Today I have departed from my 'normal mode' to have a 'grumpy' moment or two!!
My Encyclopedia tells me that - "Halloween is the evening of 31st.October, when spirits of the dead are supposed to return to their former homes, and witches and demons are thought to be abroad at night. This was the last day of the Celtic and Anglo Saxon year - many modern Halloween customs have their origin in the 'pagan' ceremonies. Halloween gets its name from All Hallows Eve - from the Old English word 'halga' or saint - the evening of All Saints Day, the Western Christian Festival celebrating all the Church's Saints on 1st.November."
Now I put on my 'grumpy old man' hat and protest at the plethora of tatty rubbish on sale in many shops for the so called Halloween celebrations. Parents, please don't encourage this commercial farce - the businesses will say that they are responding to public demand but I think this is another way of saying that they have found another opportunity to increase sales and to create a demand. I'm sure my 'grumpy hat' will be out again for the commercial Christmas!
If you want to spend money on children there are many charities doing good work to provide aid for children in need of shelter, food, clean water, clothing and education. By all means give your own children a treat from your local shop but please don't encourage the waste of the world's resources on rubbish at any time of the year.
If you want to scare the kids then threaten to dance to the 'musak' when you take them to a supermarket, better still what about dancing in front of their friends at the school gate! That could be much more scary than playing at ghosts or witches!!
Seriously though wouldn't it be better to redirect this day to trying to alleviate the 'scary' future that so many children in the world are facing; ignore the commercial temptations - the stores will get the message if you don't buy the goods - and instruct your children to care for others less fortunate than themselves in this world.
Celebrate All Saints Day with a light heart.
Grumpy moment over for the time being. Do enjoy your celebrations responsibly.
Too true. Halloween is the highest grossing retail 'holiday' just behind Christmas. Worse yet is the fact that, as parents become eternal teenagers themselves, the celebration has become (visually) increasingly morbid. within a couple of blocks we have a full sized man hanging from a tree; on another front yard three full sized (ultra realistic looking) zombies and various heads hanging from the porch. Have considered many atime to take a late night stroll and dispense of these!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Our guys have elected not to go out this halloween but to stay in and watch a movie instead. They came to this decision between themselves knowing what the true meaning of the day is.
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