Halloween is not big where I come from. Over the years, with rampant advertising and corporate entities out to make a buck it has blossomed in NZ. In Japan, where they love anything American, it seems to be taking off too. How do I know this? I met a Zombie walking to work at 8am in the morning on the 31st!
While I am not overly into Halloween, it did make a nice talking point with my English class. I prepared some little origami folded bats and slipped a mini Kit Kat in each one for them. Here’s a video clip on how to fold them. I just used normal paper and drew my own bat face on them but you can print out the special paper from the link.
The kids thought it was a nice little treat.
Halloween night was a treat for me and all Kiwis, as we won and retained the Rugby World Cup. For a rugby crazy nation like NZ it was a big deal!
Photo from Facebook
Japan too is in a rugby frenzy. They did incredibly well this year buy making the top 10. They are hoping to build on this as they are hosting the cup in 2019.
I watched the game with good friends here in Japan. Social media was in full force as friends at home in NZ posted their cheers at every try, their angst when we were penalised, one man down and Australia pegged the score back to within winning range and finally their joy at the final whistle. My sister in the States checked in and friends in England were commenting, all in real time.
What is a game without snacks? We had chippies and good old NZ dip made from reduced cream and Maggi onion soup mix. The Kiwis out there will know exactly what I mean! In the spirit of Halloween we had the aforementioned bats and I made some “pumpkins” as a treat to get us through the game.
I dislike the commercialism of Halloween but I do like the creativity that can occur around the theme. Mustumi of Sakura Junction made some wonderful little ghosts based on a Japanese sweet called a daifuku. My sister is a marvellous cake baker and cook. She made these great severed fingers!
Photo compliments of my talented sister!
With Halloween done and dusted for another year and New Zealand reigning supreme as the Rugby world champs, I raise the cup of Champions (not the Webb Ellis cup, that is well and truly in the All Blacks’ trophy cabinet! ) to you all and say “Go the All Blacks. You are the World Champs and well deserving, Cheers it was a treat to see you in action!”
In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Treat.”
Yoroshiku Onegai shimasu
Leanne
NihongoJapango 
I like the orange-celery pumpkin.
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really simple and good for my friend)s little boy.
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Thanks for the link and congrats for All Blacks’ win! Yes, I do hope Japan would be in Best 8 in 4 years’ time. Your sister’s fingers look too scary to put in mouth. Great work!
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I’m not at all into Halloween, but we did hand out candy. Due to rainy, chilly weather, there weren’t too many trick-or-treaters this year. But we did watch the World Cup game and cheer on the All-Blacks. My husband played rugby for a number of years, so he especially enjoys it. Quite the game!!
janet
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Cheers!!!!!!
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Quite creative 😁 I think it is the commercialisation that gets to me too.
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The other thing I find really weird is the whole trick or treating thing. We spend a lot of time ensuring our little ones stay safe, teaching them about stranger danger and not accepting candy from unknown people and yet the kids are paraded around the streets and sent knocking on stranger’s doors asking for treats?
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Sometimes unguided!
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I’ve always had an issue with that too. Along with the whole Santa thing, where we warn children about getting up close with strangers then put them on “Santa’s” lap for a photo. Not to mention insisting kids tell the truth then feed them a load of porkies about sleighs and trips around the world with bags of presents. Needless to say, Christmas in our house has some different rituals. 🙂
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