I wasn’t really sure what to expect from Halloween in Maastricht, having previously mentioned to a Dutch housemate that we should have a Halloween party and being told “we don’t really do halloween” – almost as though I’d suggested something as crass as a tarts and vicar’s party.  Combined with the admittance of another Dutch girl I know that this would be her “first” Halloween, I was beginning to think that this could be as redundant as Guy Fawkes night.

Whatever it was going to end up being, I knew I wanted to celebrate it.  Luckily Maastricht is international enough that a vast number of students did want to do something about it and gradually some excitement emerged.  Frantic Facebook discussions about costumes, references to people spotted in Halloween costumes and a couple of overheard conversations about pumpkin carving in Albert Heijn proved that all hope was not lost, and my friends (pictured above) decided to host a Halloween party.

And I have to say, I was impressed.  The level of effort was impeccable on the part of the boys, there was a zombie Amy Winehouse, a Doctor Who, quite a few cross-dressers and a couple of nuns as well as other halloween favourites.  And the girls?  Quite a lot of cats (myself included) but still better than I’d expected.  I don’t know if it was the copious amount of Jumbo rose wine I drank, but if I remember that night correctly, Halloween was definitely done with more enthusiasm than I’d been lead to believe.