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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2021 14:04:44 GMT
Interestingly, the local school district is even sponsoring a "Halloween Crawl" downtown. With proceeds going to yada yada yada... The local high school requires that costumes not violate the normal dress code nor incorporate simulated blood or weapons. Fangs and capes are AOK.  It's a community thing. It brings people together, allows them to pretend. Like writing a book - you pretend a whole new world, new characters. I volunteered at my former neighbour's huge Halloween extravaganza for a decade. A backyard Halloween maze. Every year the neighbourhood and beyond came to collect candy, see the lighting, special effects, and the lovely babies all dressed up. It's also a chance to collect money for Unicef. These guys do it, and I'm sure others. m.facebook.com/westislandcitizenadvocacy/videos/halloween-horror/408518536483360/ |
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Spooky
Oct 26, 2021 14:10:30 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2021 14:10:30 GMT
In the Hallowe’en-worshipping US, schools across the country have banned costumes for the first time, with head teachers citing concerns that “there are students whose religious beliefs don’t include celebrating Hallowe’en”, that “costumes can be trauma-triggering, thanks to the depictions of violent stereotypes”, and, of course, that “even the most well-intentioned child could be guilty of accidental cultural appropriation”. There are many people who don't celebrate Christmas. Will we quit saying Merry Christmas in schools. No more decorating? No more gift exchange? |
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Spooky
Oct 26, 2021 14:27:27 GMT
Post by Ken on Oct 26, 2021 14:27:27 GMT
There are many people who don't celebrate Christmas. Will we quit saying Merry Christmas in schools. No more decorating? No more gift exchange? Unfortunately it’s already got that way in the UK. But not here in Spain. |
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Spooky
Oct 26, 2021 16:15:30 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2021 16:15:30 GMT
There are many people who don't celebrate Christmas. Will we quit saying Merry Christmas in schools. No more decorating? No more gift exchange? Unfortunately it’s already got that way in the UK. But not here in Spain. Yes, Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah. |
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Spooky
Oct 26, 2021 17:16:42 GMT
Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Oct 26, 2021 17:16:42 GMT
I've had smiling cashiers do the "Merry Christmas" greeting, cashiers whose expressions soured with my reply of "Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Serendipitous Solstice, have I forgotten any?"
One thing it might be wise to remember is that the one constant in life is change. If someone is saying "Happy Holidays" or a variation on the theme it shows tolerance of other people's religious perspectives [or lack thereof].
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Spooky
Oct 26, 2021 18:52:14 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2021 18:52:14 GMT
I've had smiling cashiers do the "Merry Christmas" greeting, cashiers whose expressions soured with my reply of "Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Serendipitous Solstice, have I forgotten any?" One thing it might be wise to remember is that the one constant in life is change. If someone is saying "Happy Holidays" or a variation on the theme it shows tolerance of other people's religious perspectives [or lack thereof]. Yes, but it whitewashes everything, takes away texture and individual choice. I honour your choice if you're Jewish and I wish you Happy Hanukkah. Precision in language. I'm borrowing these last words from The Giver. Such a great book. |
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Spooky
Oct 26, 2021 19:26:07 GMT
Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Oct 26, 2021 19:26:07 GMT
I've had smiling cashiers do the "Merry Christmas" greeting, cashiers whose expressions soured with my reply of "Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Serendipitous Solstice, have I forgotten any?" One thing it might be wise to remember is that the one constant in life is change. If someone is saying "Happy Holidays" or a variation on the theme it shows tolerance of other people's religious perspectives [or lack thereof]. Yes, but it whitewashes everything, takes away texture and individual choice. I honour your choice if you're Jewish and I wish you Happy Hanukkah. Precision in language. I'm borrowing these last words from The Giver. Such a great book. Consider the people you're addressing who aren't Jewish or Christian -- you're basically telling them they and their beliefs don't matter to you.
Precision in language includes knowing when specificity can cause greater problems. |
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Spooky
Oct 26, 2021 20:10:15 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2021 20:10:15 GMT
Yes, but it whitewashes everything, takes away texture and individual choice. I honour your choice if you're Jewish and I wish you Happy Hanukkah. Precision in language. I'm borrowing these last words from The Giver. Such a great book. Consider the people you're addressing who aren't Jewish or Christian -- you're basically telling them they and their beliefs don't matter to you.
Precision in language includes knowing when specificity can cause greater problems. I see your point, of course. But if I do know the beliefs of the person I'm addressing I am precise. |
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Spooky
Oct 26, 2021 20:56:48 GMT
Post by BlueAndGold on Oct 26, 2021 20:56:48 GMT
Happy Halloween! Or, Festivus for the Rest of us! |
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Spooky
Oct 26, 2021 22:29:24 GMT
Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Oct 26, 2021 22:29:24 GMT
Happy Halloween! Or, Festivus for the Rest of us! Festivus is the 23rd of December this year.
Winter Solstice [Northern Hemisphere] is 21st of December this year.
Enjoy Samhain and Day of the Dead.
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Post by benziger on Oct 29, 2021 13:25:46 GMT
There are many people who don't celebrate Christmas. Will we quit saying Merry Christmas in schools. No more decorating? No more gift exchange? About forty years ago I read in a children's book the story of Gift Nights (or Giftmas) - a town that had forgotten Christmas and replaced it with Gift Nights (or Giftmas). In the last few years, this story has come back to me again and again, because that is exactly what is happening here - except that we are still using the old name. - Gifts every day in December (called "Secret Santa") - Advent is called Christmas time (although Christmas time actually starts on Christmas Eve and lasts until Epiphany) - Christmas biscuits already in the shops from October (even before Halloween and St. Nicholas = 6 December) - St. Nicholas and the Christ Child are increasingly replaced by a slightly senile fat man in red clothes, reminiscent of sweet drink advertising - Christmas decorations are no longer stars, candles, nativity scenes, angels, but dwarfs, reindeer, bearded men, icicles. - Advent is no longer a time for rest, reflection and preparation, but for a shopping frenzy - The typical colours are no longer red and green, warm yellow, but LEDs flashing in all the colours of the rainbow next to icy white.
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Spooky
Oct 31, 2021 8:15:32 GMT
Post by Ken on Oct 31, 2021 8:15:32 GMT
It’s all so American, isn’t it, this talking to neighbours and having fun in the street? And yet we can console ourselves that, strictly speaking, Hallowe’en comes from these parts, albeit 2,000 years ago. Historians believe it sprang from the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the dark winter. The Celts believed that on this day the barrier between the worlds of the living and dead was blurred and so they lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off the ghosts and spirits that would roam.
Later, popes cannily moved All Saints’ Day, and with it All Hallows’ Eve, from May to November to replace the pagan Samhain with a Church-sanctioned festival that incorporated many of its traditions. Modern Hallowe’en rituals were crystallised by 19th-century immigrants to the US, particularly the Irish fleeing the famine, and it gradually left its Christian origins to become a vaguer celebration of community that flourished in the 20th century. It was then that trick-or-treating and sweets became integral. Now a quarter of all sweets in the US are sold for Hallowe’en while half a billion dollars are spent on costumes for American pets.
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Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Oct 31, 2021 13:25:21 GMT
It’s all so American, isn’t it, this talking to neighbours and having fun in the street? And yet we can console ourselves that, strictly speaking, Hallowe’en comes from these parts, albeit 2,000 years ago. Historians believe it sprang from the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the dark winter. The Celts believed that on this day the barrier between the worlds of the living and dead was blurred and so they lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off the ghosts and spirits that would roam. Later, popes cannily moved All Saints’ Day, and with it All Hallows’ Eve, from May to November to replace the pagan Samhain with a Church-sanctioned festival that incorporated many of its traditions. Modern Hallowe’en rituals were crystallised by 19th-century immigrants to the US, particularly the Irish fleeing the famine, and it gradually left its Christian origins to become a vaguer celebration of community that flourished in the 20th century. It was then that trick-or-treating and sweets became integral. Now a quarter of all sweets in the US are sold for Hallowe’en while half a billion dollars are spent on costumes for American pets. Another fine European tradition that was exported to the Americas, witch-hunts.
When all is said and done, customs can and do change over time, which can be a good thing.
Time for me to go since I apparently need to become skeletal in appearance. The kids expect it.
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Spooky
Oct 31, 2021 14:13:49 GMT
Post by BlueAndGold on Oct 31, 2021 14:13:49 GMT
And burnings at the stake, of course.
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Spooky
Oct 31, 2021 14:32:41 GMT
Post by BlueAndGold on Oct 31, 2021 14:32:41 GMT
It's really all about pumpkin hate, Ken. Attachments:
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