Trick or Treat...
It annoys me when some in this country criticise 'Halloween' and accuse those who 'celebrate' it as copying the US.
When I was growing up we celebrated 'Guy Fawkes Night'. For months, my brother and I saved up our pocket money in preparation for the day we would excitedly be taken to the store to purchase our 'Tom Thumbs', 'Sky Rockets', 'Double Bungers' etc., etc. On the day, we couldn't wait to get home after school to erect the bonfire and make our 'Guy'. Poor old 'Guy' would take his place high upon the pyre in readiness to be burned to smithereens after dusk.
I digress...I'll return to Halloween.
'Samhuinn'....pronounced 'Sow-en'...was the most important of the 'fire festivals' of the ancient Celts. It is said it marked the Celtic New Year.
Down the line a bit, the Western Christian calendar changed the original festival of 'Samhuinn' into 'All Saints' Day'. The Celts commenced every day at sunset of the previous day/night. 'Samhuinn' eventually became the modern 'Halloween'. The history of Halloween is intriguingly interesting.
We used to celebrate Guy Fawkes on each 5th November. It was so much fun. Guy Fawkes' Night was taken away from us and is no longer allowed. Why not transfer the fun and games to Halloween? Instead of criticising it, let's have some fun with it. There are few things left to play around with these days of doom and gloom.
Those who criticise others who participate in Halloween celebrations for 'copying the Americans' should, before they are so ready to condemn, read up on the history of 'Halloween'.
Halloween parties are lots of crazy fun....I've been to a few...and just think, if no kids come to your door knocking for 'trick or treats', you're left with all those lollies/candy to enjoy yourself!
I loved 'Cracker Night' with the family gathered around the bonfire...it was amnjic part of growing up (Plus my birthday is the 5th of November)...but I don't really like the idea of Halloween. I'd like to go back to something 'Aussie' like a bonfire and BBQ :)
ReplyDeleteP.S: My family never called it 'Guy Fawkes' night
Aha...Hi there Scorpy...my birthday is the 11th! So with the Cracker night celebrations just before my birthday...it was a wonderful time for me...and then Christmas wasn't that long after...(still isn't!) Now it's Melbourne Cup Day that starts off my celebrations!
ReplyDeleteWe called it both 'Cracker Night' and 'Guy Fawkes''...they were great times...there doesn't seem much of that innocent fun around any more...which is a shame.
Thanks for popping in, Scorpy...nice to see you.
I'm an American and I can tell you that Halloween here isn't what it used to be. When I was a kid, everybody participated, and you hit every house within walking distance -- actually about 3x as far as you would walk on any other night just to stock up on the best candy. (Kids talk, of course. And all kids would gather or pass on the street, and soon everyone would know what DORK famiy was handing out raisins (sinfully stupid when kids are wont to 'trick' if they don't like the treats) and which brilliant household(s) had Snickers and Butterfingers.
ReplyDeleteNow... it's not so big. I've bought candy for the last five years or so, and ended up eating every last Snickers and Butterfingers bar myself. A lot of parents only allow their kids to participate in community Haloween events and parties rather than the door-to-door candy feasting of my youth.
Part of the reason for this is the assumed proliferation psychos out there who poison candies or insert razor blades with total intent of harming innocent people. Once you see a couple of news stories about the guy next door who is actually a pedophile/cannibal/sex maniac, you keep your kids on a short leash.
(sigh) I hope that is one aspect of Halloween that y'all will *not* pick up.
G'day, Smukke...I understand that way of thinking. I know if I had kids, I'd be worried about letting them roam the neighbourhood at night, alone. I would have to go with them. It's such a shame that our lives have had to change this way because of the idiot psychos out there. We've got our share of them, too, here, unfortunately. The wonderful days of innocence are long gone, very sadly. The simple pleasures we enjoyed as children no longer exist and they will never return. I'm glad I was able to experience them in my childhood.
ReplyDeleteEverything is such a damn problem now...you can't trust anyone...it is a woeful world we've created!
Thanks for popping in, Smukke...it's always nice to see you. :)
Watching the red tail lights as cars escort trick or treaters away, feeling rather melancholy this Halloween. The trick or treaters don't come down this street anymore. I see them going down other streets but all of the 'kids' on this street are in High School or off to college. Maybe I should organize the local lot to prepare for grandkids. Halloween as the American holiday is celebrated is alive and well. One street in this subdivision has a ten year plus competition for Halloween trick or treating. Neighbors from all around costume their kids and bring them there to trick and treat.
ReplyDeleteTen years ago, when my only son was 5 yo, the wife made him a Godzilla costume complete with tail and giant glow in the dark 'fins'. His dueling grand ma's came over to judge the handi-work. He kept the candy. I miss the two hour strolls through the neighborhood, watching the kids race from house to house less the good stuff be taken. Maybe again with grandkids. Not too soon. Halloween is a favorite holiday and memory. But...back to Halloween VIIIVXX...vs.. Freddy IVXVX
Those sorts of memories are wonderful to have, gtotracker. It's sad things change...but...it makes us start new traditions...fun is a major part of life, in my book! :)
ReplyDeletehahahaha .. Lee, I should've done reading before I posted my blog today, I've added a 'soapbox' section about just this - you might have heard the same radio broadcast I did?
ReplyDeleteIt annoys me too when people here mindlessly criticise Americans and things American, I only wish some of our own people could be as open-hearted and enthusiastic as the American people.
No, Della...I didn't hear the radio broadcast. I've always held these sentiments about Halloween and actually, the data in my comment I copied of an article I wrote this time last year! I write a weekly article for the local rag up here on the mountain. In it I rave on with a bit of nonsense and I give some recipes. At last years Halloween, I gave the history behind Halloween, (to shut up the detractors! Hehehehe!)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you totally about the critics of all things American...they give me the 'proverbials' to be totally honest with you. I'd rather have the US on my side and vice versa than half the bloody clowns in this world today...if you get my drift! ;)