Apparently, the tradition of carving pumpkins used to be the Irish tradition of carving turnips on All Hallows' Eve to keep evil spirits away. When the immigrants came here, pumpkins were larger and partly hollowed out already, so the switch was made.
I don't like the idea of celebrating Halloween. I think that over-commercialization doesn't rob a religious holiday of its religious significance. Whether or not October 31st has tried to be "reclaimed" by Christians or not, it's still celebrated as a (or The) high "feast" day of several pagan cults. I don't think we can ignore that by just swearing off overly gory and skanky costumes.
It also kinda bothers me when people try to "Catholic-it-up;" you know--they go trick-or-treat to the rectory in a saint's costume and all that jazz. The Halloween for the Hungry door to door food drives things bother me less, if only because it's taking advantage of people's temporary hospitality to help them do a good thing.
What does this mean for our family? Well, we've always celebrated feast days as kinda a big deal around here. I try to cook something nicer from scratch; we'll have wine or beer with dinner; and we'll make an effort to share some family time. November 1st & 2nd are legitimate feast days (with All Saint's Day being a holy day of obligation!) We'll celebrate the vigils and feast days of those holy days rather than trying to morph a pagan holiday to fit our Christian ideals.
I like "harvest" themed or "costume" parties in the fall, but I really don't think our kids will do the whole trick-or-treat and Halloween party thing. I'm sure there will be times when that is difficult for them. However, lending legitimacy to a pagan feast day by downplaying it's significance is exactly what Screwtape would have loved. Jack put off taking the devil seriously until too late. I don't think I want to play that game.
I would love to know your thoughts and how your families act in regards to Halloween. This is a difficult topic for Catholic and Christian families to seriously consider and decide prayerfully how to act as people "in but not of the world."
6 comments:
Haha, well, I guess Elizabeth will be lending to a Pagan Holiday.
Growing up, Halloween was a big deal in our family. Mom made all of our costumes, and we had a giant costume box that Mom would pull out (that contained previous costumes she'd made). We kids would spend days together trying to figure out what we were going to be. Halloween night, we'd dress up, Dad would take us trick or treating and we'd come home and spend hours talking about how much fun we had. It wasn't until my early adulthood that I had any idea that Halloween may have been a pagan holiday.
I think it all comes down to how you view it. If you see it as a day to bring family together, then that's what will happen. I don't think that it has anything to do with Satan or the Devil anymore. It's a bunch of kids going around trick or treating dress up in adorable costumes. I see absolutely nothing wrong with it.
Thanks for your comment. I grew up in a strong Protestant community where we definitely did not celebrate it, which probably helps to color my understanding of the holiday. However, dress-up was a favorite game year-round with us, and the temptation to join our friends was always a very real one!
My childhood Halloween experience was like Adrienne's - wholesome family fun and visiting the neighbors. We never watched horror movies or had spooky decorations, and my Mom always mentioned how it was "All Hallow's Eve." I recall she had some misgivings influenced by Evangelical Protestant parenting books.
I've been doing a bit of research online, and it seems like there are multiple explanations about the origins of Jack o Lanterns, etc. There's also the argument that Halloween celebrations aren't that different from how Christmas Christianized some pagan traditions.
My boyfriend and I have been discussing this recently since his family did avoid Halloween, turning out the porch light and praying the rosary in the back room. They were involved with a Catholic Charismatic community that was very concerned about pagan or demonic influence. His older sister has let her kids trick-or-treat, but reluctantly.
How did your family handle neighborhood Halloween stuff? Did you hand out candy this year?
Growing up, we lived in a very rural area where someone would have to walk a tenth of a mile up an unlit, tree-lined driveway to get to our front door. We didn't have trick-or-treaters, so that was a non-issue. Now, we'll still be hospitable to people who come to our door, but we don't make them say trick or treat or wish them Happy Halloween or compliment them on ghoulish costumes. This year we were gone at a birthday party.
I do think Halloween poses a difficult dilemma. Modern pagans deny that it is a day for black masses, sacrifices, or actively calling people back from the dead. However, the secular trend has been towards a celebration of evil or indecent images (as opposed to the innocent if perhaps irreverent or secularized overtones of "Hallmark" Christmas). Can it be celebrated innocently? Sure. But I think the tone (check out the local Halloween store) is evil. Evil is real--I don't find it easily inoculated or diluted by a sufficient dose of Whinny the Pooh costumes.
I'm a strong believer in engaging the culture and transforming it. I also think there are some areas that shouldn't be engaged with young children. I'm not sure what the best balance is with Halloween. I strongly lean towards avoiding it as a young family and emphasizing the feasts we do have; meanwhile, I certainly would not judge that anyone who celebrates it as a family event is intentionally "aiding the forces of darkness" or something.
hmmm...interesting food for thought, Kelly. I personally hate Halloween, but I love dressing my kids up ;)
Pat and I have decided to allow the girls to participate in the trick-or-treating, but it ends there. I tend to agree with Adrienne, I think it is all in how you view it. I don't see any harm in allowing them to trick-or-treat.
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