In this adult blog, it is my hope that you find things that make you think, give you opportunity to voice your opinion, and allow us to be a community of people who care - even if from afar - for eachother. Be welcome and let your heart be heard.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Happy Holloween
6 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Guten Morgen Randy, I can start with nothing Halloween. (I see it as the legalization and education for blackmail) But since today is also Reformation Day, I feel it better with Martin Luther, who fought against the omnipotence of the church. Nevertheless, I wish you a nice day with lots of fun Nikki
Hello both Randy and Nikki. I am not familiar with reformation day..and wonder at the leap from what I knew as a child as an excuse to dress up funny ( we did not have cable or such so dressing different was highly funny ) and going to the homes of or friends was blackmail?
Please drop me a email and let me know...you know I have enjoyed all the things you have shared with me in the past.
Today it saddens me we have not had any "trick or treaters" for over 10 years. It has become unsafe in our area for that...not due to the imagined possible "boogieman abductions or sex attack..but simply due to city traffic, bad treats, accidents.
So Ron and I support the local church and school Halloween projects. The church behind our house has one...they have cars all lined up in the parking lot, all well lighted up and the kids go from car to car getting treats from the "trunks" and getting complements on their costumes...it is noisy and disturbing and wonderful...well worth an early nights sleep.
Saddest thing I saw...Ron and I had a house that was in an "up and coming neighborhood" and a crossed the four lane street at the beginning of the neighborhood....And the sad fact was, the more affluent people lived on our side...and migrant workers mostly, lived on the other side....
Our home owners association decided to have Halloween on a different day so "those people wouldn't come over and get treats from us"
Well we couldn't stop them, we only had our vote..but we were not required to follow like step...so we had two nights of Halloween.
We did the nice nice night for the better off, then we went all out and against the home owners association directive we kept all our lights on bright, all our decorations up..and gave out twice as much to those children who came to our door that night..their parents standing protectively behind them...and I don't give a @#$$#$ their skin color or their jobs..we saw a lot of happy children that night...and we went to bed feeling very happy.
When I go to my next adventure from this life...I hope to heck if there is someone keeping track..they wont judge me by the color of my skin, or how many treats I handed out to young kids on Halloween.
May I be judged on my heart, and the love I had for all children and all their parents...Many hugs
Hi Nikki; I laugh because I see your point. But, when I was young, it was exciting and wonderful to race from house to house, with hopes and smiles, laughing with my friends and joyfully comparing our treasure. Did you read Angel's post about the origins of Halloween? I will simply say "Happy Reformation Day" and thank you for commenting. I've missed your comments lately.
Hi Scottie; I went out with my parents and aunts and uncle recently. My aunt and mother spoke about how they prefer the "non-kids" area of the resturant, like the "non-smoking". I enjoy hearing kids laugh and enjoy the events of life. Screams and arguments, tantrums - no. But, a happy kid is an incredible sight. Way to go re: the halloween kids! You make me proud to call you friend.
I want to explain my understanding of Halloween, as it is celebrated here for a few years: The theme is sweet or sour / Trick or Treat. That is, either I get candy, or your hause is smeared with paint or eggs. Our economy has jumped in recent years on the Halloween-train. This topic has been totallly commercializiered. This is just one example of the thinking in Germany - all that comes from USA must be good and must be imitated.
Reformation Day is the commemoration of Martin Luther, who has rebelled against the Catholic Church 500 Years ago. Through him formed the Protestant Church.
There is an element of that here in the U.S. I recall years past in Detroit, Michigan that referred to Halloween as "devil's night" as people used the pranks and revelry tradition of the night to set fire to abandoned homes, spray paint things, etc. I think those arsonists were often the owners .... ? But, that is a big-town and rebellious thing. Most kids, some 99+%, are in it for the fun and joy of running about. It's only the older kids, who most see too old to be running about in this activity for those 13 or less in age, who cause such mischief. But, as Angel posted, the holiday has changed drastically from its inception. An evolution - not a good evolution - of the holiday on your shores that includes vandalism as a regular activity is sad. I think, if this doesn't sound too pat an answer, if you try to find the good in the holiday, maybe you can be the change? I don't know - I hope for silver linings in everything. I guess I hope you will find one, too.
6 comments:
Guten Morgen Randy,
I can start with nothing Halloween. (I see it as the legalization and education for blackmail)
But since today is also Reformation Day, I feel it better with Martin Luther, who fought against the omnipotence of the church.
Nevertheless, I wish you a nice day with lots of fun
Nikki
Hello both Randy and Nikki. I am not familiar with reformation day..and wonder at the leap from what I knew as a child as an excuse to dress up funny ( we did not have cable or such so dressing different was highly funny ) and going to the homes of or friends was blackmail?
Please drop me a email and let me know...you know I have enjoyed all the things you have shared with me in the past.
Today it saddens me we have not had any "trick or treaters" for over 10 years. It has become unsafe in our area for that...not due to the imagined possible "boogieman abductions or sex attack..but simply due to city traffic, bad treats, accidents.
So Ron and I support the local church and school Halloween projects. The church behind our house has one...they have cars all lined up in the parking lot, all well lighted up and the kids go from car to car getting treats from the "trunks" and getting complements on their costumes...it is noisy and disturbing and wonderful...well worth an early nights sleep.
Saddest thing I saw...Ron and I had a house that was in an "up and coming neighborhood" and a crossed the four lane street at the beginning of the neighborhood....And the sad fact was, the more affluent people lived on our side...and migrant workers mostly, lived on the other side....
Our home owners association decided to have Halloween on a different day so "those people wouldn't come over and get treats from us"
Well we couldn't stop them, we only had our vote..but we were not required to follow like step...so we had two nights of Halloween.
We did the nice nice night for the better off, then we went all out and against the home owners association directive we kept all our lights on bright, all our decorations up..and gave out twice as much to those children who came to our door that night..their parents standing protectively behind them...and I don't give a @#$$#$ their skin color or their jobs..we saw a lot of happy children that night...and we went to bed feeling very happy.
When I go to my next adventure from this life...I hope to heck if there is someone keeping track..they wont judge me by the color of my skin, or how many treats I handed out to young kids on Halloween.
May I be judged on my heart, and the love I had for all children and all their parents...Many hugs
Hi Nikki;
I laugh because I see your point. But, when I was young, it was exciting and wonderful to race from house to house, with hopes and smiles, laughing with my friends and joyfully comparing our treasure.
Did you read Angel's post about the origins of Halloween?
I will simply say "Happy Reformation Day" and thank you for commenting. I've missed your comments lately.
hugs;
randy
Hi Scottie;
I went out with my parents and aunts and uncle recently. My aunt and mother spoke about how they prefer the "non-kids" area of the resturant, like the "non-smoking".
I enjoy hearing kids laugh and enjoy the events of life. Screams and arguments, tantrums - no. But, a happy kid is an incredible sight.
Way to go re: the halloween kids! You make me proud to call you friend.
hugs!
randy
Hallo Randy
Hallo Scottie
I want to explain my understanding of Halloween, as it is celebrated here for a few years:
The theme is sweet or sour / Trick or Treat. That is, either I get candy, or your hause is smeared with paint or eggs.
Our economy has jumped in recent years on the Halloween-train. This topic has been totallly commercializiered.
This is just one example of the thinking in Germany - all that comes from USA must be good and must be imitated.
Reformation Day is the commemoration of Martin Luther, who has rebelled against the Catholic Church 500 Years ago.
Through him formed the Protestant Church.
I wish you both
einen schönen Sonntag
Nikki
Hi Nikki;
There is an element of that here in the U.S. I recall years past in Detroit, Michigan that referred to Halloween as "devil's night" as people used the pranks and revelry tradition of the night to set fire to abandoned homes, spray paint things, etc. I think those arsonists were often the owners .... ?
But, that is a big-town and rebellious thing. Most kids, some 99+%, are in it for the fun and joy of running about. It's only the older kids, who most see too old to be running about in this activity for those 13 or less in age, who cause such mischief.
But, as Angel posted, the holiday has changed drastically from its inception. An evolution - not a good evolution - of the holiday on your shores that includes vandalism as a regular activity is sad.
I think, if this doesn't sound too pat an answer, if you try to find the good in the holiday, maybe you can be the change? I don't know - I hope for silver linings in everything. I guess I hope you will find one, too.
hugs!
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