秋天的妝,萬聖節的裝 Fall Makeup, Halloween Disguise

In anticipation of Halloween, we are singing silly songs and thinking about the costumes we are going to wear. The stores have everything about Halloween on display. We've visited several pumpkin patches. We can hear the rustling of leaves on the ground when we go for a walk in the woods. I think Halloween is my children's favourite festival (ok, maybe after Christmas). As a kid, I was always excited about going out in the dark. Although in Taiwan, the ghosts are said to be a lot more vicious. Here in Canada, this so-called ghost festival is just a day to ask for treats and dress up in funny or fancy clothes. How fun!

I was surprised I have a lot of stock photos from the past that I can use for this short poem. I want to share this poem BEFORE the Halloween arrives so kids and parents can learn and use a few Chinese phrases just in time for the holiday. I have to admit I don't really like the pumpkin pie but I do like to carve pumpkins. One of the pumpkins in the photos (the happy ghost) was the orginal design of Emilyn when she was 4. Hmmm... what are we going to carve this year?

Here is the full poem. As always, feedback welcomed. Enjoy!

秋天的妝
qiū tiān de zhuāng
Fall Makeup

萬聖節的裝
wàn shèng jié de zhuāng
Halloween Disguise

誰把綠色的樹葉化了妝?
shéi  bǎ lù sè de shù yè huà le zhuāng
who puts the makeup on the green leave?

誰把森林換上紅、黃、橘色的新衣
shéi bǎ sēn lín huàn shàng hóng huáng jú sè de xīn yī
who puts the new clothes of red, yellow and orange on the forest?

誰把地上鋪滿樹葉的地毯
shéi bǎ dì shàng pū mǎn shù yè de dì tǎn
who covers the ground with a carpet of leaves?

好美啊！
hǎo měi ā
so beautiful

原來是秋天涼爽的空氣
yuán lái shì qiū tiān liáng shuǎng de kōng qì
 it is the cool air of the Fall

變的把戲
biàn de bǎ xì
that plays the trick

好玩耶！
hǎo wán yē
so much fun

可以堆滿落葉
kě yǐ duī mǎn luò yè
let’s pile up the leaves

跳進去
tiào jìn qù
then jump in

好吃呦！
hǎo chī yōu
so yummy

烤個南瓜派
kǎo ge nán guā pài
let’s bake a pumpkin pie

喝熱可可
he rè kě kě
drink hot chocolate

啊！不要忘記
ā! bú yào wàng jì
aya! don’t forget to

把南瓜刻成笑笑臉
bǎ nán guā kē chéng xiào xiào liǎn
carve a smiley face onto the pumpkin

也不要忘記
yě bú yào wàng jì
also don’t forget to

把自己化妝
bǎ zì jǐ huà zhuāng
put the makeup on ourselves

貓咪？巫婆？還是小鬼？
māo mī? wū pó? hái shì xiǎo guǐ?
a kitten? a witch? or a little ghost?

過萬聖節了！
guò wàn shèng jié le!
it’s time for Halloween!