I have a couple of questions to ask about this celebration.
Don't think of me as argumentative or pedantic but why is Halloween so BIG in the US?
I mean, it's not so big here in the UK but it does seem to grow year upon year.
I understand that it's mostly a bit of fun that you can involve the kids in. That I do understand.
What I don't understand is why the night of the undead, of satanic evil creatures are celebrated in such a God loving society.
I accept it's a traditionally pre-christianity and a pagan ceremony so I understand why other religions may celebrate it but not why all of a whole continent goes a little crazy over it.
When I visited America way back in 1990 it was September and the shops were set up like ours are at Christmas but this was the preparation for Halloween. I had never seen anything like it. I'd never seen so many decorations for Halloween when back in England we had a selection of witch outfits or skeleton masks.
Maybe I over estimate the American (and Canadian?) population with their Godliness and the faith they have but why celebrate the work of the devil when the next day is a far friendlier celebration?
November 1st is All Saints Day. A day of love and peace to remember all the people that were Sainted by the Church for their good deeds and is a celebration of their work in the communities they lived. Surely this is a better day to celebrate for the religious?
Surely it's better to celebrate the good that's been done in life other than death and the occult?
Why is the dark side of faith (another sects faith at that) favoured over the good?
Maybe it would just be wrong in the eyes of God to imitate Saints?? But it's ok to impersonate a zombie or blood sucking killer Vampire??? I don't know. I may just be looking too far into things.
Like I said, I know alot of it is based upon FUN but I like to try and teach my kids about the origins of traditions and I believe that so much of that has been lost to a bunch of people who see Halloween as another holiday to make lots of bucks.
Now, I am not a follower of any religion. I just try to live the best life I can to make myself and others happy. I don't attend church and I don't celebrate any religious holidays besides Christmas and Easter - even then Easter is a small affair where I would rather buy the kids gifts than give them more chocolate and Easter in England is about as religious as a sock! Chocolate overpowers the origins and Jesus death is just something covered in school assembly before the power of the Easter Bunny and Chocolate Eggs are back in the forefront of kids minds.
Yes I do also understand that modern Christmas decorations such as christmas trees and decorative wreaths are more symbolism of paganism once again and maybe I am more understanding on the traditions of Christmas because it's something I've been bought up doing. Halloween in the 80's in England was a small affair and once or twice I may have dressed up a witch but that would have been about it.
The world seems to have sold out to everything these days.
Whilst I don't celebrate Halloween and will be a big Scrooge and not be opening the door to trick or treaters this year, (yes, I know it's the wrong time of the year for Scrooge) I wish all those who have Halloween plans this weekend a great time and have fun on thier spooking adventures.
I wasn't aware that Halloween wasn't big other places! You're right.. We prepare for it much like Christmas. There are decorations everywhere.. we do Halloween cookies.. we decorate and carve pumpkins etc. I can't really answer why it's so big, but personally I don't think of it in relation to religion. It's just fun to dress up for the day.. to pretend you're something you're not, I guess.. and it's fun (for me) to be scared. I've always loved scary movies and going to the haunted houses, ghost tours, etc. So it's more about the scariness & different-ness than evilness.. for me anyway!
ReplyDeleteIt is pretty big in Canada too and it is mostly just for kids, they dress up, get candy and have a party. The end. No Halloween at the Jewish school though! LOL!
ReplyDeleteWell, Halloween is nothing to do with the devil. Sure, people dress up as such. But it's really just a commercialization of a pagan holiday, as you pointed out. Hardly anyone knows about All Saints' Day, which is why it's not celebrated, unless the person is of Hispanic descent. There are loads of conservative Christians who refuse to allow their children to participate because they believe it has something to do with Satanism. Americans are just fascinated by horror and scary stuff, so it gets big here. I'm not a big fan of Halloween myself because I think it's not got much of a point, but I let my kids go trick-or-treating.
ReplyDeleteNever underestimate the immense power of MARKETING in our over-indulged, money/power hungry North American society. Tomorrow, November 1st, all of the Halloween displays will have magically disappeared and the shops will be adorned with Red, Green, Silver & Gold - tinsel & wreaths & plastic electric Santas everywhere. Literally - it will happen overnight. We are conditioned to make a big deal out of all of these holidays....if we don't then Wal Mart won't make their hundreds of billions of dollars this year!
ReplyDeleteAnother thought to add to what the other said...it's also a bit like the Holiday of Misrule, where you can indulge yourself and be anything you like.
ReplyDeleteAlso, erm...you may be reading a bit too much into it. After all, we just want to have some fun!
It's not that I'm anti-Halloween, I just have lots more to do this time of year with family birthdays etc. I just think it would be more fun without it being such a big marketing ploy.
ReplyDeleteA bus in Dublin wished Happy Halloween instead of displaying its destination this weekend just gone!
ReplyDeletestrawberri