I really don't like Halloween. It grates at me, it gets my back up, it infuriates me. But I'm surrounded by people who think its fun so I swallow what I'm thinking and keep quiet. But this is my blog and what's the point of having it if I can't let rip occaisionally!
I love Samhain. I love everything about it. I like that feeling of the veil thinning, it is comforting to feel my loved ones near. I enjoy giving thanks for the final harvest and thanks too that the weather has allowed us to have a final harvest at all. I like to sit back with a glass of mulled cider and reflect on what has happened over this last year. I put things to bed that I cannot change, and move on having learned from the experience. I protect the things that were good, keeping them close through the dark of winter. I plan what I shall do through the dark time, what I hope to accomplish, what I hope to learn.
Yes, I love Samhain but I bloody hate Halloween.
I know that this will be controversial but I'm not one to shy away from controversy. I see Halloween as something of a p***take of my beliefs. It makes a mockery of the things I hold dear. Plastic skeletons? Glow-in-the-dark skulls? Fancy dress and the my-pumpkin's-bigger-than-next-door's-pumpkin syndrome. Pur-lease! When all is said and done it is yet another PAGAN festival that has been hijacked by Christianity and watered down, fluffed up, stuffed up, and cheapened.
I know most pagan's just join in the party. I know its meant to be fun. But how can it be fun when so much of what we believe is being walked all over, bits pinched here and there, in the name of entertainment. It's just wrong.
I said this to my wife last night but she just said 'I don't have a problem with Halloween'. She makes the distinction between Halloween and Samhain quite easily. Thankfully she doesn't go in for all that pumpkin carving, cobweb hanging nonsense (well, not often anyway) but she's full on O.K with those that do. To me that is just so wrong. We didn't get into a debate about it. We are both firmly entrenched in our views about it and nothing was going to sway either one of us and neither one of us wanted to spoil our Samhain by getting heated but.....
.....I can't be the only one who hates Halloween, can I?
Hi there, just wanted to let you know that you are not the only one. I hate halloween too. Living in Australia, i celebrate Samhain on May 1st, Beltane on November 2nd, and Yule around June 22nd. The Christian trick of taking over our pagan festivals has had even further dislocating effects for peoples of European origin here in the antipodes. I can't stand the ignorance that has people decorating pumpkins in spring, painting eggs in autumn, and putting up a yule tree in the middle of summer. I get really upset about it and spend a lot of time lecturing people who make the mistake of asking 'what are you doing for...?'
ReplyDeleteI would probably hate halloween a lot less if I lived in the northern hemisphere. But still, I am a bit of a purist. I would always dislike the cheesy, tacky, stereotypical, garishly coloured, commercialised trappings of a mainstream-style halloween and would prefer my traditional Samhain rituals, which, you will be glad to hear, always includes a bottle of cider left out with a plate of food for the wandering spirits.
From another point of view, my mister hates halloween passionately too. He is Aboriginal and has always resented the dominance of whitefella customs in this country, but he totally understands and respects my marking of the wheel of the year, honouring the ancestors, etc. - it all fits quite well with his native traditions - and he is happy to support my Samhain rituals.
(and in case you were wondering, yes, I was named for the heroine in the Poldark series.)
I've been a bit lax with my blog lately and only just noticed your comment Lady Demelza (I love your name by the way, I remember Poldark well). I'm so glad I'm not alone in this.
ReplyDeleteI too would find it really strange celebrating samhain in may and beltane in november!