Basel is one, we've got a good crowd, carnival rides and whatnot. It's not the same, but it does me alright. Some of the pubs have costume parties and such and no one really bats an eye at dressing up AT the festival, so you could dress up if you'd like.
Another way you may be able to fulfill some Halloween spirit is if you visit any of the towns which will be having the fall festivals (Herbstmesse).
I was speaking with a Swiss friend yesterday about Halloween and she surprised me by saying there are plenty of trick or treaters here (Zug) and it isn't just expats. She thinks it is the larger stores trying to find another commercial outlet for selling stuff, and doesn't really like it. She feels it is a fine tradition in the country where it belongs. I am a big fan of Halloween in the US but was hoping to avoid it here. I know we won't have any kids at our door in our building but I still have to deal with the kids' desire for a costume.
At least the candy is better here than in the US, there it is just Mars and Hershey and you don't see the cool stuff anymore like wax lips and skeletons in a coffin, mary janes and bit o honeys.
Halloween has no tradition in Switzerland, and is a fairly recent import. In Zürich (city and suburbia) Halloween was picked up by many teachers, after the authorities stopped the Schul-Sylvester. The advantage of Halloween was that activities were shifted into the evening when many adults are around on the road, and spread over more than one evening.
People who see your deco will not believe you are crazy but that you apparently are one of those strange Anglos. Schaffhausen is conservative but very liberal at the same time. So that you should make decorations outside your window(s) to the road and on the outside of your apartment door. People then will ask you. Most of all, children will become curious !
Schaffhausen, where MakeUpArtist lives, is predominantly PROTESTANT, but the famous museum of Schaffhausen is
Actually, that is exactly what it is.
You need to research the subject a bit better.
Tom
Is it not just a little bit too early for the decoration?
Last year just a few kids from my son's kidergarten came to my flat. I think they only visited the people they know. This year my son wants to do it, so I hope they will do it again!
We put up Harvey the skeleton at the front door and of course a Jack-o-Lantern as well as bats and other things and we always have kids coming for trick-or-treating. And the kindergarten in the village (or playgroup or whatever it is) has the most extraordinary decoration for Halloween, spiderwebs, bats, really nice. So it really depends on where you live, I guess.
Bars and clubs in Zurich often hold Halloween themed parties. But 'trick or treating' seems fairly unusual.
I like your decorations!
thanks!!!
Check out your url...
.org . uk
Doesn't really change what I said.
The pranks and newspaper articles regarding them in your link also appear to all have happened in the 30s - not exactly current, eh?
Yep, I do remember when we lived in Texas, some of the houses got "tp'd" but that was kids who were generally NOT seeking candy - the door knockers generally tend to be 12yo and younger, and the pranksters tended to be older teens. Of course, when we lived there, it was not on a military installation, nothing like that happened on base (when you know everyone's dad is trained to kill for a living, you don't tend trouble the neighbors much).
Our trip to Lidl was successful this weekend. We were able to purchase a beautiful pumpkin for carving and will do this with our little guy in our new village. I've been told by the people here that they don't celebrate halloween at all. But who knows, maybe once we do, it will catch on
I don't know if anybody is doing this in Switzerland, but I think this is a good alternative for those who want to celebrate Halloween differently than dressing up in costume or giving candy to children:
P.S. Keep in mind that there are plenty of scary books written in German, French, or Italian---it does NOT have to be an English language book!
Definitely not too early, in the States we have holiday decoration up for weeks before the actual event and Halloween is a mere two weeks away. It would also be a pity to put it up for one night and take everything down the next day.
On 6th December is "Samichlaus-Tag" and people will make their decorations for that shortly. And on 7th December start with Christmas
Even i came from Budha country we also celebrate Halloween and some pubs or shopping mall decorate for Halooween a week before the event coming .. well this is my first year in CH and i m still looking for a Halloween party around ,Hope will find it
Here some Halloween events in Zürich plus 100kms around
Saw "Halloween pumpkins" on sale at COOP and got carried away.
Cheesey, nice pumpkin
Just had a bunch of Swiss children ring my bell, 1855 hours. Quickly grabbed few hands of mixed wrapped chocolate sweets and ran down to the door. 5 or 6 of them, making a grab and had carrier bags to put them in. Not sure what they were saying to me, remembered this post and the date.
the main thing I picked up from this Thread is that many visit the graves tomorrow, so understand why those candles are for sale everywhere.
thanks
I drove by the town hall after 6/6:15ish and they had kids in costumes with baskets/bags heading in. Don't know what they'll be doing there* or if they will come out to the neighbors.
But I did get some candy. So that means no one will come by.
*One can only hope. (just joking!)
In France, the majority of French people visit family graves and put flowers on them for La Toussaint (all Saints day). A HUGE earner for garden centre and flower-shops - mainly chrysanthemums and those awful fluorescent coloured heathers (yuk).