Halloween

For me, it's Samhain, the end of the old year and a time of dormancy, it's a time to remember the dead, a time when the walls between the worlds thin and contact can be made. It's not a scary festival, celebrating all things woo woo. I don't like this Americanisation of it, I know that many parts of the country have their own traditions and I wish they'd come more to the fore rather than all the plastic tat and children demanding treats with menaces. 

I loved the bit in Buffy the Vampire Slayer when Spike tells Buffy that real vampires don't do anything on halloween.

The Viking's refered to October as Blodmonath, or blood month, because this was when they would slaughter and preserve the flesh of animals that couldn't be kept over winter, they would then make bonefires, where we get out term bonfire from.

By and large I see all this decorating houses as a way for companies to make money, Easter's going the same way too. I always thought Christmas decoratons went back to bringing in greenery and baubles to represent fruits as a rebirth of the sun at midwinter solstice. I think every culture in the north west has a midwinter festival, we're a couple of months into winter and a couple of months before the first signs of spring, theres nothing to do agriculturally speaking, so we party and feast, it gives people something to look forward too at the darkest time of the year.

For me, it's Samhain, the end of the old year and a time of dormancy, it's a time to remember the dead, a time when the walls between the worlds thin and contact can be made. It's not a scary festival, celebrating all things woo woo. I don't like this Americanisation of it, I know that many parts of the country have their own traditions and I wish they'd come more to the fore rather than all the plastic tat and children demanding treats with menaces. 

I loved the bit in Buffy the Vampire Slayer when Spike tells Buffy that real vampires don't do anything on halloween.

The Viking's refered to October as Blodmonath, or blood month, because this was when they would slaughter and preserve the flesh of animals that couldn't be kept over winter, they would then make bonefires, where we get out term bonfire from.

By and large I see all this decorating houses as a way for companies to make money, Easter's going the same way too. I always thought Christmas decoratons went back to bringing in greenery and baubles to represent fruits as a rebirth of the sun at midwinter solstice. I think every culture in the north west has a midwinter festival, we're a couple of months into winter and a couple of months before the first signs of spring, theres nothing to do agriculturally speaking, so we party and feast, it gives people something to look forward too at the darkest time of the year.

I completely agree with you there. I think Halloween is just another money maker thing and I never understand why kids would want to do all scary things like this, I mean they get scared of all this stuff the rest of the year but guess they do anything for sweets and candy etc! I actually remember watching a cartoon mr bean episode where he was dressed as a vampire and he actually scared the kids off lol. And the house decorations are definitely a money grabber and we have defo got more like America in this respect which I can’t say I really like if I’m honest. I mean Halloween is more of an American thing but I get the impression they use our country as the theme for Halloween for some reason. I’ve also noticed pubs that now host baby showers and gender reveal parties and I’m like what?! Are we in the uk anymore? It does annoy me I’ll be honest. 

I think what you have said is very interesting and I defo think that’s a more accurate way to should I say celebrate Halloween. Only trick or treating I’ll do is on my animal crossing Island ha!