Comments on: Why I Don’t Celebrate Halloween Like I Used To http://www.sezin.org/2009/10/30/why-i-dont-celebrate-halloween-like-i-used-to/ Let The Spirit Lead Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:36:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chaplain http://www.sezin.org/2009/10/30/why-i-dont-celebrate-halloween-like-i-used-to/comment-page-1/#comment-52 Chaplain Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:55:08 +0000 http://sezinia.wordpress.com/?p=1162#comment-52 Hi Sezin - Sorry for being a few days late visiting all the WBSD participants. I'm starting with those who like you, have commented on my post! Thanks too, for the direct link to my blog. As Kookykrys rightly says, Halloween is a corruption of All Hallows Eve, that is the eve of All Hallows Day, All Holy Ones Day, now known in English as All Saints Day. But there is such a marked contrast in the way the two days are celebrated and like you, I'd much prefer the peaceful rememberance of those who have gone before rather than encouraging children to do the very things parents spend the other 364 days of the year telling them not to do! Hi Sezin – Sorry for being a few days late visiting all the WBSD participants. I’m starting with those who like you, have commented on my post! Thanks too, for the direct link to my blog.

As Kookykrys rightly says, Halloween is a corruption of All Hallows Eve, that is the eve of All Hallows Day, All Holy Ones Day, now known in English as All Saints Day. But there is such a marked contrast in the way the two days are celebrated and like you, I’d much prefer the peaceful rememberance of those who have gone before rather than encouraging children to do the very things parents spend the other 364 days of the year telling them not to do!

]]> By: Emmanuelle http://www.sezin.org/2009/10/30/why-i-dont-celebrate-halloween-like-i-used-to/comment-page-1/#comment-50 Emmanuelle Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:56:06 +0000 http://sezinia.wordpress.com/?p=1162#comment-50 It's always a pleasure to ready your insightful posts, Sezin. You asked great questions here and prompted very interesting comments. Growing up in France, I was only familiar with la Toussaint (All Saints'), which is like you said a very quiet and subdued celebration. Hallowe'en was something we heard about on TV, although by the time I left Europe, some people were beginning to celebrate it in France, mostly in Paris and other cities with large North American expat populations. As far as I can tell, the French don't see Hallowe'en as encroaching on All Saints' Day. They're two separate things - and at this point, only children and teenagers celebrate Hallowe'en, whereas everyone knows and understands the deep significance of All Saints' Day. Being someone who loves having fun and also who has lost many people to illness or accident over the years, I appreciate both sides of the holiday. I actually enjoy combining a night of silly costumes and fun revelries with a more spiritual, inward-oriented day of remembrance. Emmanuelle It’s always a pleasure to ready your insightful posts, Sezin. You asked great questions here and prompted very interesting comments.

Growing up in France, I was only familiar with la Toussaint (All Saints’), which is like you said a very quiet and subdued celebration. Hallowe’en was something we heard about on TV, although by the time I left Europe, some people were beginning to celebrate it in France, mostly in Paris and other cities with large North American expat populations.

As far as I can tell, the French don’t see Hallowe’en as encroaching on All Saints’ Day. They’re two separate things – and at this point, only children and teenagers celebrate Hallowe’en, whereas everyone knows and understands the deep significance of All Saints’ Day.

Being someone who loves having fun and also who has lost many people to illness or accident over the years, I appreciate both sides of the holiday. I actually enjoy combining a night of silly costumes and fun revelries with a more spiritual, inward-oriented day of remembrance.

Emmanuelle

]]> By: kookykrys http://www.sezin.org/2009/10/30/why-i-dont-celebrate-halloween-like-i-used-to/comment-page-1/#comment-49 kookykrys Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:25:10 +0000 http://sezinia.wordpress.com/?p=1162#comment-49 I'm not sure if you knew, but the roots of Halloween are based on respecting the dead. It was originally a Celtic celebration. The Celts believed at this time of the year that the boundaries between the living and dead were especially thin - and that meant for both good spirits and bad. On the night of Halloween, they would wear masks to scare away the bad spirits/ghosts, and often have a feast waiting to welcome their ancestors and good spirits. :) Here in Switzerland, we had a quiet night at home with a pumpkin we'd carved, and a fun Halloweeny dinner I made. We live across the street from a graveyard, but I didn't happen to walk by it on All Saints Day. I usually do walk by it with my toddler and/or the dog, and there is almost always someone in it visiting a grave. I don't think I ever saw that many folks visiting a graveyard back in the US. And all the graves here are well-kept, each with a tiny garden on them. I’m not sure if you knew, but the roots of Halloween are based on respecting the dead. It was originally a Celtic celebration. The Celts believed at this time of the year that the boundaries between the living and dead were especially thin – and that meant for both good spirits and bad. On the night of Halloween, they would wear masks to scare away the bad spirits/ghosts, and often have a feast waiting to welcome their ancestors and good spirits.
:)

Here in Switzerland, we had a quiet night at home with a pumpkin we’d carved, and a fun Halloweeny dinner I made. We live across the street from a graveyard, but I didn’t happen to walk by it on All Saints Day. I usually do walk by it with my toddler and/or the dog, and there is almost always someone in it visiting a grave. I don’t think I ever saw that many folks visiting a graveyard back in the US. And all the graves here are well-kept, each with a tiny garden on them.

]]> By: Leigh http://www.sezin.org/2009/10/30/why-i-dont-celebrate-halloween-like-i-used-to/comment-page-1/#comment-48 Leigh Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:56:03 +0000 http://sezinia.wordpress.com/?p=1162#comment-48 So true! This past Halloween, I was in the country outside of Salta and mostly forgot the holiday. Last year, I was in Buffalo trick-or-treating. For me, it's not only a very American holiday, but one of the American suburbs. While we did dress up and trick-or-treat in Brooklyn also, it was never quite the same. So true! This past Halloween, I was in the country outside of Salta and mostly forgot the holiday.

Last year, I was in Buffalo trick-or-treating. For me, it’s not only a very American holiday, but one of the American suburbs. While we did dress up and trick-or-treat in Brooklyn also, it was never quite the same.

]]> By: hospitalera - guest blogging at workingnomad http://www.sezin.org/2009/10/30/why-i-dont-celebrate-halloween-like-i-used-to/comment-page-1/#comment-47 hospitalera - guest blogging at workingnomad Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:42:51 +0000 http://sezinia.wordpress.com/?p=1162#comment-47 Having only lived in Europe and never in the States, I have real difficulties to "understand" the idea of a loud "all hallows eve". In Germany like in the Czech Republic, it is more a day of remembering the deceased, taking care of the graves and celebrating their lives. SY Having only lived in Europe and never in the States, I have real difficulties to “understand” the idea of a loud “all hallows eve”. In Germany like in the Czech Republic, it is more a day of remembering the deceased, taking care of the graves and celebrating their lives. SY

]]> By: Martin In Bulgaria http://www.sezin.org/2009/10/30/why-i-dont-celebrate-halloween-like-i-used-to/comment-page-1/#comment-46 Martin In Bulgaria Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:04:03 +0000 http://sezinia.wordpress.com/?p=1162#comment-46 Halloween seems so shallow and has more than a taint of commericialism about it, glad you have come to terms with it. Halloween seems so shallow and has more than a taint of commericialism about it, glad you have come to terms with it.

]]> By: mub http://www.sezin.org/2009/10/30/why-i-dont-celebrate-halloween-like-i-used-to/comment-page-1/#comment-45 mub Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:47:22 +0000 http://sezinia.wordpress.com/?p=1162#comment-45 I need to ask my husband how popular All Saints Day is here, I'm not familiar with it! I need to ask my husband how popular All Saints Day is here, I’m not familiar with it!

]]> By: *lynne* http://www.sezin.org/2009/10/30/why-i-dont-celebrate-halloween-like-i-used-to/comment-page-1/#comment-44 *lynne* Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:48:47 +0000 http://sezinia.wordpress.com/?p=1162#comment-44 I was very amused to see this topic from your point of view :) fyi, back in 2005 I happened to visit my relatives in Switzerland in mid-October, and I remember being driven around the countryside and spotting mounds and mounds of pumpkins being sold at the sides of the road, and my aunt commenting "we didn't have this 5 years ago, and now this Halloween thing is everywhere!" ... i assume that means even pumpkins weren't sold in that way before? :D I do hope the "American version" doesn't squeeze out much more healthy-for-the-soul version that exists :D I was very amused to see this topic from your point of view :) fyi, back in 2005 I happened to visit my relatives in Switzerland in mid-October, and I remember being driven around the countryside and spotting mounds and mounds of pumpkins being sold at the sides of the road, and my aunt commenting “we didn’t have this 5 years ago, and now this Halloween thing is everywhere!” … i assume that means even pumpkins weren’t sold in that way before? :D I do hope the “American version” doesn’t squeeze out much more healthy-for-the-soul version that exists :D

]]> By: Sher http://www.sezin.org/2009/10/30/why-i-dont-celebrate-halloween-like-i-used-to/comment-page-1/#comment-43 Sher Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:39:39 +0000 http://sezinia.wordpress.com/?p=1162#comment-43 Hi Sezin, Great post...and yes...great minds think alike! :0) I, too, hope that the American way of celebrating Halloween will not spread to the rest of the world. Halloween has become such a consumer-based holiday--much like Christmas, etc. It's very refreshing to see these holidays celebrated in the "old world" way...with more meaning and more depth to them. I really enjoyed your post...and think it's great we are both moved by this European way of celebrating All Saints Day! Have a great day! Sher :0) Hi Sezin,
Great post…and yes…great minds think alike! :0) I, too, hope that the American way of celebrating Halloween will not spread to the rest of the world. Halloween has become such a consumer-based holiday–much like Christmas, etc. It’s very refreshing to see these holidays celebrated in the “old world” way…with more meaning and more depth to them.

I really enjoyed your post…and think it’s great we are both moved by this European way of celebrating All Saints Day!

Have a great day!
Sher :0)

]]> By: BBE http://www.sezin.org/2009/10/30/why-i-dont-celebrate-halloween-like-i-used-to/comment-page-1/#comment-42 BBE Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:33:04 +0000 http://sezinia.wordpress.com/?p=1162#comment-42 Nice to know I'm not the only one wandering around cemeteries on November 1st :) BBE Nice to know I’m not the only one wandering around cemeteries on November 1st :)

BBE

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