Halloween in Dubai?

Yes, even in Dubai we got to celebrate one of my favorite holidays.  It's a fairly new holiday over here and kind of a difficult one to explain to people who have never heard of it or celebrated it.  It's mostly the ex-pats who celebrate because we're here trying to make it like home.  

Few decorations, a small assortment of costumes (you know, the ones in the plastic bag), and absolutely no "halloween candy" in the stores. The usual candy, of course, but not the snack size or fun sizes packaged in orange and black.  I was missing it, but I think my body is better off and the kids don't know any different. In fact, took a tiny Spiderman treat bag he got from a birthday party last week instead of a bigger Halloween bag I gave him.  Once his tiny bag was close to full, he said "I think I have enough, let's go home"  What the?  Is he really my son?

We kicked off the celebrations with a costume day at the preschool.  I wasn't sure how many kids would actually dress up and I was worried that Asher would be a little overdressed and want to take his costume off after an hour or so (especially since I didn't take a change of clothes AND he only had underwear on underneath), but he wore it proudly the entire day.  As soon as preschool was out we went home for a couple hours and then off to Halloween/ birthday party for one of Asher's buddies from church.  

Friday (the next day) was Halloween, but also the sabbath day for us.  

Asher asked if he could wear his costume to church, I said no.  

He then asked if he could at least wear his costume shoes, I again said no.  

He didn't put up a fight, I just thought it was funny that he was so in love with his costume. 

Fortunately for him, I noticed (in the car on the way to church) that he still had his whiskers painted on his face that wasn't washer very well the night before.  He was happy about that and I just let it go. 

We enjoyed Stake conference at the Marriott hotel downtown, followed by naps for the kids while John and I prepared a delicious "Sunday" dinner- crock pot shredded pork (a delicacy for non-muslims living in an Islamic country).

We had a few neighbors join us for dinner trick or treating.

Great weather, great food, great company.  

I did miss the U.S. though and hope to have many more Halloweens there after a few years.  

notable differences:

• while we call it "candy" or "treats" our Australian friends call it  "lollies" and our neighbors (Lebanese, but I think they get it from the British influence) call them "sweeties".  
• One house gave out baggies with homemade popcorn balls, another gave them a bag of chips and another had a bowl of unwrapped gummy candy for the kids to reach in and grab what they wanted--ewe! (maybe like Halloween was in the States 30 years ago?) 
• There were LOTS of teenagers our trick-or-treating and apparently taking handfuls of candy from shy unsuspecting neighbors who are new at this trick-or-treating thing and don't no how to say no or give the teenagers the "aren't you a little old for this?" look.
  
• costumes were simple, cheap and definitely not homemade- more traditional halloween things- witches, ghosts, skeletons or superheros and princesses. 

Someone else was taking the majority of the trick or treating pics.  I only had a couple from the end of the night for the little ones.  Notice the chocolate all over Ivy's face along with her glazed over eyes.  She was tired.