My Salem Halloween: Wickedly awesome!

MANILA, Philippines - Want to talk about a real Halloween blast? Take it from me, there’s a place in New England where it’s at its best and scariest.

The sights and sounds of Halloween night in Salem, Massachusetts are incomparable to other Oct. 31 celebrations elsewhere. People from all over the US flock to this small city just to experience one night of excitement and enchantment courtesy of the “weirdest,” “most outlandish” costumed creatures on earth — complete with vampires, ghosts and most especially, witches — real and otherwise.

The concept of celebrating Halloween on the eve of All Saints’ Day is known throughout the world, long before the involvement of children with their Halloween costumes, candy and makeup. Here, grownups join their children in the fun, wearing their own unique costumes; guiding their children to their neighbors’ homes for tricks and treats. But what makes Halloween a lot more fun and exciting is actually going to the city where Halloween is celebrated as if it’s New Year’s Eve. Only 15 minutes away from Boston, Salem has become more than a “witch city” (it’s known for the Salem Witch Trials, among other spooky occurrences). It actually thrives as a tourist site as well.

Not only is Salem the place to be during the Halloween season but the city itself has a history distinct from its neighboring cities — from its magnificent landmarks to its iconic people.

One of the things I learned is that Salem has its very own literary star, Nathaniel Hawthorne, whose novels include The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables. Also, one of the premier presidents of the United States, John Adams, stayed in the famous Salem Hotel. Famous General Electric CEO Jack Welch also hails from Salem. He is known for handing pit college scholarships to future college students across the US. 

But the historical places and figures are overshadowed by the celebration that takes place in Salem on Oct. 31 each year. Throughout the city, Halloween is the event that showcases Salem’s true creativity and spirit.

Except for some posh villages in the Philippine metropolis, Halloween never seemed like a delightful festivity, due to the elaborate preparation and effort of putting on costumes for one night. There was little motivation among my peers to dress up and celebrate the night. In addition, Filipinos are relatively conservative. For me, the typical celebration of Halloween was driving down to our hometown Alaminos City, Pangasinan to visit the graves of our deceased ancestors and relatives.

But when I moved to Salem to attend high school, Halloween fun became part of my life. My first encounter with Halloween fever was in 2002 when my Mother, Rhodora, encouraged me to join my god-brother Joseph to buy my first Halloween costume, or should I say “accessory.” I bought a scary mask, inspired by the movie Scream. The mask was white with a black veil. 

Also, I bought a pre-carved pumpkin to show my Halloween spirit. I placed the pumpkin on our porch, even though our “front porch” was located behind the house. As the night crept in, my mom, Tita Ellen, Joseph, and Joseph’s younger brother, Richard, and I headed downtown to experience the “real” Halloween parade.

Walking through the crowd was ideal instead of driving — which would take hours — considering the influx of revelers coming in from different cities and states just to witness and participate in a night of fun.

To make things a little harder and more challenging was the weather. Walking in the city — with the late-October wind chill factor — can be unbearable. But it was worth the pursuit, lest my $10 mask go to waste.

Things begin to get warmer as the fun began. Passing by all kinds of costumed people and decorated houses dissipated the cold feeling. It energized me to roam around and look at all the sights and experience Salem’s Halloween night. I felt liberated, exposed to a whole new level of celebration and culture while I walked down the main streets of Salem.

Back home in the Philippines, while people were struggling to find their loved ones’ graves — candles being lit up on tombstones; enduring the blazing hot, sunny day of the Undas — I was having the time of my life in Salem, what with all the sights and sounds, hanging out with my high school classmates and friends and watching performers, while enjoying a cup of hot chocolate with a plate of fried dough.

From 2002 to 2007, I witnessed Salem Halloween celebrations that were amazing and astonishing. Despite the time, weather and efforts of walking, I came to understand why Americans like to celebrate Halloween. Although I grew up as a Filipino, being exposed to American culture showed me how Halloween can have its utmost expression on one special night. The more revealing or creative a costume is, the better.

The more affluent Filipino families exposed to this American tradition and who live in exclusive villages may be the only ones who celebrate Halloween, American-style. They are the few who are committed to making and designing elaborate costumes.

Others prefer to use the opportunity to travel back to their respective provinces to remember and pay respects to their loved ones — a Filipino tradition unparalleled by any alternative means of celebrating Undas.

All in all, Halloween has a very special place in my heart. I may have enjoyed it a bit later than expected, but it taught me a lesson of choice and how to add fun to it.

My Halloweens in Salem made me appreciate and love my hometown for our exceptional way of celebrating this extravagant event. With the love and respect that the people of Salem have showed over the years for the visiting tourists, I, too, became inspired and more open. I have told Filipino friends Halloween stories and shared my own insights of how fun and exciting it is to celebrate Halloween.

 My Halloweens in Salem were not only about the tricks or treats, eccentric costumes or the food that I ate, but about the fun-filled memories I shared with my friends and family throughout the course of my life in Salem. I grew up in the Philippines, but I became a kid in Salem during my Halloweens, and as the saying goes in New England: “It’s wicked good!”

* * *

Jaime T. Campos is a freshman UST AB Journalism student.