But it is also the time for little kids to go trick or treating and eat too much goodies all in one go as if there is no tomorrow, while the big kids at heart let loose with their silly-fun pranks. It is a time for mischief and misrule.
At dusk, I walked around the gated area of Bauhinia Drive and noticed the eerily decorated driveways of homes and its gardens with graveyards, spider webs, friendly ghosts and scarecrows. How could you forget the jack-o-lanterns? There were candles all over the street. The atmosphere was spooky. I could not stay any longer for more of the skin-crawling sensation. I even imagined some cold fingers tingle on my neck.
On my walk back home, I encountered, out of nowhere, the very first of the many groups of we’re-not-afraid-of-the-dark children all dressed up in costumes from ballerinas and fairies to Count Dracula and Frankenstein in their merry way, ready to scrounge for candies and cookies, chocolates and lollipops, ice cream and fruit juices and tiny little toys, hoping for bagsful of treasures.
I had to catch up with a group of friends to relive our own fantasies by trooping to the annual Halloween costume ball at the Cebu Country Club to join other fun-loving members and their guests.
While the night was still young and just to spark everyone into the right mood, raffle prizes were drawn. Among the lucky winners were jolly buddy Tintoy Perdices, top neuro-surgeon Ben Aldana, sportsman Rene Sarmiento, president of Ford Cebu Maxcy Borromeo and tradesman Joe Suaco.
High-spirited Alma Garcia, who came as La cochinilla, won the most Halloween-inspired award, while globetrotter Bob Rudeski, in his personal interpretation of Kahalua, was voted as the most original.
Artists John and Joey Groark, as Romeo and Juliet at age 6o, were adjudged the most Halloween couple. Good-natured Dominic Garcia and golf pro Carl Almario as Commander Robot and Osama bin Laden, respectively, bagged the prize for most original couple.
In the group category, the "Thriller" Mummies, composed of Vicky Moraza, Rogie Borromeo, Maite and Jovy Unchuan, Chris and Kathy Darza and Carla Alegrado, won hands down as the most original.
The Metamorphosis, who performed a brief magical ritual that captivated everyone’s attention was chosen as the most Halloween group. They were John and Eileen Domingo, Ed and Therese Gonzalez, Tony and Grace Lozada, Dennis and Lourdes Parker, and this author with husband Glenn Loop.
Workaholic Cebu Country Club manager Carmen Borja was all smiles during the revelry yet in full control of the festivities. Somehow, someone had to remain sane that night, and she had her two feet on the ground.