Shemaine Bushnell Kyriakides
Cyprus, the sunny island in the Mediterranean, is gradually warming up to the enchanting and downright eccentric world of Halloween. While it may not yet be a nationwide tradition, Cypriots are eager to embrace the spooky, kooky magic of the holiday.
As the land of Aphrodite and ancient myths, Cyprus is weaving its own spell of mystery into the Halloween celebrations. The beaches have become battlegrounds for Poseidon's minions, who are having sandcastle skirmishes, while witches are swapping broomsticks for paddleboards, conjuring a new kind of magic on the waves.
Trick-or-treating, though not yet a firmly established tradition, is gaining momentum faster than a witch on a sugar rush. Children dressed as mummies and mini-monsters venture out into the neighborhood, knocking on doors in search of treats and sometimes tricks. Homeowners, some still figuring out the ropes of Halloween, are delighted to hand out sweets, and occasionally, they mistakenly give away their garden tools to mini-zombies. The local kitties, meanwhile, are perplexed by the mini-zombies and superheroes invading their turf, wondering if this is some elaborate catnip-fueled hallucination.
But let's not forget the history of Halloween. It all started with the Celts and their festival of Samhain, when the world between the living and the dead grew thin, and everyone gathered for a spooktacular soirée. They were the original Halloween party planners, and they'd be proud to see how their fiendishly fun celebration has spread worldwide. Fast forward to modern times, and Halloween has become an international sensation, inspiring Cypriots to join the global costume party, and their costumes are on point, from mummies wrapped in beach towels to mini-monsters with inflatable floaties.
And for those not much into Halloween, there's All Souls Day, celebrated in many Latin American countries, where people visit cemeteries and feast with their dead loved ones. It's a day to honor our relatives, chat with ghosts over a cup of tea, and connect with the past. A multifaceted October 31st in Cyprus, where laughter, whimsy, and heartfelt remembrance intertwine, creating an atmosphere that's spooktacular, quirky, and as they say here, "Καλή Πνοή" (Happy Haunting)!
