Halloween à la Française

Once upon a time, there was no Halloween in France. People didn't know what fun it was for kids to dress up and scare each other or have costume parties with lots of bonbons. Witches, mummies and not even Dracula were invited. For most people, Halloween was just an ancient Irish or Celtic celebration.

But that's all changed. It's been a couple of years since the fête really caught on here, and now it seems to be here to stay. Just look around town, and you can easily find a party to suit your taste so you can suit up in your favorite costume. French school kids are especially enthusiastic, dressing up for school parties and having their pictures taken. Adults will be out dancing as nightclubs hold special events and costume contests.

Just a few years ago, French friends of mine didn't have even a remote idea of how big Halloween is American style. I felt a bit like an anthropologist as I explained what fun children have dressing up and scaring each other and how college students and adults hold parties and costume contests. Explanations were met with blank stares and expressions of disbelief. The decorations I had brought from home were handled with caution as if the big plastic spider might actually bite. Sure, they could get into the costumes and parties at nightclubs, but for the French, the idea of ghosts and goblins was just a little too un-French.

It is now mid October, 2001 and the familiar orange and black is everywhere; witches hats, cardboard pumpkin faces and green severed hands emerging from candy bowls decorate local shops. Pedestrians stop to admire some of the more artistically decorated displays. Kids dress up as vampires and mummies and a local photography store is promoting a Halloween make-up and photography session for those who want to keep a souvenir of their escapades. Disneyland Paris, of course, has had a hand in popularizing Halloween. They feature a haunted house and an assortment of special events and spooky characters from October 1st until November 4th. http://www.disneylandparis.com/

What to do for Halloween? Nightclubs from Paris to Rennes to Grenoble to Strasbourg are planning some special events this month, and some will certainly rival the extravagances of Mardi Gras. October 30 from 10 PM till dawn, the Zénith in Paris hosts its Third Annual Halloween Techno Party with DJ's, acrobats, fire-eaters, jugglers and dancers. The place will be transformed with spider webs, masks, and pumpkins. At the entrances, there will be makeup stands and a selection of party favors and gadgets for everyone to create an unforgettable ambiance. Le Queen, the number one Gay nightclub in Paris, is offering a prize of 5000 francs for the best costume.

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