Halloween is that time of the year when ultimate fantasies come to life. From magical themes and fairy tale-inspired concepts to downright gory and eerie, there is a place for everyone to celebrate what they are passionate about during the spooky season. Among the biggest fans of Halloween in the Philippines is Her Excellency MaryKay Carlson.
Since serving as the United States Ambassador to the Philippines in 2022, Ambassador Carlson has been immersing herself in the vibrant culture of the country. This time, she opened her residence in North Forbes Park, Makati City, to share her love for Halloween.
With the theme "Gathering of Witches and Warlocks," the party was graced by foreign diplomats, their families, Ambassador Carlson’s neighbors, and friends, all dressed in spellbinding black ensembles. They all marveled at how she and her team transformed her home into a grand house of horrors.
They designed three rooms, a nod to the three main island groups of the Philippines. There was no spot in the ambassador’s residence that wasn’t decked with jack-o'-lanterns, spiderwebs, and skeletons. Outside, ghouls danced in the wind, tombstones were erected in her yard, and a skeleton was chilling in her pool. The most terrifying spot of all was the comfort room, featuring miniature heads, scary dolls, and a Freddy Krueger-like sculpture on display. For Ambassador Carlson, these decorations were just for scares, but they held many memories of her life as a diplomat—just one of the things she wanted to share during the party.
During the event, Manila Bulletin Lifestyle got a chance to chat with Ambassador Carlson about her spine-chilling decorations, what the holiday means to her, and her tricks for pulling off the best Halloween party.
Can you tell us the story behind your Halloween decor? Did you bring all of it from the U.S.?
The Halloween decorations come from my personal collection, some of which I’ve had for over 25 years. When we’re in the U.S., our two-car garage becomes a “two-holiday” garage—one half for Halloween storage boxes and the other half for Christmas! Even though, as diplomats, we move every three years, we pack all these decorations and bring them with us. Wherever I’m traveling, I enjoy shopping for new decorations to add to my collection. In fact, some of my Halloween decorations came from the Dapitan Market in Quezon City, while others came from places like Hong Kong, Cuba, and India! I also love bargain shopping, whether it’s secondhand or on sale after the holidays. But my most precious items are those decorations that our daughters and I crafted together, such as the papier-mâché jack-o’-lanterns and the gauzy ghosts.
What does Halloween mean to you personally?
Holiday decorating gives me so much joy because it brings back all of our cherished memories—not just at Halloween, but also during the Christmas season. As my husband always says, “You should see the amount of Christmas decor—it’s even scarier!” My love for Halloween is well-known here at the Embassy. As you saw during your visit to the residence, I love going all out when decorating. Whenever I’m asked, “How long did it take to set everything up?” I always reframe the question this way: It’s better to ask, “How much fun did you have?” It takes a lot of time, but no one asks someone coming off the golf course, “How much time did that take?!” If you’re doing something you enjoy, the more time it takes, the more fun it is! These decorations are meant to be shared. That’s the biggest part of the fun for me—sharing American culture and traditions with our guests here in the Philippines! I enjoy continuing our family traditions and sharing them with our Filipino friends, partners, and allies.
How do you plan the perfect Halloween party? What factors do you consider, and can you share some tips?
I like to showcase the United States’ rich Halloween traditions. The decorations and spooky music set the mood. Each Halloween item tells a story about the countries where we’ve served or about our personal experiences and travels. Beyond the decorations, I also make sure the food and refreshments we serve add to the festive Halloween atmosphere. Of course, I have an amazing residence staff that helps me. The food items don’t have to be fancy—the key is to be creative, like making cinnamon cookies in the shape of witches’ fingers with a sliced almond for the fingernail or adding “blood” (ube jam with some red food coloring) to the rim of glasses. I love decorating Halloween cupcakes and cookies in the shape of ghosts, pumpkins, goblins, monsters, and more. That’s another family tradition I continue, even though our girls are grown. I’m happy to have our residence team helping me! Planning social events at the U.S. residence is definitely a team effort, and I am grateful to be with such a dedicated, passionate, and creative group who works hard to ensure our guests always feel welcome. Happy Halloween!