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Bereavement

The ghoulishness of Hallowe’en?

(192 Posts)
MawBroon Sun 14-Oct-18 10:11:38

There was a letter in the DT yesterday from a woman who had recently lost her mother, saying she feels she cannot cope with the “ghoulish” imagery of Halloween.
Setting aside what I suspect most of us feel about the incredibly overdone Halloween “thing,” it got me thinking too.
OK it is all a bit of harmless fun for the kids, but the graveyard/skull/skeleton imagery is also very disturbing especially to the recently bereaved.
Graham Norton, the DT’s “agony uncle” gave this advice

Don’t focus on the morbid imagery and more ghoulish elements, listen instead to the excited screams of the children, their joy at dressing up, their laughter when they see their friends in costumes saying this is a reminder that life goes on.
I am sure he has a valid point, but this aspect of death (skeletons , ghouls, ghosties etc) is not one I am comfortable with dwelling on, nor I hope do the DGCs make that connection with the smiling loving Grandpa they have lost.
Any thoughts?

GabriellaG Tue 16-Oct-18 00:31:27

Jalima1108

1) Actually, you incorrectly corrected yourself. The correct word is 'we'.
2) I was indeed, a nurse at the Women's Hospital, Catherine Street, Liverpool but stopped working a week before I married.
3) I gained my degree (LL.B) studying through the OU whilst at home and bringing up our 5 children. My Masters came later and also a 1yr diploma in Forensic Graphology certified by J.M. Uni in Liverpool.
OK?
My achievements are not on show but neither do I deny something I worked hard for, especially when someone (not you) questions my intelligence.

justwokeup Mon 15-Oct-18 23:45:07

If it is not too intellectually taxing I respectfully suggest you read my OP and for once try to show some emotional intelligence instead of arrogance
Oh, Maw, you must have known that's not too kind either wink ... and was likely to get a brusque response grin. You also took some others to task who didn't agree with your post, but life would be dull if we all agreed. From my experience, I don't think that your DGC would associate halloween (supposedly fun) ghoulishness at all with their beloved DGF or their wonderful memories of him. Also, in the UK, halloween now has little to do with remembering loved ones who have died. I love apple bobbing, cute homemade costumes, pumpkin carving and 'spooky' food but, yes, intensely dislike the cheap tat!

maddyone Mon 15-Oct-18 23:15:35

Maw grin

grannyqueenie Mon 15-Oct-18 23:14:38

annodomini, you forgot the toffee apples or was it just my mum that did that bit?!

MissAdventure Mon 15-Oct-18 23:03:58

grin Maw

MawBroon Mon 15-Oct-18 22:57:01

Perhaps finally a word to the wise (and the highly intelligent)

maddyone Mon 15-Oct-18 21:23:55

Nanna58, she’s not the only one on Gransnet who has claimed to have superior intelligence to the rest of us mere Gransnet mortals. However, I won’t name the other one, and it’s unlikely that she’ll be on this thread. At least, I’ve only ever come across two who have made the claim that they are more intelligent than the rest of us. grin

Nanna58 Mon 15-Oct-18 21:08:26

Oh , how I wish I were GabriellaG , instead of just a mere mortal! Lord that woman’s given me a laugh tonight???

maddyone Mon 15-Oct-18 20:58:43

It looks absolutely beautiful Maw, a truly peaceful place.

MawBroon Mon 15-Oct-18 20:44:25

A country churchyard Maddyone there are worse places to spend Eternity!

maddyone Mon 15-Oct-18 20:09:15

Maw, I was happy to read that your walk to the cemetery is actually very pleasant and quiet. I’m sure your grandchildren will remember both their loving grandfather, and the peaceful cemetery where you go to remember him.

PECS Mon 15-Oct-18 20:04:09

M0nica this is QI in reading about Halloween n UK.

www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Halloween/

maddyone Mon 15-Oct-18 20:00:00

GabriellaG, whatever your academic achievements, good manners and empathy do not appear to feature on your list of accomplishments. How sad that a person can reach the stage in life where they join a forum for grandparents and yet still not have acquired that essential skill of diplomacy. Most interesting, I would have thought that in a career in law, that would have been an essential skill.

Just as an aside, what exactly was your role in law? Solicitor, barrister? And where did you work? In London in a top set, or as a high street solicitor? Just asking?

M0nica Mon 15-Oct-18 19:58:06

When we are recently bereaved we are very sensitive to anything that reminds us of our bereavement and the person we have lost.

Having said that, I think it is unreasonable for us to expect the world as a whole to alter what it is doing because of our personal grief. People die every day and families grieve, but except at a personal level we must accept that life goes on.

Having said that, yes I think Hallowe'en is overdone. Almost entirely by people who have absolutely no idea what the background to the day is, which is mourning and sadness for those we have lost!!! As a result we are losing Bonfire Night.

As another thread on culture and tradition discusses. Culture and tradition is always evolving. Old traditions die out, new ones come in. Most cultures do have a festival given to the dead and undead, the Germans have Walpurgis Night, and we have been alone in not having such a festival and Halloween is filling that gap.

Jalima1108 Mon 15-Oct-18 19:50:52

Better to be a bit dim and funny I think grin

annodomini Mon 15-Oct-18 19:05:39

We are having our annual controversy about Halloween. More than half a century ago, our Halloween in Scotland was a pretty harmless affair. We had parties at which we 'dooked' for apples or tried to bite scones, dripping with black treacle, and suspended from a line across the room, with our hands behind our backs! We went 'guising'. dressed up in masks and old bed sheets to ask neighbours, 'please for our Halloween' and received sweets or nuts in exchange for reciting a poem or singing a song. All totally innocent of blood and gore. I deplore the transatlantic corruption and commercialisation of our tradition and wish they had kept it over there.
Gabriella, thanks for revealing your superior qualifications. Now we know just what gives you the right to patronise us lesser mortals, some of whom also have degrees and professional expertise.

grannyqueenie Mon 15-Oct-18 18:55:41

But you do have a sense of humour Jalima1108! grin

Fflaurie Mon 15-Oct-18 18:17:52

I HATE Halloween.

Jalima1108 Mon 15-Oct-18 18:11:17

us not we

shows how thick I am grin

Jalima1108 Mon 15-Oct-18 18:07:59

My intelligence and literacy is probably greater than the majority who post on here. As a retired lawyer (LL.M Eur) amongst other qualifications
why, then, do you lower yourself to enter into discussions with we who are of much lower intelligence? confused

And I thought that you had once posted that you were a nurse?

Chewbacca Mon 15-Oct-18 18:03:56

Gabrielle this is worth remembering: Much of someone's character lies in what they don't say about themselves. But more is revealed in what they do say.

Nannylovesshopping Mon 15-Oct-18 17:34:32

Sorry, out of

Nannylovesshopping Mon 15-Oct-18 17:33:57

GabbyG I am very intelligent and I think you need to get your head out if your a... and wind your neck in ?

PECS Mon 15-Oct-18 17:33:48

You are a scream Gabriella ???
Whilst I don't believe in hiding one's talent under a bush.. promoting one' perceived intellectual superiority is rather vulgar!

MawBroon Mon 15-Oct-18 17:31:59

Peaceful places and some, like Highgate, fascinating!smile