Monday, September 24, 2007

Holiday, Holy Day?

Have you been to Wal-mart lately?

They're decorated for Hallowe'en. And have been for a bit.

Yeah, I know. Kids love the whole trick or treat thing. I did, as a child.

Not too keen on it now, though. Comes from being an old, grumpy fart, I suspect.

Still, the stores are decorating for the holiday.

And that's the rub.

Isn't holiday short for holy day?

Well, what's so darn holy about Hallowe'en?

Oh, sure. It was originally All Hallows' Eve, or All Hallows Even. The evening before All Hallows' Day, or All Saints Day.

But, in the U.S., it's now the night to dress up as witches and ghosts and vampires and monsters and such.

And, like I said, there's not much holy about that.

I wonder if maybe Wal-mart's trying to give Satan equal time to make up for Christmas.

But then, again, I don't recall seeing anything Christ-like about Wal-mart at Christmas.

Oh, well. They're all decorated up for Hallowe'en.

Yeah, maybe I'm just an old, grumpy fart. Because I don't like Hallowe'en.

Until the kids ring the doorbell.

6 comments:

  1. They have Christmas goodies out along side Halloween stuff here in our Wal Marts. I wish we could go back to the old days when they only put things out for the holidays right before. Christmas waited until the day after Thanksgiving. That is soon enough. Lots of people, probably most, don't do their buying until right at last!

    I never let my children dress up as anything bad. And, my grandchildren always dressed up as clowns, cowboys, and such. Seems to me that Halloween is not what it used to be, either. Thank goodness I live where I do. I haven't had a trick or treater in probably 30 years! That is okay with me.

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  2. Basil you should dress up and play along...scare the kids (just kidding about scaring). At least get a little enjoyment out of passing out free candy.

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  3. Any day that celebrates the gluttonous consumption of candy is holy in my book! Plus, it gives me an excuse to wear a "V for Vendetta" Guy Fawkes mask to class.

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  5. Well, Halloween isn't terribly holy if you follow one of the traditions of Abraham.

    For most Pagans, though, it's the second holiest day of the year.

    Though, I'm sure Wal-Mart couldn't care one way or the other provided something sells.

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  6. By definition, Christians have nothing to fear from death, devil or a once-pagan holiday. We have conquered death thru our mediator, J.C. Halloween is therefore a great opportunity to show others what "No Fear" is about; --we can dress up like serial killers and toilet paper the yards of people we don't like.

    boo.

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