Fright Night

We had a little celebration of Halloween at the office. It was last 29th of October night. Our Call Center has several captive accounts and our bosses had the idea of having a Halloween contest for all accounts. The team of our entry is about a murder that happened long, long time ago in the U.S. I did not read the script. I just saw a film clip being played while I had my headset on talking with a customer. During the dramatization when the judges were inside our office there was someone who screamed at the top of her lungs. The customer I was talking with asked me “What is happening? What is that screaming sound? I apologized to the customer saying we have a Halloween party at the office. 

Here are some photos I took from mycell phone. Sorry folks. I took these with less light. My brain was too busy to think of bringing my camera at work. The organizers of the contest had to turn off some lights while waiting for the judges. The dead tree looking thing is huge pillar wrapped with black plastic trash bags. Attached to the pillar that looked like dead branches are rolled newspapers painted with water soluble paint and water colors. The young lady in black blouse had black eye shadow make up all over her face. Both white lady and black lady were giggling when I took their photo from my cell phone. 

Kudos to our office managers and team captains who designed a simple less costly decoration for the contest! Win or lose they offered us some excitement for the night. 

Happy Halloween! ☻

All Souls Day VS Halloween

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Except for those homes located in posh villages, offices, and shopping malls. Halloween is not a great festivity in the Philippines. Most Filipinos would rather be at memorial parks and cemeteries to be with their departed loved ones. We visit departed loved ones on All Saints Day and All Souls Day, bringing candles and flowers. To some, just to avoid traffic jams, they visit as early as a week before or on the 31^th of Oct or 2^nd of Nov.

All Souls Day is the 2^nd of Nov. following All Saints Day. In the Philippines, however, we celebrate All Souls Day on the 31^st of Oct through the 1^st of Nov. Traditionally All Souls Day is great fiesta for Filipinos. It had been handed down from generation to generations. Filipino families gather themselves at the place where departed loved ones were laid to rest. Some would stay overnight from the 31^st of Oct. to the 1^st of Nov. To some however, they spend the vigil lavishly. Such that, some would bring wines and liquors, intoxicating themselves forgetting some wants to celebrate the occasion solemnly in prayers. To maintain peace and order, police officers are posted inside memorial parks and cemeteries. Bags are inspected from the entrance. Items like, karaoke, kitchen knives, playing cards are confiscated and returned to the owners upon leaving the area.

I visited my parents with my brother and sister in law, Monday 25^th of October. Good enough I heeded the advice of my sis in law. I filed vacation leave for Friday, 29^th of Oct. Lady luck did not smile at me. The vacation leave was not approved. The 1^st of Nov. is a holiday in the Philippines, but sad to say. No holiday for those working in Call Centers. The good news is we get additional pay working on Philippine holidays.