What the Hell Happened to My Halloween?

[sidhe_etain]

This morning I had a rather distressing conversation with one of our regular library patrons.  She works at Hobby Lobby, and I mentioned to her that I had to get over there to see what Halloween decorations they had this year.  She mentioned that she wasn't sure if they had any out...and if they did, it was a very small amount.

I've noticed a

Comments

[bonnie_halfelvn]

Wow! An entire town going to that extreme! I was raised by fairly conservative Christians, but we celebrated Halloween. We went Trick or Treating, etc. No one ever pointed out to me the "evils" of Halloween.

Now, I see every year in our paper a letter decrying the evil holiday. I wish my pastor would write one about why he celebrates it. I have a very progressive pastor. He says the reason Christians should celebrate is because Halloween is a holiday that laughs at death and mocks it.

A Christian should have no reason to fear death, and anyone who is afraid of the holiday isn't very strong in their faith, IMO. Just another example of what I refer to as "superstitious Christians."

[sidhe_etain]

Sadly it's not even just this town...Columbus also mostly doesn't do Beggar's Night on Halloween itself either. There are excuses made about it being better to have it on a school night for some reason (um..?) but then when Halloween DOES fall on a school night, they schedule it for another night anyway. UGH.

[richlayers]

Oh, yeah, I couldn't agree more. Halloween candy bloats the aisles at our local grocery stores and walmarts, but decorations? CLASSY decorations??? Few and far between! I remember pouring out into the neighborhood with all the other kids between age 1 (in parents' arms) and 14--with a few older hangers-on. We made decorations every year at school, had costume contests, sang Halloween themed songs (The Skeletons Are Out Tonight is still a favorite). Now, here, it seems there are a trickle of kids that might come by sometime in the evening. My parents live in a very family-oriented neighborhood with low speed limits and good sidewalks--perfect candy gathering territory, you might think? The last few years they've reported that they MAYBE had a dozen visitors throughout the evening

[bonnie_halfelvn]

My neighborhood's not that far gone yet. I still get about 200 kids. I always dress for them, of course.

Because Halloween's on Sunday this year, however, I imagine Trick of Treat will be Saturday.

[richlayers]

I saw this at the bookstore this morning and thought of you. :)

http://www.amazon.com/Fancy-Nancy-Halloween-Jane-Oconnor/dp/0061235954/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285002707&sr=1-1

[sidhe_etain]

LOL! I'll have to look for that at the library

[yocepha]

We never get trick or treaters, but then we live down a half-mile long lane

[sidhe_etain]

Everything's covered with glitter now too!! I found a wall hanging this past weekend that I almost bought, but decided not to because it was encrusted in solid glitter. :(

Thanks, re: photo! Amanda Flagg made that up for me last year for Halloween. :D

[uberreiniger]

Wow... to think that enough people believe that in town to get the night of trick or treating changed...

[sidhe_etain]

Oh, they'd likely deny it up and down, claiming something about safety in going out on a week night or something. But yeah. :/

[pinkrouge]

Oh the stoopid, it annoys. Simple googling should tell them that going out in costumes and celebrating on Hallowe'en is the POINT - that's what's supposed to scare the evil spirits away.

People get so worked up over the wrong things.

[sidhe_etain]

Agreed. I just hate to see the whole holiday sort of rushed through and ignored because of the opinions of those who talk loudest :(