Trick-or-treating along Embassy Row is not the average door-to-door walk. It’s more like a trip around the world.
If a student is going trick-or-treating, Embassy Row is the place to go. Or, at least that’s what people say.
Every country doesn’t celebrate Halloween, so not every embassy participates in the candy-dispensing tradition. Some embassies on the row that are not giving out candy this year include those of Australia, Papua New Guinea, Estonia and Luxembourg.
Adding to the excitement of trick-or-treating at the embassies are the rumors that have arisen about the special Halloween treats some embassies give out. One of the most popular rumors among students is that the Russian Embassy greets trick-or-treaters with miniature bottles of vodka.
“It is 100 percent absurd,” said Russian Embassy Press Representative Yevgeniy Khorishko. “We understand the laws of your country and we would never give vodka to children. That is absurd.”
In fact, Khorishko said, the Russian Embassy does not even give out candy because of their strict rules for entry onto the pavilion: no foreigners allowed without invitation.
Don’t expect any candy this Halloween from the German Embassy either. Located down the block from GW’s Mount Vernon Campus, the embassy may be easily accessible for residents on the Vern, but nobody will be there Monday. Press representative Martina Nibbeling-Wriessnig said all German Embassy staff, including the ambassador, are dressing in costumes and going to Virginia for the day, for a hayride and pumpkin-carving.
“If you see a lot of vampires out there, they may be Germans,” she said.
One embassy that will welcome trick-or-treaters is the embassy of Ireland, the country where the holiday originated.
Halloween is based on an ancient Celtic festival. The Celts believed that on the last night of the Celtic year, Oct. 31, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead were broken and ghosts returned to visit the earth.
Don’t expect any traditional Irish treats from them, though. When it comes to candy, trick-or-treating at the Irish embassy is pretty much the same as any neighbor’s house in America.
“We haven’t bought it yet,” said an embassy representative late last week. “We just buy it at CVS or somewhere else. It’s no different here.”
As some students find out the hard way, trick-or-treating can’t wait until the sun goes down if you’re planning on heading out to Embassy Row. Most embassies close by 5 p.m.
