While you are trick or treating a child will be sacrificed! (and it's your fault)

[Cleopatra7]

8 hours ago, laPapessaGiovanna said:

Personally I noticed that people who believe in transubstantiation, resurrection, miracles, demons, angels, saints and exorcisms (basically every fundie lite Catholic) often belive in magic, if not completely at least at some degree. When my father (an otherwise extremely rational man but educated by my very Catholic late grandma) tells me that ill will from people can make you ill and that it happens I always reel in shock, but many more people that I'd care to admit believe in the occult. Probably because the RCC even sustaining science and philosophy never denied magic as something that can alter the fabric of reality, it just claimed it was evil and satanic. The RCC officially fights against superstitions but not denying its valency because this would empty it of meaning as the evil counterpart of the goodness. And imho "magic thought" is the basis for both sets of beliefs if you can deny the reality of one you have no problem denying the other too. In fact where magic and superstitions aren't believed the culture is slowly but surely becoming post Christian. 

Belief in miracles, angels, and demons are common among traditionalists, but I've noticed that their ideas of miracles are suspiciously well-mannered. That is, they have no problem with a dainty weeping statue or even a bleeding host, but they won't pit one Marian apparition against another to obtain a favor in the way a Catholic might in pre-modern times. A more extreme example would be the medieval English belief that the Eucharist was a powerful source of magic, and whoever possessed it could use it for their own ends, which included (but was not limited to) making someone fall in love with them, curing sick humans and animals, making crops grow, and killing insects on crops. Consequently, people would smuggle consecrated wafers out of churches for magical purposes, and the church hierarchy didn't really try to persuade them to stop other than locking the Eucharist up, because they thought it was a waste of time to expect "ordinary Christians" to understand why this practice was wrong. Modern traditionalists would be horrified at the idea of stealing the Eucharist for magical purposes, but medieval English Christians thought that they respected the Eucharist so much that they wanted to use its power to solve their earthly problems.

However, I do agree with you that there are more magical elements in Catholicism, even in its more "rational" forms, than non-Pentecostal Protestantism. Keith Thomas's main thesis in "Religion and the Decline of Magic" is that the eagerness for Protestants, especially Puritans, to debunk the more magical aspects of Catholicism caused the magical worldview to gradually die out in England. In traditionally Catholic countries, the loss of the magical worldview obviously would have taken a different trajectory. But even among those individuals in the West who still believe in the evil eye and other folk beliefs, there's not a call to actively fight against witches. If a fundie has a Wiccan neighbor, and the fundie decides to kill the Wiccan as a pre-emptive move to please god, that fundie is going to go to prison, full stop. In comparison, an accused witch can be killed in rural Nigeria or Ghana and there is a good chance the murders won't be prosecuted.

[laPapessaGiovanna]

1 hour ago, Lurky said:

I disagree with this.  Traditional Hallowe'en, and trick or treating, pumpkin lanterns etc, is something that's been done in Britain for decades - BUT Hallowe'en as a festival of consumerism, that you have to buy a ton of stuff for, is seen as very American in a lot of Europe precisely because it's becoming not about the traditions, but about conspicuous consumption.

Now, I know #NotAllUSA, of course I do, BUT we get a lot of USA media pushing Hallowe'en as about eg young women in sexy costumes, and covering the  house with a ton of plastic stuff, and everything being themed, and having to buy big costumes and have huge parties. 

And a lot of USA-based companies (like Walmart, which owns the Asda supermarket here) pushing Hallowe'en in a big way.  So I see the push-back against the "Americanisation" of Hallowe'en is a push-back at US media and corporations (which of course is nothing to do with average USA people) and wanting to have something more low-key and fun, and doesn't involve spending a lot of money.

I guess my TL;DR is that from my perspective, the "Americanisation" thing is about how it's celebrated, not that it's celebrated - and it's not "USA people are bad".

You can understand then that when what you described happens in a country where Halloween isn't a tradition at all and was nearly unheard of until very recently (I am still fairly young and I have heard of Halloween for the first time in my teens) it becomes grotesque. All what remains of the whole thing is the consumeristic aspect. Most people have no idea of what the Mexican fest of the Dead is (if they even know it exists), or of who Jack O'Lantern is, they know "trick or treat" because of movies and cartoons, but going around the 31th night in my neighbourhood looking for treats would be completely out of place.

As it would be a bit absurd if on 13th December a blind lady in white with her donkey came at a school in the US to give children presents and treats. Just because in my part of the world it happens and it's the most heartfelt and magic day of the year for every child. 

I told my daughter that children in another part of the world have a lot of fun on marvellous Halloween but she won't live it, she will live Santa Lucia though.

7 hours ago, FundieWatcher said:

Modern Halloween is a beautiful blend of several different traditions. It reflects the multiculturalism of America- with elements taken from All Saints' Day, Mexico's Day of the Dead, and other end of harvest festivals from around the world.  All the different Halloween traditions have ancient origins associated with the season- dressing up in costumes, bobbing for apples, treat or treating, bonfires, and even decorating with skulls, tombstones, and  ghosts. Halloween picked up fun practices from here and there and is something that is enjoyable for a lot of people. Not evil. Certainly not pointless.  People who dismiss it as American so therfore inherently stupid are just showing their bigotry.

It's a sad thing to say but I think part of the problem here is that people don't have much sympathy for the US, for many more or less comprehensible reasons. In such a contest people feel that the consumeristic proliferation of cheap made in China Halloween themed gadgets is a sort of cultural colonisation based on the idea of creating a new market more than on exporting something culturally meaningful. To this add the war moved on Halloween by the RCC (to be honest this is the main reason many adolescents and young adults celebrate it, because it's the "rebellious thing") because it's "evil" *rolls eyes. 

Quote

Fundies who dimiss it as though it had a single origin show their ignorance. 

You can always trust fundie's ignorance. 

[Grimalkin]

38 minutes ago, Terrie said:

No, those nasty black and orange wax paper wrapped peanut butter taffy-ish things. They're always stale and just blech.

Those go in the mailbox of the person who gave them. I thought everyone did that.

[Four is Enough]

I believe in transubstantiation, angels, demons, ghosts, and Halloween. I also believe in magic, if you call Santa "magic", or the joy that comes from little traditions as described above. What is the harm with the old legends?  What stories and songs did the Blessed Mother say to her child(ren)? 

We tried, when we were younger, to introduce some "christian" music and stories into our children's lives. We, my sister and me, as Catholics, preferred "children's lives of the saints" type stuff or bible stories for children, but we did get some of the more mainstream stuff. What we got was a bunch of  "children, listen to your parents as God, or bad things will happen to you, and be sure to praise God when you get in and out of trouble". But who would prefer that to a good, gory, fairy tale? Still must listen to your parents. But the imagery, the language, the adventure is waay better, and to my mind, makes a more memorable point. Magic!

Do not get me started on the music. Repetitive pap. "love God, Praise God, I do, you should too" ad nauseum. Can't anyone write a song with some lyrics already? Engage the imagination, you'll get the magic!

Or at least give me a good "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence". Words. Music. Magic.

[FundieWatcher]

32 minutes ago, laPapessaGiovanna said:

In such a contest people feel that the consumeristic proliferation of cheap made in China Halloween themed gadgets is a sort of cultural colonisation based on the idea of creating a new market more than on exporting something culturally meaningful.

I certainly won't agrue with that. My perspective is that the consumerism part of Halloween isn't a holistic representation of the holiday. Sure, we by too much disposable crap that we don't need. But the actual day(s) and events are about fun autumn traditions with your friends and family. I certainly respect that other places gave there own customs (some that also seem peculiar to outsiders). It would be nice if that respect for our tradition was reciprocated. 

[Terrie]

5 minutes ago, Four is Enough said:

Do not get me started on the music. Repetitive pap. "love God, Praise God, I do, you should too" ad nauseum. Can't anyone write a song with some lyrics already? Engage the imagination, you'll get the magic!

Epic Classical choral music. I admit, not exactly aimed at kids, but hard to top.

[purple_summer]

Our "church" used to do a Holy Ghost devil roast. No candy but we did get s'mores roasted over the burning remains of our CDs, movies, and other cursed things- all set to the soundtrack of Carmen's greatest hits. 

 

I'm pretty sure we burned a piñata one year. 

[lilwriter85]

3 hours ago, VelociRapture said:

Any movement that would deny me adorable kids in costumes or candy or Santa is inherently evil. EVIL I SAY!!!!

Says the totally mature, soon to be mother of one, 28 year-old Dinosaur. 

On a serious note, I can see arguments about scaling back because of commercialism. I don't think it's fair for people to advocate for an outright ban on holidays like Halloween - but if a family decides they don't want to celebrate for any reason then that's fine with me. You do you and leave me b

I agree on scaling back on things. The guy I'm working said that he's  fine with his step daughter not celebrating. He has issues more with her starting arguments  with his wife over Chrismas decorations and movies.

[fundiefan]

Dear Jesus,

Please just save the babies from the occult and stop letting your followers blame those of us who are smart enough to the know the difference between summoning satan and having a bit of fun.

Thanks.

[VelociRapture]

12 minutes ago, fundiefan said:

Dear Jesus,

Please just save the babies from the occult and stop letting your followers blame those of us who are smart enough to the know the difference between summoning satan and having a bit of fun.

Thanks.

... there's a difference? Well... fuck... what are we supposed to do for fun on Halloween now?! 

[Terrie]

3 hours ago, VelociRapture said:

... there's a difference? Well... fuck... what are we supposed to do for fun on Halloween now?! 

Recruit for "teh gays"?

[BabyBottlePop]

My family is Catholic, and Halloween was never an issue. The only thing is that I remember we were never allowed to dress up as the devil, but everything else was on the table. 

Our Catholicism was definitely tied in with our Irish heritage, and sometimes taken with a grain of salt. Maybe if we had been a bit more devout Halloween would have been seen differently. 

While I love to read about saints, I have to say, a "holywins" Halloween would be a majority of monks, nuns and priests. Only 3 costume choices is no fun! 

[JMO]

I'm having a hard time getting past her name being Penny Raine and that her husband is a preacher called Jumpin Jim. 

[Cleopatra7]

5 hours ago, Four is Enough said:

I believe in transubstantiation, angels, demons, ghosts, and Halloween. I also believe in magic, if you call Santa "magic", or the joy that comes from little traditions as described above. What is the harm with the old legends?  What stories and songs did the Blessed Mother say to her child(ren)?

There's a difference between taking joy in the legend of Santa Claus, knowing full well that Santa is entirely fictional, and believing that your poverty is caused by ancestral curses, witchcraft, and demonic influences, as is the case in much of Africa. Even those Western Christians who believe in angels and demons don't believe that these entities are micromanaging human affairs, which was once a common belief in the West. Western fundies may believe in the supernatural, but they don't have an enchanted worldview in the way African Christian do. For Protestant fundies in particular, the world consists of humans, god, and that's pretty much it. This lengthy but informativ quote from Christianity, Development and Modernity in Africa by Paul Gifford of University of London will help illustrate what I mean:

Quote

In traditional African religion there is (most often) a supreme being, and lesser deities, ancestors, and spirits dwelling in rocks, rivers, trees, animals and various objects. All spirits have powers which can affect humans. The physical realm and the realm of the spirit are not separate from each other. Nothing is purely matter. This world is one of action and counteraction of potent forces, spirit acting upon spirit. A stronger or higher being can easily destroy or impair the weaker or lower, and since humans are relatively low beings, they can be controlled by the former. A stronger or higher spirit acting negatively upon the spirit of any human may affect the whole family, clan or state. It therefore becomes a central concern to avoid this or, where it is suspected to be imminent, ward it off quickly. The absence of such negative forces forms the idea of the good life. Religion is very largely the means of manipulating these forces. Deities are consulted to ward off negative influence in important matters, but consultations are also used for lesser evils like failure to find a husband, infertility, giving birth to unhealthy offspring, and failure in business and education. Of course, these spirits may be manipulated by others, particularly to inflict evil. Consulting at shrines serves normally to discover why individual persons or communities are suffering particular afflictions. Causality is to be discerned primarily in the spirit realm, although natural causality is not entirely disregarded.

(p.14) This enchanted religious imagination has not, as many missionaries predicted, died out. It is widely encountered in Africa today, particularly in what we can call ‘witchcraft’. Admittedly, the word is unsatisfactory, but since it is the word most often used, let it stand. Let me illustrate the persistence of this enchanted religious imagination in Africa.

...

This enchanted Christianity is widespread. Rather than amass examples from different countries, let me give an extended example of an African Pentecostal church illustrating this enchanted religious imagination, the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), founded by Daniel Olukoya in Lagos in 1989. The church claims that its regular Sunday attendance at headquarters makes it the largest single Christian congregation in Africa (the figure has usually been given as 120,000, but a 2012 church magazine increased this to 200,000). It has spread widely, even outside Africa. Its founder has promoted his Christianity in over 200 books (in 2012, 217 publications were listed, (p.20) of which thirty-six were translated into French). I make no claim to have read all Olukoya’s literature (many books are out of print), nor to have attended the church regularly, but over the last twenty years it is one of the churches in which I have taken a special interest. The following treatment of his particular Christianity is based on his literature, his website, and attendance at MFM church services in Nigeria, Ghana, and London. For the moment, I am not presenting Olukoya’s church as representative of African Pentecostalism; rather as an example of this form of Christianity pushed to its limits. I present it as an example that enables me to make my main point as clearly, simply and strongly as I can.

Olukoya teaches that all Christians have a glorious God-given destiny here in this world. ‘Every born again Christian is destined for an all-round success. Success is your kingdom right. It is your covenant and redemptive right.’15 But we are all prey to spiritual forces determined ‘to pollute, trap and destroy people’s destiny’.16 Most frequently mentioned is witchcraft, the exercise of supernatural powers by people who are in league with the devil, through manipulation, even with the use of satanic weapons. One becomes a witch either by inheritance (often through one’s witch-mother), or through a personal decision (perhaps to obtain great wealth), or by force (some are simply not strong enough to resist initiation), but many are unaware they are witches (‘blind witches’), either because they think their nocturnal activities are simply dreams, or because they have been unconsciously ensnared through sex with witchcraft agents.

The signs of being bewitched are any denial of your divine destiny: being ‘almost there’ but never arriving; the discovery on moving to a new place that you no longer progress; financial embarrassment; financial or spiritual stagnation; the need to work unnecessarily hard before achieving anything; investing in your business but nevertheless eventually losing all; inexplicably high debts; mysterious sicknesses; perpetually losing money (‘leaking pockets’); feeling rejected by everyone. And so on—Olukoya admits that ‘the list is almost endless’.17

(p.21) Another category of destructive spirits is marine spirits, which are particularly destructive satanic agents, found widely in Africa. They control riverine areas, and thus are particularly to be found among riverine peoples, whose propensity to sexual laxity and general backwardness owe much to them.18 Marine spirits are more powerful than witchcraft spirits, and nothing is outside their sphere of influence. ‘Survey the entire complete range of calamities (that affect humans) and you discover that most of them are planned and executed by marine spirits.’19 Many people have been initiated into the marine kingdom unbeknown to themselves. Marine spirits can deposit strange items (like beads, mirrors, necklaces, snakes, fish and plates) into people’s bodies.

Marine spirits are closely associated with sex. They inspire sexual dreams. Marine spirits are particularly associated with female beauty; a woman attractive to men is almost certainly one, and ‘most of the attractive ladies which litter our streets are from the marine kingdom’.20 Their sway is extensive. Among other things, they control commerce, trade and the economy; they control alcohol production and the world of cosmetics, hair styling and fashion: ‘Most of the styles which are in vogue today are introduced by water spirits… The seductive dresses which most ladies put on today are fashioned from the marine kingdom.’21

Marine bondage has many sources, including the following: polygamy (of many wives, you can be sure that at least one is a member of the marine kingdom); ancestors; parents who are marine agents ‘unbeknown to you’; friends who belong to water societies; fetish priests; ‘white garment churches’ (AICs); dedication of babies near rivers; parties and discos (especially with women in seductive dresses and dancing suggestively); marine hair styles; Satan-inspired music; clothes borrowed from people who are marine agents; gifts of rings, bangles, necklaces; sex with marine agents; visiting rivers or streams for cultural reasons. Again, the list is almost endless.

Signs of bondage include: difficulty in praying, fasting and living the Christian life; unprovoked anger; dreaming of water; difficulty in finding (p.22) a partner; an unstable marriage and uncontrollable sexual urges; strange sicknesses and a general failure to progress. The only solution to the problem of marine spirits is repentance, a holy life, and deliverance, often extensive deliverance—one man who fell into a river, and was detained in the marine kingdom for six months, on release needed twenty-five deliverance sessions before he was set free.

Yet another category of spiritual forces is a spirit spouse. There are different forms of spiritual marriage. Some know they are involved in such a marriage, but over 90 per cent who are spiritually married are unconscious of the fact. Some are forced into spiritual marriages (by, for example, being raped in dreams). ‘The problem is so pronounced that 90 per cent of African women are trapped spiritually.’22

One becomes married spiritually in many different ways: through immorality; through receiving gifts from an evil agent whose demonic identity is usually unknown to the recipient; through involvement in African cultural entertainment and dances; through inheriting a family priesthood (which normally involves marriage to some deity); through wearing seductive dresses which attract spirit husbands (such spirits ‘introduce the majority of the styles that are prevalent today’,23 and for a woman to persist in wearing trousers is to offer herself in marriage to demonic husbands); through hairstyles and artificial hair attachments; through the sexual covenant established with your first sexual partner; through masturbation; through religious baths; through alcohol and drugs; through manipulation of articles of underwear so they become points of contact with spiritual spouses; through sexual perversion. Sex with a prostitute automatically gives entrance to the demons of the last seven men who had sex with the prostitute, and to all the spirit husbands of the prostitute. Children of a prostitute or concubine are automatically affected.

The indications of spiritual marriage are many, but essentially the absence of the victory that should be a Christian’s. All these are signs of spiritual marriage: marital, social, financial and spiritual emptiness; misfortune; ‘profitless hard work’; disharmony in marriage; irregular or painful menstruating. The indications are so many that ‘the activities of a spirit husband or wife can hardly be completely enumerated’.24 (p.23) The solution to manipulation by spiritual spouses includes repentance, atonement, a holy life, returning gifts which created the relationship, and especially the binding and casting out of spouses by oneself or more probably by a deliverance minister.

Another source of spiritual bondage is a curse made against a person or group of people. Curses are of various kinds. They include curses of divorce, poverty, stagnancy, backwardness, defeat, oppression, and general failure. Ancestral curses are ubiquitous, especially in Africa where 95 per cent of problems stem from ancestors,25 which is ‘why nine out of ten Africans would need to go through deliverance to enjoy their lives’.26 Ancestral bondage can last up to 500 years. Places also can be cursed. There are forty different problems (ranging from poverty to wastage and to ‘lack of maintenance’) that Olukoya lists as stemming from one’s place of origin.27

Once again, you can recognize you are under a curse from signs like the following: struggling without fulfilment or ‘profitless hard work’; failure to gain promotion; the recurrence of misfortune; failure where others succeed; promising beginnings which nevertheless always turn to failure; recurring sickness; being robbed of the blessings you are entitled to; encountering a ceiling curtailing your achievements. If your mother has been divorced several times and you are undergoing marital troubles yourself, the cause is probably a curse. If you come from a village where no one has ever built his own house, the whole village is probably under a curse.

A very frequent way of discovering you are under a curse or attacked by some spirit is through dreams. Dreams reveal what is going on in the spirit realm. More than that, they effect what they reveal.28 Dreams about accidents, carrying loads, closed doors, hair, begging, wearing rags, leaking pockets, thieves, rats, growing old, chains, having property confiscated, coffins, being lost in the forest, black shadows, screaming, eating assorted foods, snakes, water, dead relatives or masquerades all indicate that the devil is attacking you. Olukoya interprets the content of dreams, thereby identifying the particular area under attack and the satanic agent responsible. A dream about carrying a (p.24) basket indicates a satanic plan to make you suffer loss. Consuming alcohol indicates the spirit of confusion. Corpses indicate the spirit of death. Cobwebs indicate the spirit of rejection: ‘The devil is trying to render your life useless’.29 Earrings indicate the enemy’s attempt to turn you into a slave. Padlocks indicate that your blessings have been locked up. A broken-down car indicates an attack ‘on the wheel of your progress’.30 And so on. Olukoya says of the indications of satanic attack: ‘The list is almost endless’.31

 

[purple_summer]

1 hour ago, BabyBottlePop said:

While I love to read about saints, I have to say, a "holywins" Halloween would be a majority of monks, nuns and priests. Only 3 costume choices is no fun! 

I had a friend who dressed up as Lazarus one year. You'd be surprised what people come up with in a pinch.

[EmainMacha]

I'm living in the UK  and recently a lot of people have been telling me what a shame it is that Hallowe'en, an American holiday, has taken over from Guy Fawkes in many ways. I'm kind of sick of explaining that Hallowe'en is an Irish holiday and quite a big deal back home.

Yes there's been a commercialisation of the holiday and things like trick or treat have become more popular but Hallowe'en has always been celebrated in Ireland. It was Samhain before it was Hallowe'en and the bonfires I went to as a child were carrying on the tradition of our ancestors from pagan times.

I miss Hallowe'en from when I was a kid. It was great fun:)

[FloraKitty35]

8 hours ago, Terrie said:

No, those nasty black and orange wax paper wrapped peanut butter taffy-ish things. They're always stale and just blech.

She'll give them the worst candy of them all, Necco wafers.  (To me) They taste like colored dust.  

[Destiny]

Sigh. I get so tired of the evil witches sacrifice babies to Satan on Halloween shit. Show me the proof people!

FTR, I consider myself pagan, and the evil pagans I know all celebrate Samhain.....sans blood sacrifices. 

[EmainMacha]

6 minutes ago, Destiny said:

Sigh. I get so tired of the evil witches sacrifice babies to Satan on Halloween shit. Show me the proof people!

FTR, I consider myself pagan, and the evil pagans I know all celebrate Samhain.....sans blood sacrifices. 

Exactly! Samhain never had anything to do with blood sacrifices. I don't get where that idea comes from. I mean I see how back in the day when Christianity was usurping the old ways, and then later with cultural clashes between English and Irish practices, propaganda would be used to denigrate and frighten people. But a frigging Google search can tell people now that sacrifice isn't a part of Samhain.

(I should say I'm not Pagan but we did learn about the history of some of the old festivals as kids)

[samurai_sarah]

15 hours ago, FundieWatcher said:

(snip)

People who dismiss it as American so therfore inherently stupid are just showing their bigotry. (snip)

I agree with all of your post, except for that.

Do you celebrate the 30th of April? If you don't, do I get to call you stupid and a bigot? I don't think you are either if you don't, I think you don't know the cultural significance. In the very Catholic region of Germany that I come from, the 30th of April is known as Hexennacht (literally "witches' night"). No one dresses up, no one trick or treats, children and teenagers just trick. It's just making mischief, and no one can blame you, because it was "the witches".

Halloween, on the other hand, is just a foreign holiday. We don't celebrate it, because...why would we? It just isn't meaningful. That doesn't make us stupid and/or bigots. It just means that we don't consider Halloween culturally significant, just like probably most of FJ wouldn't consider celebrating the 30th of April.

[bal maiden]

11 hours ago, Lurky said:

I disagree with this.  Traditional Hallowe'en, and trick or treating, pumpkin lanterns etc, is something that's been done in Britain for decades - BUT Hallowe'en as a festival of consumerism, that you have to buy a ton of stuff for, is seen as very American in a lot of Europe precisely because it's becoming not about the traditions, but about conspicuous consumption.

Now, I know #NotAllUSA, of course I do, BUT we get a lot of USA media pushing Hallowe'en as about eg young women in sexy costumes, and covering the  house with a ton of plastic stuff, and everything being themed, and having to buy big costumes and have huge parties. 

And a lot of USA-based companies (like Walmart, which owns the Asda supermarket here) pushing Hallowe'en in a big way.  So I see the push-back against the "Americanisation" of Hallowe'en is a push-back at US media and corporations (which of course is nothing to do with average USA people) and wanting to have something more low-key and fun, and doesn't involve spending a lot of money.

I guess my TL;DR is that from my perspective, the "Americanisation" thing is about how it's celebrated, not that it's celebrated - and it's not "USA people are bad".

British person who lives in the US here. Your post sums up exactly what I wanted to say. It feels like most 'holidays' over here are much more about consumption than the corresponding events in Europe. Never met a European who spends money on seasonal couch cushions... 

 

@Cleopatra7 thanks for the interesting posts! I am going to track down that book and read it 

[lawfulevil]

9 hours ago, purple_summer said:

Our "church" used to do a Holy Ghost devil roast. No candy but we did get s'mores roasted over the burning remains of our CDs, movies, and other cursed things- all set to the soundtrack of Carmen's greatest hits. 

 

I'm pretty sure we burned a piñata one year. 

That sounds really food-safe. And appetizing. Nothing like that great burning plastic smell to add interest to dessert.

(Don't burn plastic, folks - http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/6/2/1096855/-PSA-Burning-Plastic-Can-Kill-You )

[Childless]

12 hours ago, EmainMacha said:

I'm living in the UK  and recently a lot of people have been telling me what a shame it is that Hallowe'en, an American holiday, has taken over from Guy Fawkes in many ways. I'm kind of sick of explaining that Hallowe'en is an Irish holiday and quite a big deal back home.

Yes there's been a commercialisation of the holiday and things like trick or treat have become more popular but Hallowe'en has always been celebrated in Ireland. It was Samhain before it was Hallowe'en and the bonfires I went to as a child were carrying on the tradition of our ancestors from pagan times.

I miss Hallowe'en from when I was a kid. It was great fun:)

Every holiday is commercialized now.  I'm not sure why everyone complains about Halloween.  Christmas is way, way, way more commercialized than Halloween.  Good lord, stores have been carrying Christmas trees since September.  It's why I hate Christmas so much.  By the time December roles around I'm sick of the whole thing.  Where as Halloween only gets shoved down your throat for one month.

[AnywhereButHere]

Quote

Then Monday comes and they get back to the prayer chain praying for the unborn, and the sick and the needy. There is a word for that, hypocritical.

Well, as Halloween is on Monday this year, I guess I get to save my hypocrisy for Tuesday? 

I love Halloween! I'm seriously considering taking the day off work so I don't miss any trick-or-treaters. I'll start coughing now to set the stage. Uh oh. There go my morals. The devil strikes again. 

[Koala]

I won't even lie.  I love it.  I love seeing Halloween decorations in stores, and Halloween commercials for various candies.  I love Halloween specials, and my Monster Mash station on Pandora.  My house was built in the 1950s, so I do a vintage Halloween theme, and there's nothing that isn't decorated, including the bathroom.

My grandfather had a Halloween birthday, and it was always special for me.  I can still remember stuffing little Halloween paper sacks full of candy.  

The fundies can sit home clutching their pearls if they want, I will stick to my Halloween.