Posted on 09/22/2011 6:49:00 AM PDT by flowerplough
...Growing up in the late seventies and early eighties, Halloween was a big deal in my life. For weeks before October 31 my friends and I plotted the best neighborhood routes to maximize candy retrieval. We traded information in a “you tell me yours then I’ll tell you mine” manner to extract the locations of generous homes that doled out full size candy bars and stingy ones that gave out cheap toffees that tasted like expired cough drops. There were lengthy discussions as to which costumes to wear. As a child of the seventies, I have donned a long white nightgown and twisted my hair into two tight buns on the sides of my head a la Princess Leia, but my go-to costume was a gypsy. Simple and classic. Plus I had an excuse to wear every bit of jewelry I owned, as well as raid my mother’s jewelry box and “borrow” pieces from my sister when she was off putting on her own costume. Good times.
I had wanted these same good times for my children. Growing up in the West there are so few holiday traditions that Muslim kids share with their classmates. They do not participate in the, “Whatcha get from Santa?” discussions or “What did the Easter Bunny bring you?” conversations. After Halloween, though, I remember being in the thick of the candy bartering sessions, and I wanted my children to enjoy the same sense of belonging and participation. But my three children all attended an Islamic school and it never occurred to me that the school may view Halloween as anything but innocuous fun. My first clue to the contrary was the information sheet that came home in their backpacks outlining the pagan origins of the holiday. My second subtle hint was the sign that read, “We Do Not Celebrate Halloween. Please Do Not Ring Our Bell” designed and decorated in the students’ art class. ... – I had chosen to enroll my children in this Islamic school and loved the school’s mission and ideals but what to do when their philosophy and mine clashed?
(1) What non-Muslim in their right mind sends their children to an Islamic school?
(2) You’ll find plenty of Christians that hold the same attitude toward Halloween—it’s a pagan holiday that celebrates evil, and should be avoided—so it’s hard (as a Christian) to critisize the Muslims on this one.
Hope it continues. Happy memories for the young ones, IMO.
In Islam, you cannot pick and choose which parts you will follow. Either you follow all of Islam, or you are an apostate. Bad things happen to open apostates.
I can see how they would be drawn to the macabre side of Halloween, but it never occurred to me that muzzies would partake of the holiday unless they could inflict some pain or misery.
Plenty of Christians are wrong.
Halloween is at heart a Christian holy day. It’s the vigil of All Saints Day, i.e. All Hallows Eve.
Halloween is a Christian holiday. All Hallowed Eve is the day before All Saints Day. All Christians should celebrate the Saints.
And let me make it clear, lest I am misunderstood. The way Halloween is celebrated nowadays is, in many ways, atrocious and disgusting. I get that. I’m a Christian myself and I won’t tolerate any glorification of evil or witchcraft in my house.
My children dress as saints. And we commemorate all those who have gone before us and now live their lives fully within Christ. That’s the way we keep it at our house.
The way it is celebrated in this country is not Christian. As a practical matter, it is celebration of evil and evil spirits, not good (unless you want to argue that people walking around dressed up bloody murder victims has some connection to good).
The way many secular people celebrate it I won’t argue with you. Truth be told, I find their preoccupation with slaughter and gore completely vile.
But you’ll find a different attitude altogether in the homes of many Christians who remember what the original day was all about.
Thanks, Claud. How I loved the mass that commemorated All Saint’s (isn’t it All Souls the night before?). Then hours of school followed by a wonderful costume, trick or treating and meeting all the lovely moms on that brisk autumn afternoon. Sadly, last year I didn’t get one single child.
Fundamentalist churches hereabouts have also stopped mentioning the holiday or holding kiddies’ parties.
It really is a beautiful time of the liturgical year isn’t it? One of my favorites.
All Souls is Nov. 2. The whole 3 day festival is the vigil of All Saints (Halloween Oct 31), then All Saints (Nov 1), then All Souls (Nov 2).
Halloween was the most wonderful holiday as a child. I’m so sad that kids today are being deprived of such fun - especially because of Christianity!
Tramping on the colorful leaves with pillowcases loaded down with candy as you came home through the dusk; amazing homemade costumes sewn or designed by mom; watching my brother create a beard by using burnt cork. My father coming home from work and insisting he see our costumes before we changed back into mufti.
This was not the 19th Century (Halloween had completely different rituals then) but happened all the way though the 1970s.
How Christians could turn on this holiday rather than enforce the old traditions and rituals, is beyond me. Well, that’s why I’m not a fundamentalist, I guess.
I don’t believe that it is an accident that the most beautiful of all the church traditions (with the exception of Easter) take place during the glorious days of autumn and early winter. My favorite season, my favorite rituals.
Right! Part of it is the sheer beauty of the autumn in North America.
And I think that time of year speaks very well to us in this time of world history....we remember the last things as the world winds down and we await the coming of the Savior in Advent. All is darkening around is, and we are sustained by Light.
You’re using a mallet to kill a fly.
Are those people coming to your door when trick or treating? If so, by all means, send them away and call the cops.
Meanwhile, I will continue to delight in the holiday.
I love seeing the kidlets in their costumes.
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