BY
Cheryl Nya

Glenda Chong

Jonathan Tan

Lim Jing Jie

Hype Issue #60

Published on

November 6,

2024

Halloween night at Woodgrove Estate. Photo by Cheryl Nya.

For many Singaporeans, October 31 is just another day on the calendar. Most locals are seemingly indifferent as another ordinary Thursday slips by. This isn’t the case for a quiet neighbourhood in Woodlands however, which awakens to and gets swept up by the eerie excitement of the spooky season.

Every Halloween, Woodgrove Estate comes alive with ghouls, ghosts, and skeletons adorned on the gates of every house in the neighbourhood. 

What started as a small residential celebration of just 30 people in 2007 has evolved into a full-blown Halloween spectacle. “On Halloween, there’s gonna be, like, thousands of people in this neighbourhood,” said Mike, 47, a resident of Woodgrove Estate.

Every year, before Halloween begins, residents hand out flyers to spread the word on decorating plans. Photo by Cheryl Nya.

This year, Halloween night at Woodgrove Estate was a spectacle, indeed. Trees draped with ghostly white figures and blood splashed all over metal gates; clearly showed that the residents of Woodgrove Estate have really upped their game this year. In the bushes, you could find corpses reaching for your legs and intricate spider webs strewn across the shrubbery. As thousands lined up in front of the houses asking for a treat, eerie music filled the air, with a haunting melody.

One of our writers interviewing an attendee with an outstanding costume. Photo by Cheryl Nya.

It wasn’t just the house decorations that were on another level, the attendees really dressed to impress this season! Frankenstein, the Avengers, Pennywise, and even Chappell Roan were present. “I think it’s very cute and meaningful! People [really] put in so much effort into their makeup and costumes, even the dogs are dressed up! I just saw one dressed as Michael Jackson because [his] name is Jackson,” said Sze Min, 24 , an attendee of the Woodgrove Estate Halloween celebration. 

“You get to be whatever you want for a day and no one judges you for it in this crowd of costumes. I see people dressing up as their own heroes. You don’t really get to be anything you want [on] any other day,” added Estelle Lim, 20, another attendee, “Doesn’t Halloween suddenly seem more meaningful?”

And the people making these dreams come true are the generous residents of Woodgrove Estate, who have relentlessly hosted this trick or treating event for years. 

A resident dressed as the nun, giving out treats to the children. Photo by Cheryl Nya.

Of course, setting up all the neighbourhood decorations is not an easy task for the residents of the estate. “Oh, definitely, it takes a lot of time. Because every year we try to come up with a different theme, and how we usually celebrate is giving out sweets and treats to everybody, as well as scaring them,” Wee Kiat, 37, another resident said.

Furthermore, extra effort has to be made by the residents to accommodate the popularity of their neighbourhood on Halloween. “So [it takes] time and effort, and you have to buy lots of candy because especially tomorrow night, on Halloween night, Woodlands is very popular so there’ll be thousands and thousands of people,” Tom, 60, another resident, said.

Photo booth set up for attendees to pose with residents who are dressed up as devils and clowns. Photos by Cheryl Nya.

Despite all the hassle that Halloween decorating brings, many residents believe the end result is worth the work. Mark, 50, a Woodgrove Estate resident, shares his perspective of bringing joy to trick-or-treating children, “It can take a lot if you really want to put a lot of effort into it; it depends on how much you embrace it. But with a little bit of effort, you can put forward a whole lot of enjoyment for kids,” he said.

For these residents, Halloween is a holiday that holds many precious memories. Many residents reminisce about their experiences from past Halloweens. “As a child? I remember my favourite part was about getting the candy. [But] as an adult, it’s more about the experience and seeing all the decorations, and seeing how creative my neighbours can be,” Mark shared.

For many Singaporeans, Halloween might just be another passing occasion. But for the residents of Woodgrove Estate, this tradition seems to hold much more significance. 

The beauty of Halloween in Woodgrove Estate: Neighbours turned friends. Photo by Cheryl Nya.

The holiday not only holds a lot of nostalgia for the residents, but it also acts as the perfect opportunity for the community to come together. Perhaps it’s the Halloween magic that is cast over the neighbourhood. Walls come down and strangers turn into friends.

“A lot of neighbours stop by and talk to us. We meet more neighbours on Halloween than we do throughout the year,” Mike shared. “Really, everybody [keeps to] themselves during the year, but this is the day everybody comes out, you know?” And as he aptly puts it, bringing residents out is “important for bringing your community together”.

Seeing the success of Halloween in a small community like Woodgrove Estate, a hopeful question lingers: If one night can unite a community like this, what if more neighbourhoods shared in the same festive spirit?

Woodgrove Estate residents seem to hold similar sentiments, as many enthusiastically agreed that more Singaporeans should celebrate community events to foster strong kinship. In fact, resident Mark also suggests not just focusing on Halloween, “but anything that gets the neighbours outside to see each other makes a big difference”.

Residents make a list of houses who are open to trick or treating, making it easier for the kids to find them and get their candy. Photo by Cheryl Nya.

Fellow neighbour Meng, 48, echoed Mark’s thoughts, even going as far as to highlight the deeper benefits of such gatherings. “The kids can go from house to house, which makes them more attached to the community and also makes it safer right? Because you can just knock on every door.” Something as simple as going door-to-door and exchanging a few words with neighbours can make all the difference, as a mere estate turns into a community.

And beyond weaving tight-knit social connections, for some residents, special seasons like Halloween aren’t just about costumes and candy, but also about sparking cultural exchange. One resident, Christine, 41,  delved into how moving into the neighbourhood introduced her to what Halloween is. Eventually, not only did her family embrace the festivities, but also began sharing and blending their own cultures.

Coming from China, Christine’s family introduced and incorporated different Chinese themes and traditions into the Western traditions “to create a more different culture”. This year, the family proudly adopts a Female Ghost theme in their Halloween decorations.

Through dressing her home up for Halloween, she found this particular tradition to be “somewhat similar to Chinese New Year”, proving just how universal the spirit of celebration is.

And so, as the last traces of the Halloween spirit fade away and the Woodlands area returns to its usual quiet charm, one truth becomes clear: festivals and community traditions have the power to not just transform one night, but an entire community. It’s not too late to open our doors and let a little festive magic into our neighbourhoods.