred are the local kids who walk around early (just barely dark) with their parents. They are the ones that count and we've met more families at Halloween than any other time. The next couple hundred are from TJ and pop out of packed vans and pick-ups like clowns at a circus. It is good to see the kids be kids though and we go out of our way to make it happen for them. Some costumes are cute, others non-existent and they really don't get the whole trick or treat thing. No matter- it's their smiles that count and parents are always happy when a stranger is kind to their child. We save the good chocolate for the parents- who appreciate it even more that their kids!

Good on you, Wooosh, you make us proud--or at least me. I had no idea that Halloween had become so popular in that neck of the woods. While it's obvious you live within driving distance of TJ, I'm curious where that would be. Is it predominantly an American community?

mcfez - 10-25-2010 at 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cabo3100
Have not spent Halloween in Baja. Driving down to Lopez Mateos to hang and fish. Should I expect little mexican gremlins knocking at the door. :spingrin:

Be warned of this one knocking at your door...

[Edited on 10-26-2010 by mcfez]

dev.jpg - 18kB

Bajatripper - 10-26-2010 at 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mcfez

Be warned of this one knocking at your door...

So that's why you wear that Viking helmet :lol:

irenemm - 10-26-2010 at 03:22 PM

The first year here in 1981. We have 7 trailers in the park. I dressed my kids and took them out to the park. No other kids in town did anything at all. I would run in front of the kids and wrap on the doors and give the candy to the people in the trailers. Told my kids i had to do that because all the people were old and we did not want to scare any on them . We did that for about 3 years until the kids from town like the idea and then it went pretty big and still is to this day. My kids at the time were 3, 5, and 7 maybe about 20 years later one of them said to me. You gave the candy to the people in the trailers. At that time no one was waiting for any trick or treater.

BajaBlanca - 10-26-2010 at 03:49 PM

irenemm - what a beautiful thing to do for your kids !! and they believed you for so long jejeje

not one kid does Halloween here in La Bocana - but I guess we could sure start !! I'd have to talk to our gringo neighbors so we can all be ready ...

woooosh - 500 to 600 is unreal. not even in the States did we ever get so many. golly gosh, hats off to you. Off topic comment - did you feel that the Inic. Mexico was not for real ??? I did NOT. Too staged, altho the projects that won were awesome, it just didnt set right with me.

@all - do you realize how much of an influence we are making when locals begin trick or treating ???? Just incredible ... and I like the idea that those of you who do not have much contact with the kids can break the ice that way.....

[Edited on 10-26-2010 by BajaBlanca]

Woooosh - 10-26-2010 at 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajatripper

Quote:

nah, the American communities would never let them caravan in. We live in downtown central Rosarito. Nice houses, good neighbors, many mixed-nationality households. A few neighbors do whole-house decorations and many bake cupcakes and give out apples. Parents still allow kids to have stuff like that down here. It's great for the kids to still get out one night and have fun. We got caught totally flat footed our first year though- but luckily the "do mischief" part of Halloween hasn't made the migration south yet.