Couldn’t resist this parting Chengdu entry as I am about ready to head off to Luzhou.
After an early morning swim at 6:30 a.m., I hightailed it back to my area for a Walmart stop-in. Butter was needed, the last thing on my list.
Imagine my surprise to find one section, once filled with Mid-Autumn mooncakes, now completely stocked with Halloween items.
Halloween has never been a well-known celebration in China until just recently, within the past 10 years. Hard to find such items in small Luzhou but they do appear from time to time. The capital city, Chengdu, is s different story.
The area I stay in happens to be just a few blocks from the US Consulate, which has a huge American staff that includes lots of US families as well. With the Walmart a mere 5-minutes’ walk from the Consulate entrance, Walmart here stocks up on all the Halloween favorites that every American child would love.
The Chinese likewise buy items for their kids who attend weekend English language schools. These schools are popping up all over China, in every city, and charge quite a bit to have kids attend their Sat. and Sunday programs. The children learn English in a fun environment that includes birthday parties and other “foreigner” celebrations, such as Christmas and Halloween.
I imagine that the Walmart’s Halloween offerings will be gone close to October 31. Of course, I couldn’t resist adding to my already plentiful Halloween culture box for my upcoming Halloween lessons. I purchased some trick-or-treat containers and a couple new witches’ hats as well as pumpkin puppets. These should come in handy for the English Association’s Halloween Party the end of the month.
After that, I’ll be starting on Thanksgiving along with digging into my butter stash for holiday baking.
Hard to believe it’ll be time to deck the halls before long.
Time to load all my things into the taxi. How did I ever manage to buy so much stuff??!!
connie's space 
Gosh, your Walmart pics look just like the items at our local small KS one. Know the students will enjoy your goodies and festivities! We are celebrating this year because a “teal” pumpkin (allergy alert) won’t be necessary for our granddaughter, Addie, she’s been cleared free from allergy to eggs and peanuts!!!!! Eggs were never an issue for Vic, Beth really missed them… the 1st nite for dinner they had scrambled eggs. It was 2 weeks later that peanuts were cleared….Vic has requested an unseemly LARGE jar of peanut butter for his B’day later this month. They went directly from the Dr’s office to the TX Roadhouse in Abu Dhabi where peanuts are served by the bucket at your table….have cute pics of Addie holding the bucket and sniffing.
It’s a beautiful autumn day here in KS….trees haven’t truly turned yet, but the temperature is delightful.
Are students asking you about #45 and his rhetoric with NK and impact on the area? Am a little anxious as to what may come in the next few days – 10/9-11….big days there and Columbus Day here.
Our students were concerned about gun safety in the US when we were teaching….listed as a reason for not wanting to visit here. Don’t know how I would address the issue today….especially after LV this past week. I would like to believe the NRA might be open to real discussion now, but am not holding my breath…..silencers and bump stocks.
Wishing a cooling Autumn!🎃👻👩🌾🍁