What will you do with Halloween?

Halloween is on October 31st and is becoming a more popular and darker holiday each year.

[DaBroad]

That's one of those things that just annoys the crap outta me. A couple of families in my neighborhood do that - give out candy bars wrapped in bible tracts, or Jesus themed candies (like TestaMints or Scripture Smarties:
http://www.ctainc.com/store/Sweets___Candy...
Every year my kid would come home, look through his candy and say "What's this stuff got to do with Halloween?". He usually wanted to bring the stuff back to the houses he got them from, and after a couple of years he remembered which houses did that and just didn't bother going to them.

I wonder how they'd feel about someone handing out "educational" material about Mithras outside Christmas services, or holding a Easter Egg Hunt using candy adorned with info about Oestara. Not that I'd sink to their level to do that.

I don't know what it is about autumn, but it sure does seem to get me short-tempered about this sort of thing. I guess you could say it brings out the "devil" in me.

[redcrone]

If it isn't christian it must be satanic. what a load of garbage. we have a creepy "fundi" family like that on our street. when my kids were trick-or-treating age they were scared of them and wouldn't go there for fear of being called names by them or having to listen to rants.

To me Samhain is a night to honor those who have gone before us. On Halloween night i plan to be deep in the woods, in front of an altar with my teen-aged kids remembering the lives of grandparents and friends who are gone from our lives now.

[albion]

redcrone wrote:

If it isn't christian it must be satanic. what a load of garbage. we have a creepy "fundi" family like that on our street. when my kids were trick-or-treating age they were scared of them and wouldn't go there for fear of being called names by them or having to listen to rants.
To me Samhain is a night to honor those who have gone before us. On Halloween night i plan to be deep in the woods, in front of an altar with my teen-aged kids remembering the lives of grandparents and friends who are gone from our lives now.

Yours is very much the way to do things for me, i am not comfortable with the commercialisation that surrounds the whole thing, it has gradually expanded here over the last few decades and i find that part sad and the actual real reason for the sabbat not so.

[Natalia Tikimirova]

I personally wish I could be deep in the woods that evening with redcrone.

[Norseceltic]

I will be trick or treating with my boys...enjoy dressing up, watching scary movies, carving pumpkins, enjoy a filling fall harvest dinner and finish the night off by reading something Celtic....Not a thing evil in any of this.....I love Halloween. All Ghosts and Goblins are welcome to my house any day. LOL

[Norseceltic]

DaBroad wrote:

That's one of those things that just annoys the crap outta me. A couple of families in my neighborhood do that - give out candy bars wrapped in bible tracts, or Jesus themed candies (like TestaMints or Scripture Smarties:
http://www.ctainc.com/store/Sweets___Candy...
Every year my kid would come home, look through his candy and say "What's this stuff got to do with Halloween?". He usually wanted to bring the stuff back to the houses he got them from, and after a couple of years he remembered which houses did that and just didn't bother going to them.
I wonder how they'd feel about someone handing out "educational" material about Mithras outside Christmas services, or holding a Easter Egg Hunt using candy adorned with info about Oestara. Not that I'd sink to their level to do that.
I don't know what it is about autumn, but it sure does seem to get me short-tempered about this sort of thing. I guess you could say it brings out the "devil" in me.

Don't let the fundies get you down. Autumn is the most beautiful time of the year. Enjoy every minute of the leaves changing color...the smell of crisp air....the full harvest moon....football....Thanksgivi ng....and family traditions. Autumn always makes me feel cozy.

[Pagan and Proud]

DaBroad wrote:

That's one of those things that just annoys the crap outta me. A couple of families in my neighborhood do that - give out candy bars wrapped in bible tracts, or Jesus themed candies (like TestaMints or Scripture Smarties:
http://www.ctainc.com/store/Sweets___Candy...
Every year my kid would come home, look through his candy and say "What's this stuff got to do with Halloween?". He usually wanted to bring the stuff back to the houses he got them from, and after a couple of years he remembered which houses did that and just didn't bother going to them.
I wonder how they'd feel about someone handing out "educational" material about Mithras outside Christmas services, or holding a Easter Egg Hunt using candy adorned with info about Oestara. Not that I'd sink to their level to do that.
I don't know what it is about autumn, but it sure does seem to get me short-tempered about this sort of thing. I guess you could say it brings out the "devil" in me.

I guess the thing which just makes me laugh is that Halloween is one of theirs, not "ours". All Hallows Eve is Christian, taken FROM Samhain...Of course the actual Samhain date really varies The "Old" date for Samhain occurs when the sun has reached 15 degrees in Scorpio.(November 6th this year).
http://faeriekat.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/wit...

[DaBroad]

Well, this year Boy is too old to go trick-or-treating (he's 15 - he's old enough to get a part time job and buy his own damn candy). We're planning on having a couple of friends over, maybe watch a movie. We don't get any trick-or-treaters, since we live in an apartment building, which I think is odd. When I was a kid, we LOVED apartment buildings. You get to stay warm, and have a shorter distance to walk between doors. Apartment buildings were CHA-CHING!

During the day we've got the gi-normous Halloween Parade. After all, I live in the "Halloween Capital of the World". That started because kids were out cow and outhouse tipping, and parents thought that this would give them something to occupy their time and keep 'em out of trouble. I LOVE the parade here. We have the Grey Ghost Marathon that comes down the street before the parade, which is great because at least half the runners are in costumes, sometimes groups in a theme. Then the parade, which can take about 3 hours. All the high school bands, boy scouts, politicians, floats for the town festivals all done up in Halloween theme. Even all the local churches get in on it.

And boy, do they love to throw the candy.

Actually, there are 3 parades altogether - a torchlinght parade the Saturday before, a children's parade (all the local grade schools) on Friday, and then the Grand Day Parade on Saturday. We usually make the national news, and sometimes the international news. Biggest Halloween parade in the world, as far as I know.

There's also wine tasting and a medallion hunt. I don't know if the Fire Department is hosting a chili cook-off this year.

http://anokahalloween.com/

[Norseceltic]

DaBroad wrote:

Well, this year Boy is too old to go trick-or-treating (he's 15 - he's old enough to get a part time job and buy his own damn candy). We're planning on having a couple of friends over, maybe watch a movie. We don't get any trick-or-treaters, since we live in an apartment building, which I think is odd. When I was a kid, we LOVED apartment buildings. You get to stay warm, and have a shorter distance to walk between doors. Apartment buildings were CHA-CHING!
During the day we've got the gi-normous Halloween Parade. After all, I live in the "Halloween Capital of the World". That started because kids were out cow and outhouse tipping, and parents thought that this would give them something to occupy their time and keep 'em out of trouble. I LOVE the parade here. We have the Grey Ghost Marathon that comes down the street before the parade, which is great because at least half the runners are in costumes, sometimes groups in a theme. Then the parade, which can take about 3 hours. All the high school bands, boy scouts, politicians, floats for the town festivals all done up in Halloween theme. Even all the local churches get in on it.
And boy, do they love to throw the candy.
Actually, there are 3 parades altogether - a torchlinght parade the Saturday before, a children's parade (all the local grade schools) on Friday, and then the Grand Day Parade on Saturday. We usually make the national news, and sometimes the international news. Biggest Halloween parade in the world, as far as I know.
There's also wine tasting and a medallion hunt. I don't know if the Fire Department is hosting a chili cook-off this year.
http://anokahalloween.com/

That looks like a whole lot of fun. Before we moved to TN..we use to go to Salem, MA for Halloween. That's a must do. www.hauntedhappenings.org A bit of a far ride for us now.

[DaBroad]

I've been to Salem once, when I was a kid. We took a trip up to the area to see all the historic stuff - I remember visiting the House of Seven Gables, and there was some sort of cheesy "witch museum" with dusty manequins stirring cauldrons. I remember being rather disappointed that there weren't any "real witches", just some lady in a flowery caftan who said she was a witch. Of course, I was about 10 years old at the time. I've always wanted to go back now that I'm older and know a little bit more about the history of the area.

[Pagan and Proud]

DaBroad wrote:

I've been to Salem once, when I was a kid. We took a trip up to the area to see all the historic stuff - I remember visiting the House of Seven Gables, and there was some sort of cheesy "witch museum" with dusty manequins stirring cauldrons. I remember being rather disappointed that there weren't any "real witches", just some lady in a flowery caftan who said she was a witch. Of course, I was about 10 years old at the time. I've always wanted to go back now that I'm older and know a little bit more about the history of the area.

I don't know, I do have a morbid fascination with wanting to experience Salem once but something tells me that it would really just tick me off more than anything. I don't like Laurie Cabot, I feel like the huge overmarketing of the idea of the Holiday makes it more of a cheap spectacle akin to peering in the door of a cathouse than anything I remember as being "Halloween" when I was a kid, and overall I sort of feel the same way about it as I do toward the Christmas crap when you can't find anything for Halloween in the store a week before Halloween because all the displays have been gutted to make way for the shiny plastic trees.
I don't expect the entire world to see it as I do but still watching the abortion which passes for the holidays now makes me die a little inside. Where's the "fun"? Where's the coming together and enjoying the company of family and friends as you participate? Where's the making of your own costume, hay rides, apple bobbing, bonfires and the house that everybody went to because they gave out money instead of candy(nickels and dimes)? Heck, most of the "trick or treating" which is done now happens before it even gets dark, where's the scary/spooky/fun in that?

I feel old.

[Norseceltic]

DaBroad wrote:

I've been to Salem once, when I was a kid. We took a trip up to the area to see all the historic stuff - I remember visiting the House of Seven Gables, and there was some sort of cheesy "witch museum" with dusty manequins stirring cauldrons. I remember being rather disappointed that there weren't any "real witches", just some lady in a flowery caftan who said she was a witch. Of course, I was about 10 years old at the time. I've always wanted to go back now that I'm older and know a little bit more about the history of the area.

LOL...I do agree the witch museum is cheesy. I enjoy the history of Salem most. They have a library that is quite old and we went from room to room as they told stories....then it led out to the courtyard where they had a big bonfire and refreshments. I also enjoy their ghost tours. The cemeteries where neat where sara good was laid to rest. The food is fantastic, but the best part of Salem is by far its history.

[PuffinLady]

DaBroad wrote:

I've been to Salem once, when I was a kid. We took a trip up to the area to see all the historic stuff - I remember visiting the House of Seven Gables, and there was some sort of cheesy "witch museum" with dusty manequins stirring cauldrons. I remember being rather disappointed that there weren't any "real witches", just some lady in a flowery caftan who said she was a witch. Of course, I was about 10 years old at the time. I've always wanted to go back now that I'm older and know a little bit more about the history of the area.

Oh you should definitely go. It's certainly become the haven for actual Witches, Wiccans and Neo-Pagans of all paths.
Besides some of the 'cheesy' stuff there really are some good museums. I love it there. I thought this year I'd actually be able to go in October but with all the college stuff we're doing now plus my upcoming Berlin trip, there was no way.
And it has Laurie Cabot :)
~Ilona~

[PuffinLady]

And this year we are actually going to the famous (in NY anyway) Greenwich Village Parade. My cousin lives down there and she's always involved. But we're bringing my daughter and some of her friends. It'll be fun!!! I just don't know what my costume will be yet.

[Norseceltic]

Pagan and Proud wrote:

<quoted text> I don't know, I do have a morbid fascination with wanting to experience Salem once but something tells me that it would really just tick me off more than anything. I don't like Laurie Cabot, I feel like the huge overmarketing of the idea of the Holiday makes it more of a cheap spectacle akin to peering in the door of a cathouse than anything I remember as being "Halloween" when I was a kid, and overall I sort of feel the same way about it as I do toward the Christmas crap when you can't find anything for Halloween in the store a week before Halloween because all the displays have been gutted to make way for the shiny plastic trees.
I don't expect the entire world to see it as I do but still watching the abortion which passes for the holidays now makes me die a little inside. Where's the "fun"? Where's the coming together and enjoying the company of family and friends as you participate? Where's the making of your own costume, hay rides, apple bobbing, bonfires and the house that everybody went to because they gave out money instead of candy(nickels and dimes)? Heck, most of the "trick or treating" which is done now happens before it even gets dark, where's the scary/spooky/fun in that?
I feel old.

Don't feel old...that kid inside you sounds like a whole lot of fun (hay rides, bon fires, trick or treating...it boils down to us making our own traditions with our families.

[True One]

My son and I get a thrill every year by "being scared" and "scaring the shit out of people". Its quite a rush and funny as hell. The city I live in puts together a haunted house every year and every year we go. This year my son and I did a graveyard theme in front of our house. I'm gonna be a scary witch and He's gonna have a freaky mask on with a chainsaw(no chain of course). And when people come to our door they're gonna leave very afraid. Lol. Some think it's mean but we love it and believe it or not most people do to.

[Norseceltic]

True One wrote:

My son and I get a thrill every year by "being scared" and "scaring the shit out of people". Its quite a rush and funny as hell. The city I live in puts together a haunted house every year and every year we go. This year my son and I did a graveyard theme in front of our house. I'm gonna be a scary witch and He's gonna have a freaky mask on with a chainsaw(no chain of course). And when people come to our door they're gonna leave very afraid. Lol. Some think it's mean but we love it and believe it or not most people do to.

LOL well it is "trick" or treat. It's good to hear some people still have the spirit.

[Pagan and Proud]

Norseceltic wrote:

<quoted text> Don't feel old...that kid inside you sounds like a whole lot of fun (hay rides, bon fires, trick or treating...it boils down to us making our own traditions with our families.

That's just it, when I was a kid, it wasn't just "our family", the whole damn neighborhood did stuff together. Now if you get 2 families in the same vicinity together it takes an act of congress and the rest think they are weirdos.

[Norseceltic]

Pagan and Proud wrote:

<quoted text>That's just it, when I was a kid, it wasn't just "our family", the whole damn neighborhood did stuff together. Now if you get 2 families in the same vicinity together it takes an act of congress and the rest think they are weirdos.

True...I miss those days. The way I see it is people who don't celebrate it and hand out those christian candies are the weirdos!!

[jxn]

As to this "article", I agree with the rest of you... what a bunch of bs. As for the bible tracts and other Christian paraphernalia that these "do-gooders" attempt to slip into the bags of unsuspecting trick-or-treaters, I think it should be outlawed. If nothing else, give the common courtesy of asking the parents first or just handing it to the parents. Most people ask if it's ok for a baby to have a sucker, right? They would have a cow if I slipped Pagan related material into their children's candy bags. Hubby and I try to keep an eye on what is going into our daughter's bag (for many reasons) and if we see something that we don't agree with, find inappropriate, or that could be dangerous, we remove it and hand it back to the giver with a polite, "No, thank you." Thankfully, we haven't had but a couple of these incidents in the 8 years our daughter has been a trick-or-treater.

As for our Halloween/Samhain plans... this Saturday we are going to a huge get to together with friends for feasting, hay riding, pumpkin carving, etc. We anticipate a good, old-fashioned time. On Halloween, we will start the day with a festive breakfast of apple pancakes. The day will be spent hanging out together, honoring our ancestors, pigging out on sweets, preparing for the night, etc. We will have a traditional dinner before heading out for some night time fun of tricking or treating. After which, we will return home for a marathon of scary movies and passing out candy (we are some of the ones that trick or treat earlier in the evening because it gets quite cold as the night gets later and I'm a wiener when it comes to the cold. LOL).

Happy Samhain to you all!! I hope your night is safe and filled with great merriment.