The event ran from 9 am until 4 pm, with Halloween activities including trick-or-treating, costume parties, cupcake decorations, snacks on fried spiders, children games, coloring, and watching Halloween cartoons and movies.

Guests enjoyed an array of food & beverage from the Himawari chef and team. They also enjoyed many types of games at game stalls and craft booths like face painting, clay art, song, and dance, and there was even a bouncy castle, which proved very popular.

During Children’s Halloween Party, Mr. Andrew Tay, Director of Himawari Hotel Apartments, mentioned that the luxury hotel apartment was in operation for over 20 years and took this opportunity to share his experience during the pandemic of COVID-19.

This year since the Covid-19, it started in China and, after that, spread around the world. And when COVID-19 struck Cambodia, it became challenging and affected many hotels and restaurants in the hospitality industry. But for Himawari Hotel Apartments, they remained open for business. They followed the SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) and recommendations issued by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia.

At this Children’s Halloween Party, Himawari Hotel Apartments ensure guests’ had their temperatures checked, hands sanitized, and masks were provided free. Volunteers from the St John Phnom Penh, who was also present, provided first aid coverage and taught how to do bandaging for little ones. Besides the above, all guests, staff, and volunteers were encouraged to follow social distancing measures and one-way flow signage.

Mr. Andrew Tay, Director of Himawari Hotel Apartments, said, “Himawari has been in operation for 20 years already. Yes! In the early days of the COVID-19 period, all hotels have been affected, those that are not doing well were closed, but for Himawari Hotel Apartments, we always have been open for business, and most of our staff are currently back to work. Still, we have our SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) and recommendations issued by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia for a Safe Tourism Accommodation Safety Measures.”

Mr. Andrew Tay added more for the Himawari Hotel Apartments was to change strategies during a difficult time, and he thinks all the hotels and apartments still in Cambodia should have a plan like Himawari Hotel Apartments. Right now, The hotel planning how to be inclusive in the travel bubble plan and also for him to continue to engage online travel agencies, corporate companies, and overseas agencies and encourage them to come back to Cambodia. 

Himawari Hotel Apartments has been organizing the annual Children’s Halloween Party for more than five years until now. This time it’s unique as Himawari cooperated with The Giving Tree International School, which helped organize this event, The Fly Phnom Penh, which set up the bounding castle for children to enjoy. One of the F&B company Livcomo Overseas Import Export Pte Ltd, also cooperated with Himawari. They came together to participate in the event and welcome the community to enjoy themselves during this COVID period. 

Our daily operations are almost back to normal for Himawari Hotel Apartment, but we are still in survival mode and have to stay prudent in our operations. As the hotel director, he appreciates MOT (Ministry of Tourism) working hard to get everything back to normal. He also hopes to recovery back in one year or two years. Hopefully, the tourism market can become routine as the last time or even better just before the upcoming SEA Games in Cambodia.

Mr. Andrew Tay said, “Today we are expecting around the total 500 participate coming here that about hundred over adult and hundred over children that will be coming to Himawari Hotel Today. Yes, I expect about 50% of people they are coming here are local people, and the others 50% actually foreigner have been staying here and working here.” 

We hope that during COVID-19 and many people who also suffered from the floods in Cambodia, we hope everybody stays safe, stays healthy, and keeps yourself strong. Do not let your guard down and, at the same time, help one another during the period of COVID-19 and flood. Through our CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) program, Himawari Hotel Apartments have recently donated rice and drinking water for the flood victims.

Photo by: Sakura Engly

The event ran from 11am until 5pm, with Halloween activities including trick-or-treating, costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, as well as watching scary Movies.

Guests enjoyed an array of food & beverage from the Himawari chef and team. They also enjoyed many types of games at game stalls and craft booths like face painting, clay art, song and dance and there was even a bouncy castle which proved very popular.

Mr. Andrew Tay, Director of Himawari Hotel Apartments, said “It is more than 5 years since our first Halloween event here at Himawari Hotel Apartments. It’s a special day because it brings parents and their children together in an enjoyable environment. Although the theme is a bit scary the children do have a great time and we had a great turnout. He adds more “We hope that next year’s event will prove even more popular and we can draw even more families. This year was a bit special because SCIA International School partnered with us to organize the event so a big thank you to them for being part of the day.”

Mr. Edward Tiu, Deputy Head of Student Admission and Recruitment, Admission and Community Engagement of SCIA International School said, “SCIA is Singapore Cambodia International Academy endeavors to be the leading institution that prepares individuals to be future-ready, maximizes their potential and opens doors in life through education.  SCIA is a member of Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) Group, the leading provider of a diverse range of education pathways and professional training in Singapore.”

He adds more “This is the first time that we are organized the Spook – Tacular Children’s Halloween Party with Himawari Hotel Apartments, we are happy to work with Himawari Hotel Apartments as they strongly support our school. We excepted this very successful event at Himawari Hotel Apartments because we were confident together we could put on a party that people really enjoyed. As is the way with international schools we encourage children to experience the vibrant culture of Cambodia but also we encouraging them to join different international events. Halloween seems like the perfect celebration to achieve that.

Halloween is a traditional Western celebrated annually in October to commemorate the departed soul. The festival has been celebrated for more than 200 years in European countries such as the United States, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other countries, which are usually held on the weekend before or after a date. For their activities, they often use carving pumpkins, haunted houses, painted ghost faces, dressed in strange ghosts, decorated Halloween dishes.

Recently Halloween is not only celebrated in Europe and it is also popular in Asia such as China, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Cambodia and others countries. This festival is look similar to the Pchum Ben festival in Cambodia because Halloween is meant to commemorate relatives who passed away, and the festival also provides knowledge for next generations to commemorate the ancestors.

Photo by: Sakura Engly 

ពិធីបុណ្យត្រូវបានរៀបចំចាប់ពីម៉ោង 11ព្រឹក រហូតដល់ 5ល្ងាច​ ដោយខាងសណ្ឋាគារបានរៀបចំតុបតែងកម្មវិធីទាំងមូលឱ្យដូចទៅនឹងពិធីបុណ្យ​ Halloween នៅឯបស្ចិមប្រទេស​ដែរ ដែលមានដូចជា៖ ការឆ្លាក់រូបល្ពៅជាក្បាលខ្មោច តុបតែងជាផ្ទះខ្មោច គូសមុខឱ្យដូចទៅនឹងខ្មោចសាហាវៗ​ បូករួមជាមួយនឹងការស្លៀកសម្លៀកបំពាក់ចេញជារូបរាងខ្មោចពិតៗ គួរឱ្យខ្លាចតែម្តង។

ភ្ញៀវ និងក្មេងៗដែលបានអញ្ជើញចូលរួមក្នុងកម្មវិធីនាពេលរសៀលនោះបានរីករាយជាមួយនឹងម្ហូបអាហារ ភេសជ្ជៈ ស្តង់លេងហ្គេមកម្សាន្តរបស់សណ្ឋាគារ Himawari ក៏ដូចជាស្តង់លេងហ្គេមកម្សាន្តរបស់សាលាអន្តរជាតិ SCIA ដែលពួកគាត់បានរៀបចំជាលក្ខណៈបុណ្យ Halloween តែម្តង។

លោក Andrew Tay គឺជានាយកប្រតិបត្តិរបស់សណ្ឋាគារ Himawari បានលើកឡើងនៅក្នុងពិធីបុណ្យ Halloween ថា «ពិធីបុណ្យ Halloween ដែលបានរៀបចំនៅសណ្ឋាគារ Himawari បានប្រហែលជា 5 លើករួចមកហើយ វាជាថ្ងៃពិសេសមួយដែលឪពុកម្តាយបាននាំកូនៗរបស់ពួកគាត់មកលេងកម្សាន្តនៅទីនេះ វាពិតជាគួរឱ្យខ្លាចបន្តិចមែន តែវាសប្បាយរីករាយ ហើយពួកគាត់អាចថតរូបទុកជាអនុស្សារីយ៍ជាមួយគ្នា»  លោកបន្ថែមទៀតថា «ឆ្នាំក្រោយ ខ្ញុំសង្ឃឹមថាក្មេងៗ ក៏ដូចជាឪពុកម្តាយនឹងមកចូលរួមក្នុងកម្មវិធីបុណ្យ Halloween​ នេះឱ្យបានច្រើនជាមួយពួកយើង ហើយអ្វីដែលកាន់តែពិសេសជាងនេះទៅទៀត ឆ្នាំនេះយើងទទួលបានការសហការពីសាលាអន្តរជាតិ SCIA ជាដៃគូក្នុងការរៀបចំកម្មវិធីបុណ្យ Halloween ជាមួយពួកយើងផងដែរ»។

លោក Edward Tiu ជាអនុប្រធានផ្នែកជ្រើសរើសសិស្ស និងការចូលរួមសហគមន៍ របស់សាលាអន្តរជាតិ SCIA (Singapore Cambodia International Academy​) បាន​លើកឡើងថា «នេះជាលើកទី1 ហើយដែល SCIA បានរៀបចំកម្មវិធីបុណ្យ Halloween ជាមួយនឹងសណ្ឋាគារ Himawari ហើយពួកយើងរីករាយក្នុងការសហការជាមួយនឹងសណ្ឋាគារ Himawari ពីព្រោះពួកគាត់បានជួយជ្រោមជ្រែងសាលារបស់ពួកយើងយ៉ាងខ្លាំង ហើយយើងខ្ញុំសង្ឃឹមថា ក្មេងៗក៏ដូចជាកូនសិស្ស ឪពុកម្តាយនឹងសប្បាយរីករាយជាមួយពិធីបុណ្យ Halloween នេះ​ ពីព្រោះកម្មវិធីមានសកម្មភាពជាច្រើនរួមមាន គូសមុខ គូសជារូបភាព សិល្បៈដីឥដ្ឋ និងការលេងហ្គេមជាច្រើនប្រភេទផ្សេងៗទៀត យើងខ្ញុំសូមលើកទឹកចិត្តឱ្យក្មេងៗ ក៏ដូចជាឪពុកម្តាយអញ្ជើញចូលរួមជាមួយពួកយើងខ្ញុំ ហើយពួកគាត់ក៏អាចស្លៀកពាក់តាមបែប Halloween ផងដែរ។» លោកបានបន្ថែមទៀតថា​ «ជាចុងក្រោយតាងនាមខ្ញុំបាទជាអ្នកតំណាងឱ្យសាលា SCIA  ដែលជាសាលាអន្តជាតិមួយនៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ខ្ញុំសូមលើកទឹកចិត្តឱ្យ​ក្មេងៗចូលរួមកម្មវិធីបុណ្យអន្តរជាតិឱ្យបានច្រើន គោលបំណងដែលយើងខ្ញុំបានសហការជាមួយសណ្ឋាគារ Himawari ក្នុងការរៀបចំប្រារព្ធពិធីបុណ្យ Halloween ថ្ងៃនេះពីព្រោះពួកយើងចង់ឱ្យពួកគាត់បានស្គាល់ពីបុណ្យជាលក្ខណៈអន្តរជាតិ ជាពិសេសពួកយើងចង់ឱ្យគាត់បានឈប់សម្រាកពីការសិក្សា និងចំណាយពេលវេលាជាមួយនឹងគ្រួសាររបស់ពួកគាត់»។

គួរបញ្ជាក់ផងដែរថា បុណ្យ Halloween ជាកម្មវិធីបុណ្យប្រពៃណីមួយរបស់ប្រជាជនរស់នៅឯបស្ចិមប្រទេសដែលគេតែងតែប្រារព្ធធ្វើឡើងជារៀងរាល់ឆ្នាំនៅចុងខែតុលា ដើម្បីរំឭកដល់ព្រលឹងអ្នកដែលបានចែកឋានទៅ។ ពិធីបុណ្យនេះត្រូវបានគេប្រារព្ធធ្វើឡើងប្រហែលជាង 200ឆ្នាំមកហើយនៅតាមប្រទេសប៉ែកខាងអឺរ៉ុប ដូចជាប្រទេស អ៊ីរ៉ង់ សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក ចក្រភពអង់គ្លេស កាណាដា អូស្រ្តាលី និងប្រទេសផ្សេងៗទៀត ដែលជាទូទៅគេចូលចិត្តប្រារព្ធធ្វើឡើងនៅចុងសប្តាហ៍ មុន ឬក្រោយថ្ងៃបរិច្ឆេទ។ ចំពោះសកម្មភាពវិញពួកគេតែងតែប្រើផ្លែល្ពៅឆ្លាក់ជារូបក្បាលខ្មោច តុបតែងផ្ទះខ្មោច គូសមុខខ្មោច ស្លៀកពាក់ដូចខ្មោចចម្លែកៗ តុបតែងម្អូបអាហារបែប Halloween និងមានការលេងល្បែងប្រជាប្រិយបែបអឺរ៉ុប ដូចជាកីឡា និងគំនូរជាដើម។

សព្វថ្ងៃនេះពីធីបុណ្យ Halloween មិនមែនមានតែប្រជាជននៅប៉ែកអឺរុបទេដែលប្រារព្ធធ្វើឡើង ប៉ុន្តែនៅប៉ែកខាងអាស៊ី ដូចជា ចិន ថៃ ជប៉ុន ហុងកុង កូរ៉េ  ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា និងប្រទេសផ្សេងៗទៀតក៏មានការពេញនិយមច្រើនផងដែរ។ ពីធីបុណ្យនេះវាប្រហាក់ប្រហែលទៅនឹងពិធីបុណ្យភ្ជុំបិណ្ឌនៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជាដែរ ព្រោះបុណ្យ Halloween គឺធ្វើឡើងក្នុងគោលបំណងរំឭកដល់សាច់ញាតិដែលបានចែកឋានទៅ ហើយពិធីបុណ្យក៏បានផ្តល់ជាចំណេះដឹងដល់កូនចៅជំនាន់ក្រោយឱ្យរំឭកពីបុព្វការីជនរបស់ពួកគេដែរ។

រូបថតដោយ៖​ សាគូរ៉ា អេងលី