AIBU to hate Halloween and Bonfire night.

Petera

Pammie1

@Petera. All Hallows' Eve was when the Church traditionally held a vigil during which worshippers would prepare themselves for the following feast day - All Hallows Day - with prayers and fasting. It was originally celebrated on 13 May to honour St Mary and the Martyrs and the name comes from the Old English ‘Hallowed’ meaning holy or sanctified. Later it became All Saints' Day, a day to honour all the saints, and then evolved further, to specially honour those saints who didn't have a festival day of their own.

Pope Gregory IV made the festival universal throughout the Church - the festival was moved to 1st November, and subsequently became All Saints' Day for the western Church. Many Hallowe'en traditions have evolved from an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain, which was a celebration of the end of the harvest, and preparation for the coming winter. Early Church missionaries chose to hold a festival at this time of year in order to absorb existing native Pagan practices into Christianity, so smoothing the conversion process and the Orthodox Church celebrates All Saints' Day on the first Sunday after Passover, keeping closer to the original 13th May.

Yes thanks Pammie - I understand this (but not in the interesting detail that you have given). However, given that it was part of the liturgical year and dedicated to remembering the dead I can't quite make the link with disliking it for purely ‘Christian’ reasons, unless it’s a similar argument to objecting to Christmas because it’s mostly not related to its original purpose.

I can’t either. I know the factual stuff from historical interest and the Pagan celebration had nothing to do with witchcraft or satanism, it was more a ‘harvest festival’ type of thing. Perhaps some kind poster will come along and enlighten us.

Although I don’t like the trick or treat aspect of Halloween, I can see how the carved lit pumpkins, and yes, even the much criticised plastic costumes provide so much fun for children, so I’ve no problem with it.

As a family though we didn’t bother much with Halloween, but we did regularly go to a very well organised bonfire and fireworks display on a village green near us.

The organisers spent weeks planning the most fantastic firework display, there was a huge bonfire with the guy of course, and the hot food on offer was very popular with adults and children alike!
I can clearly remember the delicious venison burgers and even curries, plus hot drinks.

These days though my impression is that fireworks seem so much noisier than they used to be.

I prefer both of them to Christmas!

I've got a bag of M&S Zombies Eyeballs ready to dole out. If no one comes DH and I will tuck in (they are chocolate in case anyone is concerned!). That's Halloween sorted for me.

I love it. We have a Halloween walk where I live. You register with our local “spotted in….” Group and say whether you want to just decorate with some Halloween decs or decorate, light a pumpkin and give out treats. I love doing the treats, so I’m number 17 on the walk, the kids have to find the “ slightly” hidden pumpkin and then knock for their treats. Great fun, roll on Sunday Evening ??‍♀️??‍♀️

I’m not a fan of Halloween, it’s a far cry now from the dressing up and dooking for apples of my Glasgow childhood.
I just can’t see the need to celebrate all things dark, ghoulish and scary, surely it’s better to focus on the beautiful things in the world.

I'm not a fan of either too

I'm not keen on either but still went with the GC to a pick your own pumpkin field this afternoon and have a date with them tomorrow to cut them out and then use the flesh in cakes and soups. We will pop a pumpkin out and ask trick or treaters to pick a bag but not knock but I will spend evening in the kitchen with the dog.

Bonfire night terrifies me and the dog so we will hide but I'm glad our children and grandchildren enjoy it so much.

Children and grand children all grown up so don't have to bother too much anymore.

I love Hallowene, but I hate bonfire night as it is so cruel to animals. Fireworks should be banned.,

I'm not keen on Halloween either too commercialised and American.When little we hollowed out a turnip and had a nightlight in and ducked for apples.
Bonfire night is usually organised by theParish Council and preCovid was well organised with food at the village Hall,Bonfire and fireworks but that has been scaled back. If the weather is like it is today with flood warnings neither will happen.

I remember in the late 1960s going to an organised (army) firework display. I loved it. However, Halloween? No thank you. I only found out yesterday that there’s such a thing as ‘professional pumpkin carvers’ - yes, it was in the USA, but all the same!

When I was a kid, you know waaaaaaay back, we didn't have pumpkins we carved turnips/swedes.
Kids nowadays don't know the pain!!
Coming up to Bonfire Night, my friends and I would have loads of fun with either an old pushchair (if any of us could fit in it) or a wheelbarrow with one of us dressed as the guy for Penny For The Guy. I guess that's banned now!
We'd sometimes have a lantern for then, too. Well waste not & all that!
People would love it when our guy moved or sat up & said hi.
Oh, those were the days when fireworks weren't going off all year and Halloween was just one night instead of all month!
I feel sorry for anyone with PTSD/anxieties, like soldiers for example!!

Yammy,
Halloween was originally Scottish/English but the Yanks took it and made it super big and commercialised...how typical of them! Lol