Celebrating Halloween In Panama

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. When I lived in the States, my annual tradition every Oct. 31 was a scary movie marathon with my friends… we had popcorn, snacks, candy and other treats, and drinks, and watched classic and modern Halloween movies well into the night.

My plans in late October usually also included Halloween parties, trips to haunted houses, and themed nights at amusement parks like Six Flags.

Last year, my first October in Panama, I was nostalgic for Halloween and the fall season. While you’ll find costume parties at some nightclubs and Multiplaza Mall hosts trick-or-treating for children, Halloween isn’t an official holiday here, nor a widely celebrated one. I realized that if I wanted Halloween, I’d have to create my own.

My partner and I bought the last pumpkin at Riba Smith supermarket (a small one for US$15, but worth it for the memory). We carved it to make a Harry Potter-themed Jack-O-Lantern and roasted and ate the seeds.

We prepared a smorgasbord of snacks and in the 85°F living room (that apartment didn’t have A/C in the common areas), we watched several of my favorite classic Halloween movies.

It turned out to be my favorite Halloween. My partner, who’s Venezuelan, had never celebrated Halloween before, and the experience of sharing something I had always enjoyed made it all the more memorable.

If you’re involved with the local expat community, you’re sure to find Halloween activities to attend this month. But I hope that my story shows you that there’s no need to sacrifice the traditions you practiced in your home country when relocating to a new one. You might need to make your own version of them, but with a bit of creativity and flexibility, you might find that they’re even more special when celebrated in your new home, among new friends.

Here’s a list of spooky vocab to put you in the Halloween spirit…

Ghost = fantasma
Haunted house = casa embrujada
October = octubre
Spooky = escalofriante
Bat = murciélago
Monster = monstruo
Witch = bruja
Pumpkin = calabaza
Vampire = vampiro
Candy = caramelos
Skull (decoration) = calavera
Skull (anatomy) = cráneo
Skeleton = esqueleto
Graveyard = cementerio
Party = fiesta
Spider = araña
Spider web = telarañas
Scarecrow = espantapájaros
Black cat = gato negro
Goblin = duende
Mummy = momia
Cauldron = caldera
Carmel apple = manzana caramelizada
Candle = vela
Mask = máscara
Bones = huesos
Zombie = zombi
Night = noche
Tombstone = lápida
Coffin = ataúd
Owl = búho
Full moon = luna llena
Blood = sangre
Supernatural = sobrenatural
Afterlife = la vida del más allá
Darkness = oscuridad
Fear = miedo
Mysterious = misterioso
Nightmare = pesadilla
Orange (color) = anaranjado
Trick = truco
Scary movie = película de terror
Carve = esculpir
Fangs = colmillos
Howl = aullido 
Cape = capa
Midnight = medianoche
Wand = varita mágica
Autumn = otoño
Fog = niebla
Spell = hechizo

Gabrielle Wells
Editor, Panama Letter