allowed in a Ukrainian family: how the queen ordered the holiday of pumpkins, families and ghosts In the Ukrainian, where it smells of vareniki and borscht, and Easter cakes are baked for the holidays, the topic announced suddenly sounded unexpectedly. My 15-year-old daughter fell in love with this holiday at first sight, and I, frankly, was a little shocked.

"Mom, let's dress up, carve a pumpkin, go to the neighbors and ask for sweets!" - Her enthusiasm was infectious, even though Ukraine seemed completely unprepared for the current event.

Remembering my childhood, where there was nothing more than a word from American films, I tried to argue my "no". "This is not our holiday, we should not celebrate it, we have our own traditions." But my daughter, like all teenagers, was adamant.

"Mom, why? It's fun! We can paint it at home, make a pumpkin flavor and cook some cuties. I want to be a witch!"

Her persistence made me give in. Together we chose a costume, carved a pumpkin, though not for "trick or treat", but just for decoration, and even came up with a festive dinner with themed dishes.

In the end, it became a real holiday in our family. My daughter and her friends came up with a mask at our house, where music played, there were contests and, of course, sweet treats.

Of course, not all the neighbors were delighted with our "American" holiday, but most treated it with understanding and even with a smile.

And so, sitting in the kitchen in the evening, looking at the festively decorated house, I realized: public is not just a holiday. It is an opportunity to be a little different, to have fun, to develop in an atmosphere of magic.

It was certainly important for my daughter to "be like everyone else". But for me, it became a reminder that life is diversity, openness to new things and, of course, the opportunity to get closer to loved ones, even if it is about strange holidays.

And who knows, maybe in a few years, when my daughter grows up, our traditions will be supplemented by another, already “real” Ukrainian demonstrator, with varenyky and pumpkins!