It's not healthy.

link

It's just kids having some fun.

I am curious what you mean by not healthy to be honest...

Pumpkin isn't particularly bad for ones health, at least in moderation...

Is it all the commercialisation of what was once a pagan ritual of thanks? If so, I would have to agree with you.

Is it all the lollies (trick or treating)? Once again, if so, I would have to totally agree.

Or is it a "sick thing" because of its pagan roots? Just on that note, the news paper article, whilst not terrible, could have been better researched - for starters the Celts were not all that big on concepts like good and evil...

Samhain was traditionally a time when one could commune with the dead, the dead were not seen as vicious, evil or dangerous, merely as fonts of great wisdom (if you believe that sort of thing). Actually, I think their view of death was a whole lot healthier than ours.

Samhain represented the death of the year, however, Celtic custom had a reincarnation myth, as such, death was simply the step before rebirth - the seasons reflected this perfectly for them.

Anyway, what exactly do you recon are the unhealthy bits and is that enough to say that we should not engage in this celebration?

To be honest, if we are to do it, it would be appropriate to move it to the appropriate season, rather than a calendar date.

Fordy351 wrote on Oct 31^st, 2015 at 1:19pm:


No it didn't, Halloween goes back much further than Guy Fawkes.

Bobby. wrote on Oct 31^st, 2015 at 1:18pm:



Yes Master Bobby, let the children have some fun.....many of them may never work enough hours to get a car or a house, childhood memories will be all they have.

Bobby. wrote on Oct 31^st, 2015 at 1:18pm:


It's just kids making a nuisance of themselves.

Your evening at the dinner table and in front of the TV is ruined by a succession of kids ringing the bell and knocking on the front door.

Interruption after interruption.

Your meal is interrupted.

Conversation with your family is put on hold.

The television evening news service goes to buggery.

The neighbourhood dogs are barking their nuts off.

And all for what?

The kids get enough 'playtime' at school with make-up and wearing costumes.

And the lesson is not good : Make yourself look scary and people will come to their door and offer you money and lollies.

I had three boys - not so little - steal the thermometer off my front porch wall.

And whatever happened to 'Stranger Danger?'

This whole thing is not Australian.

Phemanderac wrote on Oct 31^st, 2015 at 1:19pm:


Excellent post, Phem.

A vicious neighbour could so easily spike cupcakes for the little kids to take away with them.

I myself could very easily place a quantity of PicoPrep powder in a tart or cup-cake that would later blow the guts out of the little boys and girls when they got home. No real harm - but a hell of a mess to clean up with a mop and bucket and some Pine-O-Cleen or Dettol.

Fordy351 wrote on Oct 31^st, 2015 at 1:19pm:


from the link


Halloween is widely believed to have its origins in a Celtic pagan festival known as Samhain (pronounced "sow-en") that dates back more than 2,000 years.