What do you do for or in place of Halloween?

Client Joined: Jul 18, 2003 Posts: 977

Or does it matter to you? Basically what do you believe a christian can do on halloween?

Site Admin/Owner Joined: Aug 27, 2002 Posts: 17088

We have not practiced nor participated in hw since becoming a Christian back in 1979. If you trace the origin it was tha catholic church that compromised, yet again, withe druids of the day. Eve of All Saints, if I remember right, is what it was originally called. Do a search on google for 'halloween should a christian participate'. Here is an excellent article [ Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registered or login! ]

And, we never substituted anything either and you know what? Our kids are just fine anyway. Personally, I think that I would have discontinued it anyway with all the poisonings, etc., that take place now.

Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2003 6:56 pm

We don't celebrate HW either. We consider it a personal conviction and do not impose it on others. We do let our kids go to church sponsored 'fall fun fest' type functions sometimes. We usually just go to the in-laws and have a hay ride around the country.

Anyone who makes a big deal because you dont practice HW and says it will mess up your kids is messed up themselves.

Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2003 8:01 pm

We try to hit all the church fall-fests also. We do the hayrides too.

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 4:14 pm

TheosEleos wrote:

Anyone who makes a big deal because you dont practice HW and says it will mess up your kids is messed up themselves.

I like the way you think Very Happy

I enjoy Halloween. I can't say I "celebrate" it because I do the holiday my own way. It has nothing to do with sacrifices, devils, or religion at all.

(disclaimer)I don’t know if being “Christian” is different from being Catholic or other religions. I’m non-denominational myself. So if I mix anything up or type something that seems to infer something I don’t mean any disrespect. The only thing I know about organized religion is the Catholic, Lutheran and LDS religions.

Halloween (the name) means the evening before All Hallows or All Saints' Day, which is Nov. 1. All Saints' Day is observed by Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherans, to honor all the saints in Heaven, whether known or unknown. The day also used to be called Hallowmass from Old English word hallow, meaning sanctify. In the Roman Catholic Church, it is, with all solemnity, considered one of the most important observances of the church year. It is a day on which all Catholics are obliged to attend Mass. It is preceded by a vigil of preparation on the evening of Oct.31. And it is this vigil, All Hallows' Eve or Halloween, that is the most widely known feature of the observance. This is what the US government based is decision to make Halloween a national holiday on.

American “Halloween” is very different then any other country, including our neighbors Canada and Mexico. If people actually “celebrated” Halloween as Samhain then it would be on November 11th. I could go into the whole comparison of historical documents that would indicate that modern American Halloween has nothing to do with druid Samhain, but I don’t know if anyone here would be interested Smile

so I won’t.

I think it’s a great idea not to let kids dress up as witches, monks or demons. I think it’s a disrespect to people who actually practice the “religion” those things represent. If a kid wants to dress up as a princess or knight and go to their neighbors for candy I’m cool with that.

Holidays evolve through the decades and are loosing their original meaning. How many kids really know why Easter is what it is or think it’s a bunny bringing colored eggs and candy? How many kids are more excited about Santa then Jesus in December? We, as a nation, have let the corporate marketing machine kill the true meaning of most holidays. IMHO Smile

Client Joined: Apr 10, 2004 Posts: 649 Location: UK

Halloween was originally for remembering the dead. My grandfather was a Druid Elder, and the true ancient Halloween ceremony is nothing to do with the devil or ghosts.

It's a time when we can reflect on those we loved that have departed, and remember them, and honour their memory.

It's one of those ancient Druid/pagan ceremonies that has got twisted over the years into something it never was or is.

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2004 12:56 pm

Modern Halloween is a US created holiday. Druid fall harvest celebrations are different. Even modern Druids do not follow the original fall harvest celebrations, they have changed. As does everything in life. The US holiday of Halloween was brought over by the Irish, and then distorted to fit the new nations ideas from all cultures. We have taken parts of many cultures and make our own holiday.

Samhain, All Saints Day, Fall Equinox, Alban Elfed, Autumnal, Cornucopia, Feast of Avilon, Festival of Dionysus, Harvest Home, Harvest Tide, Mabon, Night of the Hunter, Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Witch's Thanksgiving, and everything else that people think Halloween originated from have nothing to do with Modern Halloween that is celebrated in the US. Mr. Green

Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 4:38 pm

It's the same in the UK Webby.

Like everything, things get made into what suits the modern or current way of living I guess.

Worker Joined: Oct 07, 2003 Posts: 211

I very seldom get involved in religious discussions on web sites, but being a Neo-Pagan myself, I think HauntedWebby explained this very well.

I am just giving out a pat-on-the-back. Well done Webby.

Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:36 am

Why Thanks Dauthus Smile

I try my best