The people of Nice, France, I think it's safe to say, are not big on Halloween. It's definitely one American tradition I'm missing while living on the French Riviera.
Life on the French Riviera is grand, there's no doubt about it. Currently, the sun is shining, it's about 70 degrees outside and life couldn't be better. With one exception. It's Halloween and yet there's not a pumpkin in sight. With the exception of a notation on my calendar and the indelible memory of Halloweens past engraved into my brain, it's like any other day in late October.
Yes, I think it's safe to say that in Nice, France Halloween is not a big deal. Sure, there will be a few people dressed up tonight. Some of the bars will be decorated and the staffs dressed up. But on the whole, it just isn't celebrated like it is in the United States.
Last year, my friend and I dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the East and the Wicked Witch of the West. It was great fun, despite the fact that we were just about the only people in Nice dressed up. I'm sad to say that a lot of people looked at us like we'd lost our mind, seemingly oblivious to what my friend and I consider the best holiday.
The French do, however, recognize Nov. 1 as a holiday: All Saints Day. A lot of people have tomorrow off, which is the main reason the bars will be packed tonight ... not in celebration of Halloween.
My friend's at home a surely scrambling around making final preparations for their Halloween bashes - some of which have become quite extravagant over the years. Haunted houses, people dressed up to the point of being completely unrecognizable, jack-o-lanterns and more. A few years ago, I dressed up as Courtney Love and had an absolute ball serving as the bartender at a friend's party.
Maybe next year I'll have to introduce my European friends to the American way of celebrating the holiday. Of course, I don't want to scare them.
