Halloween in Shanghai - Adventure Year Week 21

I didn't think I'd crave celebrating the Halloween spirit so much outside of the country, especially because I don't even like to dress up in costumes or put makeup on my face!  However, I think living in another country makes you miss those little celebratory moments in time just a little more.  Thankfully, Shanghai didn't disappoint.  There were plenty of opportunities to find that Halloween spirit in malls, shops, bakeries, and parties.

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Even though I don’t love dressing up for Halloween- I do love seeing other people dress up in fabulous costumes (I’d probably wear one if someone just made it for me or picked it out for me). I may not enjoy waiting by a door for Trick-or-Treaters to come by, but I love meeting neighbors at their homes with my nephews and saying hello to people in the community. I love the theatre and drama that comes with spooky stories and touring haunted houses. Thankfully, China still has plenty of places that enjoy the commercial aspects of the Halloween spirit, even though culturally, there is a strong aversion to anything that will stir sleeping spirits. If you’re looking for some spooky stories to get you in the mood leading up to Halloween- check out the Laughing In The Dark podcast (@litdarkpodcast), hosted by @saraaaelizzz - I shared one of my own spooky ghost stories in Season 2: Minisode 22: He Was A Wood Worker.

A post shared by Anne’s Adventure Journal (@anneruthmann) on Oct 25, 2019 at 6:48pm PDT

So we visited a lot of expat areas to seek out what kind of Halloween decor and festivities were happening.  The decor below may always be there, but it may be just for Halloween- either way- fun!

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I am inside this window, and yet I am outside this window. My light reflects in many directions, as do the bones of souls that have moved on to other realms and bodies. #deepthoughts

A post shared by Anne’s Adventure Journal (@anneruthmann) on Oct 26, 2019 at 5:49pm PDT

Shanghai Disney seemed to be preparing for a pretty big celebration and costume parade, but we didn't quite make it out there to see it.  I did however, see another cool interactive digital and tangible art exhibit at the Himalayas Center that was otherworldly in that Halloween-esque way.

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The interactive media art exhibits that I’ve seen here in Shanghai have been pretty fabulous. “Expect the Unexpected”, by @geeks_art.china at the Himalayas Center made good use of a variety of space sizes to shift the sense of space, awareness, and interaction as it played with heady concepts like neural networks, constellations, control, and collaboration. Flip through the images to see more of the interactive and video elements of the exhibit.

A post shared by Anne’s Adventure Journal (@anneruthmann) on Oct 29, 2019 at 3:49pm PDT

We did end up in a few expat bars and found plenty of pastry and bakery shops that made Halloween themed treats, as well as retail stores looking to capitalize on Halloween costumes and decor.

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Shanghai bakeries don’t need Halloween as a reason to play with their food, but it does invite some new characters and flavors into the mix!

A post shared by Anne’s Adventure Journal (@anneruthmann) on Oct 28, 2019 at 12:52pm PDT

Even though it didn't really seem to have anything to do with Halloween- but maybe more with a large import expo happening- the Shanghai night lights seemed just as "extra" as always, but now with the addition of digital 3D LED butterflies on the Bund.

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Random moments from a regular Tuesday night stroll along The Bund in Shanghai.

A post shared by Anne’s Adventure Journal (@anneruthmann) on Oct 30, 2019 at 1:13pm PDT