Society

Boo! It's Halloween

By Yang Yijun (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-31 11:40

Jack-o-lanterns, costumed kids, haunted houses ...Yang Yijun discovers what it's all about.

Ghouls, ghosts and other critters of darkness come out to play on Halloween's night. Provided to China Daily

Halloween is becoming more and more popular in Shanghai and while many are still unfamiliar with the history of the festival, the atmosphere in the malls is no less exciting than at stores in the West.

Apart from the jack-o'-lanterns and ghoulish displays in the shopping centers and restaurants, the city has more to offer.

If you plan to shop at Life Hub @ Jinqiao today, do remember to bring along candies. Children from different countries wearing colorful costumes will parade from store to store and greet you with "Trick or treat?" - and expect to be suitably rewarded.

At the same time, there will be a paper-folding workshop at the mall where children can learn to make a jack-o'-lantern.

Another larger jack-o'-lantern will guard the entrance of the shopping mall. It is big enough to hold two adults or twice that many kids and provides the perfect place for a souvenir photo. Next to the pumpkin, a group of local illustrators calling itself "gages" will paint a Halloween-themed mural beside the jack-o'-lantern, so colorful images of pumpkins and ghosts will add to the festive atmosphere.

Seeking an adrenaline rush during Halloween? Shanghai Nightmare, one of the first American-style haunted houses in China, is a must-go. Tonight is your last chance to scream your heart out in the house, as it will end its 2010 season after today.

The haunted mansion, housed in a 108-year-old building next to Suzhou Creek, has all kinds of ghosts and a number of scenarios with storylines. It's all about giving you a nail-biting, heart-wrenching good time.

In Shanghai, the haunted house is not the only place where you can hobnob with the otherworldly. At Happy Valley amusement park, you can party with the ghosts and have fun. When dusk falls, you will begin hearing screams from the roller coasters to the squares, where ghostly figures of witches, vampires, zombies and pirates will come out to play. Dress up in your own masks to join the fun.

At 8:40 pm, remember to go to the Lake Square to join the crowds and scream your hearts out for 30 seconds. It's all in the right spirits.