I grew up in Canada where, as a kid, Halloween was a very big deal.  As soon as the school supplies were cleared out, Halloween items were quickly appearing on the shelves.

The entire month of October was abuzz with preparation and anticipation of many children’s favourite holiday.

“What are you being for Halloween?” could be heard echoing through the hallways of every school across the country.  Costumes were planned, trick or treating routes were prepared and children were fluttering with excitement and anticipation of all the candy that would be coming their way.

Bag upon bag of Halloween candy, intended for trick or treaters would be replaced in our house because my brothers and I would want to try ‘just one’.

My love for Halloween continued beyond my childhood because I became a teacher.  I got to live vicariously though my young students and see Halloween through their eyes year after year.

Now with children of my own that are old enough for trick or treating, I can’t help but feel like they’re missing out on a tradition that isn’t really celebrated where we live.

When we arrived in France I was told flat out that the French don’t celebrate Halloween.  It’s just not part of their culture.  I accepted this and took it to be true as there wasn’t a bag of Halloween candy lining a single shelf of my grocery store in Paris.

Imagine the shock, and panic I was faced with when I heard a knock on my door and two somewhat costumed teenagers stood in front of me holding open bags, waiting for candy.  Those poor trailblazing Parisian trick or treaters ended up with a granola bar and a pack of gum each.  I was horrified to think that I may have missed the memo, but it turns out that these two kids were just ahead of their time; bringing the tradition of Halloween to a country that didn’t yet know they were arriving.

Having said that, Paris is a multicultural, expat hub, and it does have things to do for kids that come from Halloween culture; if you know where to look.  The American Library in Paris has a Halloween party and organizes trick or treating for tiny ghouls and goblins, Disneyland Paris has got on board with a Halloween theme for the month of October and some International Schools celebrate the holiday as well; although Halloween does fall on les vacances in France, so there is no school for two weeks, and Halloween falls during this time.

We’ve spent the last few years in Southern France making our own fun.  Foreigners from Halloween celebrating countries across the globe gather together in celebration, after having ordered costumes online, brought them back on their last trip home, or just get creative on their own.  We have parties for the kids, and often get dressed up ourselves.  We pool together the few Halloween decorations we each have, and it’s enough to make our own special Halloween, even if it isn’t on the same scale as it would be back home.

My kids don’t feel like they’re missing out, because they were born in France and don’t know what a North American Halloween actually looks like.  They’ve never seen kids in costumes taking over the streets.  Houses with glowing doorsteps from the light of jack-o-lanterns isn’t something they know, and collecting enough candy to keep them on a sugar high until October 31st rolls around again next year is beyond their imagination!

But wait!  Five Halloweens later, things have slowly started to change in France.  Let me stress slowly.

A week or two before Halloween, you’ll start to see a few things set up in stores.  Not every store, and not a lot of things.  But after 5 years of seeing nothing, it’s very exciting for those of us that have been missing this fun holiday.  Sandwiched between the garden supplies and children’s toys in a store similar to North America’s Walmart, there’s a small section with a few masks and witches hats.  This seems to be as good as it gets in these parts.

Stroll on a few aisles further and you’ll find the Halloween candy section.  It consists of a few baskets holding bags of what I would call “5 cent candies”.  You know, the kind you get at the corner store.  These bags will get opened and passed out to kids….that’s right, you can gasp now…UNWRAPPED CANDY!!!!

Last year we were invited by the parent committee of our local school, to participate in an organized trick or treating for kids in the village.

Some of the neighbours knew about it and some, much to their wonder and surprise, did not.  One thing was sure: Everyone loved it!  The children gathered in the school yard and set off, parade style into the neighbourhood chanting, “On veut des bonbons! On veut des bonbons!” (We want candy) It’s not the most polite thing I’ve ever heard, but I’ve checked around and this is what French kids seem to say in place of ‘trick or treat’.

The houses that knew the kids would be coming were waiting with candy in hand, and then suddenly were bombarded with all the kids at once.  The houses that hadn’t noticed the flyer in their mailbox, informing them of these happenings where clearly surprised, but the excitement of the children was contagious and elderly French ladies with no clue of what this ‘Halloween’ event was, came running out to the street with boxes of cookies and tins of mints; whatever they could get their hands on; just as I did that first Halloween in Paris.

The Boulangerie even took part by making ghost shaped meringues for each child.  The Canadian in me, had the ‘unwrapped candy!?!’ moment, but it was a fleeting thought, because this is the South of France and things are pretty relaxed around here!
My daughter had the time of her life.  Running through the streets, wearing a costume, demanding candy….and people actually gave it to her!  She didn’t care if there were no jack-o-lanterns and there were only 20 kids trick or treating, opposed to the 200 running through her cousin’s suburban neighborhood in Canada.  She still had genuine fun; plain and simple.

Halloween in France may just be beginning, but this low-key Halloween is the best I can offer my children right now.  Seeing how happy they are with the simplest version of Halloween is a good reminder that sometimes it’s okay to not be over the top with everything we do.  The bar for Halloween is set pretty low for my kids, which means one day when we’re in Canada on October 31st their little minds will be blown.  Until then, I’ll find satisfaction in French Halloween knowing how much better off my waist line will be by not consuming 72 mini chocolate bars in 24 hours!