Happy Hallowhich?

So it turns out that the kiwis aren't so big on Halloween. This was immensely disappointing, as it is one of my favorite holidays. They didn't even have proper pumpkins at the grocey store! I should have checked the FUnky Pumpkin produce stand, in retrospect. But, the thing that I was really concerned about was that no one was having a costume party. Not to worry, Dan told me, my friend is having one and everyone is invited. A wave of relief flooded my soul. So on Saturday I walked up to Papanui to check out the goodwill (the Sallie store they call it, for Salvation Army) but my slow start that morning, and my morning I mean afternoon, found me at their door after business hours. So I ambled down the road to the ginormous Northland Mall in hope of wandering through the shops and the Warehouse (the warehouse? Where everyone gets a bargain?) and finding divine inspiration. I found it! I would go as an action figure.
I bought a double-bladed battle ax, matching sunglasses, purple spray in hair colour and a jar with a red top. It all cost me less than $10. Then I walked home with my purchases hooked onto my ax and slung over my shoulder. Hardly anyone stared, sadly. I taped the red jar lid to my chest with duct tape (use #476) so that every time someone asked me what I was I could press it and say a cliche action figure catch phrase or bring my ax down and say "Karate Chop!" This never happened, but the flatmates had fun pushing the button and making me hit things.
When we got to the party they had gone all out with the decorations. There was a graveyard in the front, an old style electrocution in the sitting room, and a smoke machine in the hallway. Phrases from scary movies were hung all over the walls illuminated by novelty lightbulbs in all the fixtures, and there were spooky scarecrow-type people things all over the house. It was totally fantastic, and a bunch of people were dressed up! The hosts were Dr. Doom and Skeletor, there were some great devils and angels and witches and whatnot. Unfortunately they haven't had the years and years of experience with halloween costumes that we've had in the states, so their costume ideas were mostly still in the initiial "gotta be spooky for halloween" stages (not like some people who were at parties on Saturday night) but at least they were giving it a go. As the night wore on everyone started dancing and at some point Skeletor ran into the room and handed me a sparkler. And you can't argue with that. So we danced around the graveyard with sparklers until my taxi came and I went home and watched cartoons with Dan, who'd just gotten back from town. And then we slept. Some of us on the couch, some of us almost in the bean bag chair.
So you may be asking yourself "where are the pictures of this fantastic event?" Well I forgot my camera, but thanks for bringing it up! Jeez, you're so insensitive. I did take some just before going to bed, but I'd lost most of my costume by then, so you'll have to imagine the ax, glasses, and the sign that said "Now with twice as much ax-wielding fun!" Sorry, I'm disappointed, too. Oh well, Happy Halloween!
The next challenge is going to be bringing Thanksgiving to NZ, but first I must experience what this "Guy Fawkes Day" is all about. This Saturday, and don't worry, Greg and I already got fireworks. My sparklers are over 2 feet long.