Halloween in Geneva

Tags

children's activity, crafts stores, Halloween accessories, Halloween candy, Halloween costumes, Halloween parties in Geneva

Icy fingers that grab their prey
And do bad things ’til night turns to day
Heed this plea to stay inside
Find covers and blankets and sheets to hide*

You never quite know where you stand on Halloween in Geneva. It’s popularity seems to rise and fall. Ten years years ago, there were ghosts and goblins galore but the last couple of years the few children that I do hear out and about don’t come down my road anymore (maybe it’s just too dark and creepy).

Finding a Costume

If you plan to get into Halloween this year, you won’t be alone. A Swiss friend’s twins insisted they pick out their costumes now before the October vacation so they would be ready for Monday, October 31. These boys were outfitted at our local Coop.

Alternatively, you can make your own simple costumes. A mummy in a karate uniform, a dead pirate in black, white clothes with a splash of red and a devil (I think) decked out in red.

In order to find more professional costume choices, I googled “deguisement en Geneve.” Three boutiques appear. I often pass one called la Gaité. This little shop is jam packed with costumes and accessories. They are high quality and high priced. The other two shops are La Mascarade who rent more classic Escalade and Period costumes and the Figue Bizar which seems to be for children only.

Trick or Treat

Depending on where you live, children might appear at your door. I always prepare in advance and grab treats whenever I see individually wrapped candies at the grocery store. One shop that I know carries some Halloween candy is the Amercian Food Avenue in Cologny. Alternatively make lollipop ghosts using Kleenex and a rubber band.

Pumpkins and Decorations

Finding Jack-o-Lantern pumpkins to carve is a challenge. But edible pumpkins work, too. Just don’t try to carve Potimarron, a small popular edible pumpkin which is nearly impossible to cut.

If you want to decorate, you’ll have to get the creative juices flowing and make them yourself. Your best craft stores in Geneva are the Migros Brico at the M-Park and probably the downtown Coop Fusterie. The internet has great ideas from spider webs made from plastic bags to paper maché pumpkins and ghosts.

Looking for Parties?

According to a blog, Halloween Events 2016, the only two parties that seem to be in/near Geneva are at the Parc Aventure de Geneve and Parc C  L’Aventure in Annemasse.

Slowly this night will fade to day
And fiends and monsters will crawl away
Once a year, on this dank night
We’ll shake and shiver ’til morning light

*Source: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/halloween-night-4

We are a group of international women living in Geneva, Switzerland. If you would like to join the AIWC, please visit our website athttp://www.aiwcgeneva.org/

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