Knock knock knock… Trick or Treat!
<silence>
Sorry kids, they’re not over from Vancouver this weekend!

That’s exactly what I thought when we moved here.  Then I learned that everyone goes to the fire hall for Halloween, the kids dress up in costumes, and we all relax by a big fire.  Sure, I’ve got fond memories of sprinting door-to-door on the Canadian prairies, while trying to avoid sliding on black ice when I was a kid.  This version just seems so much more civilized.

Every year, the fire department lights up a bonfire, roasts hot dogs and brews up a big batch of hot chocolate.  The community gets together and has a great time; the kids play, and then they put on a pretty nice fireworks display.  We’re into year 3 of living here, so now we’ve definitely got a wide range of friends in the community, and I’ve moved from being a paranoid city parent, to being a laid-back island parent (it probably has something to do with Rei being in school now too).

I’ve attached a short video from the night.  Some of it is filmed Blair Witch style, so if you’re likely to get motion sickness, might give it a miss (you’ve been warned!)