JennetteFulda

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
    • Blog
    • Archives
    • Travel and Adventure
    • Weight-Loss Blog Title Generator
  • Books
    • Books
    • Half-Assed: A Weight-loss Memoir
    • Chocolate & Vicodin: My Quest for Relief from the Headache that Wouldn’t Go Away
  • Timeline
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Advertising

October 31, 2012 4 Comments

And they just give us candy?

Jack-o-lanterns

Photo by José Luis Murillo / by NC-ND 2.0 CC

My friend Jennifer had never gone trick-or-treating even though we were both middle-schoolers who were pushing the age at which it’s acceptable to dress up as goblins and demand candy from strangers. Actually, once you put it that way, it’s hard to believe there’s ever an age at which that’s acceptable. Jennifer’s parents did missionary work abroad and they’d never been in the US during Halloween, so I became her guide to a holiday that I hadn’t known wasn’t celebrated everywhere. We dressed up in costumes I can’t remember and trekked through my neighborhood collecting candy.

“So we go up to the door and say ‘Trick or treat?” she asked.

“Yep.”

“And they just give us candy?”

“Yep.”

“Uh, ok.”

When I went trick-or-treating with Jennifer I felt like a native guide showing an anthropologist around my home country. She never said, “What strange customs your have!” But I could tell by her bemused expression that she was probably thinking it. Trick-or-treating was normal to me, but a novelty to her. It was one of the first times that I realized what I thought was normal wasn’t normal for everyone else. My life was not like everyone else’s life. My part of the world was not like everyone else’s part of the world. It’s something most people discover if they travel abroad, like I did many years later and got to marvel at things like prawn sandwiches and Nutella paninis.

It made me realize that so many of our holidays and customs must seem strange and exotic upon first encounter. I guess if you’re around anything long enough it can seem familiar and normal and “just how we do things.” But it’s good to appreciate that it’s not normal for everyone. It’s good to be open to new experiences. Especially experiences that involve free candy.

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • More
  • Print
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Leave a Comment (4) Read more about: candy, costumes, culture, customs, halloween, trick or treat

Jennette Fulda is the author of:

Chocolate & Vicodin: My Quest for Relief from the Headache that Wouldn't Go Away

"Smart, unflinchingly honest, and laugh-out-loud funny."

- Lisa Genova, New York Times best-selling author of Still Alice

  • Amazon
  • Barnes & Noble
  • Powell's
  • Indiebound
You may also like:
  • San Fran-tastic: Day 3
Post navigation
Later: Well, that was a lot of words!
Earlier: The Freelancing Files: Basic coffee shop survival kit
Home: Main blog index

Comments

  1. Sharilyn says

    October 31, 2012 at 8:28 am

    I hope you don’t stop posting regularly now that your 31 days in a row are over. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your great thoughts every day this month. You are truly an articulate and talented writer. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  2. Nikki says

    October 31, 2012 at 6:22 pm

    Yeah it’s a pretty strange tradition, just like that big old guy who comes down the chimney to give presents. My French in-laws scratch their heads at that one!

    I’m in agreement with Sharilyn and hope that you continue to post on a regular basis because you’re a frikken awesome writer.

    Reply
  3. Natalie says

    October 31, 2012 at 7:12 pm

    I live in Australia where we don’t have Halloween, but for the past few years the shops have started pushing for it — decorating with scary stuff and cobwebs, discounting lollies (candy). Last night for the first time a group of about six children, led by a little boy neighbour who I know well whose costume was a carboard box on his head (a robot maybe?) turned up at my door. Of course I didn’t have anything prepared, but luckily I had a secret stash of chocolate frogs to hand out.

    I had to promise my own children (8 & 5) that we would go next year. And gave them the last chocolate frogs. Damn you, Americans!

    Reply
  4. Debby says

    November 2, 2012 at 6:24 pm

    I admit it. I’ve been spoiled by you having a post here everyday. I’m suffering JenFul withdrawal. But I know it’s not easy to write every day, especially when you’re working a lot trying to make a living and there are health issues involved. So I will wait patiently with eagerness for your next post. I’ll try not to drool. 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I wrote some books

Chocolate & Vicodin: My Quest for Relief from the Headache that Wouldn’t Go AwayHalf-Assed: A weight-loss memoir

Follow Me

Jennette Fulda on Facebook

Recent Posts

  • That billionaire brat made me feel bad that Twitter is imploding
  • No one grows old on DVD or CD-ROM
  • Losing more than 100 pounds…again: Part 3 – The Differences
  • Losing more than 100 pounds…again: Part 2 – Losing Weight
  • Losing more than 100 pounds…again: Part 1 – Regaining Weight
440

Travel and Adventure

Weight-Loss Blog Title Generator

Most Popular Posts

  • Two weeks of Blue Apron: Six recipes, one blogger, and not enough bowls.
  • Remind me never to go off my meds again
  • Like the back of my hand
  • The Big Move in Retrospect: Everything good and the bad about moving from Indianapolis to Chapel Hill
  • It’s hard to type when you break your arm
  • My health insurance denial letters. Past or future?
  • Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: Day 1, Getting there is half the fun!
  • Not a picture I’ll be bragging about

Blog Archives

Search

Know thyself, quiz Monday

Jennette Fulda tells stories to the Internet about her life as a smartass, writer, chronic headache sufferer, (former?) weight-loss inspiration, and seemingly nice person (who is silently judging you). You can contact her if you promise to be nice.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for keyboards ruined by coffee spit-takes or forehead wrinkles caused by deep thought.

Follow Me

Blog Archives

Newsletter

One day I might actually e-mail something to my mailing list. If you want to be there for that moment, sign up below.

AS SEEN IN

  • The Washington Post
  • The Today Show
  • The New York Times
  • The Wall Street Journal
  • The Globe and Mail
  • Associated Press
  • Women's Health
  • Glamour
  • Shape Magazine
  • Runner's World
  • Health
  • The Early Show
  • MSNBC
Copyright © 2023 Jennette Fulda • All Rights Reserved • Privacy Policy • Site design by Makeworthy Media