Halloween!

[imadelilith]

i don't know if i'll dress up this year, because i don't want to make my daughter nervous by looking too unusual. i might dress up as a witch, though. depends on if i can fit myself into the budget somewhere! lol... but i have been looking at baby costumes for lilith's halloween since... forever. there are so many cute options! again, i suppose in the end that will come down to how much we can afford...  

[puerdemon]

Why didn't I see this post before? eek

I'm the (un)lucky ******** who's born on the damn day! Considering the company I'm in I trust that no one is going to make any bad witch jokes. (Please don't having kinder-gardeners gang up on you in third grade and try to beat you with dead tree branches all the while yelling (you guessed it) "Witch! Witch!" leaves one with a bitter taste in the mouth regarding the date.)

Curious question for ya though: How do you celebrate Halloween/All Hallows Eve in your tradition, if you do at all? What significance does the date hold?  

[Sivirs]

Every year I wish for somewhere to dress up, because I freaking LOVE dressing up, and every year, nobody I know does anything for Halloween. sad And I don't wanna do anything by myself 'cause it's just not as fun.

Hopefully once the fiancée and I have our own place, he won't mind if I go batshit crazy and decorate the hell out of it for Halloween, and maybe have a party or something.  

[error-dot-tar]

Halloween is one of those holidays that I would like to reclaim. Another is my birthday. I haven't really celebrated either since I was very young. It wouldn't be anything too special - just a gathering of my friends for a bit of "seasoned" fun. Likely involving hard cider.

I'd like to spend the day with fellow Satanists - but my chances of finding such are pretty slim. My chances of becoming familiar enough with them to invite them into my home, hard cider or not, are even slimmer. But there's no reason why I can't open up that day to my friends and loved ones.  

[Night Electric]

You know they are.
Oh yes I am!But People around here are "stingy" for giving candy to kids 14 and up (I'm 18, lawl) I'm going as V from V for Vendetta. Oh boy, can't wait.

 

[Morgandria]

Quails are Neat

You know they are.
Oh yes I am!But People around here are "stingy" for giving candy to kids 14 and up (I'm 18, lawl) I'm going as V from V for Vendetta. Oh boy, can't wait.

You still go out for... At 18? There's a reason people (everywhere, indeed) are 'stingy' to the 14+ crowd. Trick or treating is really for children.

You want to go out? Find family or family friends with small children who might like a costumed escort. Wanna dress up with your friends, and wander the streets? Go nuts - just don't go knocking on doors.

I think this is the height of greed and thoughtlessness. It really really annoys me. You are no longer a child. Seriously - Have a party with your friends, and buy your candy like all the other adults.  

[Shearaha]

One of our friends throws a HUGE halloween party every year, we're gonna stop by but then we're having a smaller party at our apartment, family, close friends and finger food!

As far as costumes, I'm giving my vamp amd succubus costumes a break. I've got a very generic witch costume i pick up cheep and I'll most likely wear that and then play with accesories to make it good.  

[TheDisreputableDog]

My local circle appears to be planning a pretty cool ritual. The 31st is a Friday this year so it will involve alcohol, fire, food, and camping out at my friend's "farm."

I don't really have any costume ideas...I'll be at work the day of. But I'm so making a "jackal"-lantern. Wepwawet and Yinepu love the pun. smile  

[TeaDidikai]

Morgandria

You still go out for... At 18? There's a reason people (everywhere, indeed) are 'stingy' to the 14+ crowd. Trick or treating is really for children.

ninja

Quote:

I think this is the height of greed and thoughtlessness.

Teens getting a few pieces of candy on a night where begging is traditional verses...?

Quote:

It really really annoys me. You are no longer a child.

Historically in the US at least it was custom to offer adults cider and cakes (sometimes pickled apples and other such treats) while neighbors brought their little ones around and talked. Wish folks weren't so paranoid that they are afraid to drink from a stranger's punch bowl.  

[Morgandria]

TeaDidikai

ninja

Teens getting a few pieces of candy on a night where begging is traditional verses...?

Historically in the US at least it was custom to offer adults cider and cakes (sometimes pickled apples and other such treats) while neighbors brought their little ones around and talked. Wish folks weren't so paranoid that they are afraid to drink from a stranger's punch bowl.

When does the 18 year old who goes out on Hallowe'en decide enough is enough? If being a legal adult isn't that line, where is it? 25? 40? Until they have grandchildren of their own?

I will still find it annoying when teenagers and adults people trick-or-treat (meaning they go to strangers, not to friends or family). I have no problems with adults going to their friends and families begging a treat, having a little visit. I have problems with them going around neighbourhoods taking candy they can go and buy for themselves - candy they're effectively taking from children.

No-one answers a door wanting to see a gangling teenage weed in a costume. They're looking to see the small ones, excited and cute. You wanna dress up and impress people with a costume, go to a party for your friends, or throw one - they're interested in you standing on their doorstep.

Greed is greed, whether it's big, or small. It all starts somewhere. Being an adult sucks, but that's life. We don't stay children forever. I for one do not want to live in a world run, and populated by, overgrown children.

Perhaps I'm bitter. I had little childhood, and it ended well before my teens. Ah well.  

[Sivirs]

Why does trick or treating have to be about greed though? For a lot of people, the candy is incidental. It's the fun of dressing up and going door-to-door, and the surprise of seeing what kind of candy people give out at which house. There's also the fun of getting together with friends and "comparing loots" afterwards.

Sure, you can go to the store and buy candy. But by that same logic, a kid can have a parent take them to the store and buy them some candy too, so what's the point in ANYone trick or treating?  

[maenad nuri]

When I was 18, my friends and I dressed up and went trick or treating. However, we also all went as the monks, a knight and patsy from The Search For the Holy Grail. Including props. We went around chanting and hitting ourselves, for each doorbell we rang.

We weren't gangley teens scamming for candy, we were teens having a blast being nerds and doing some elaborate and fun and getting candy as a reward.

If Halloween is such a liminal night -- we let a down a lot of guard both for kids and adults -- why not blur the lines between childhood and adulthood? It's one night.  

[Morgandria]

maenad nuri

If Halloween is such a liminal night -- we let a down a lot of guard both for kids and adults -- why not blur the lines between childhood and adulthood? It's one night.

I don't consider Hallowe'en a liminal night. I consider it a modern holiday based on older traditions; an observance that has split off from any spiritual past and is now secular. Samhain is a liminal night, to me. Not Hallowe'en.

It doesn't matter. I'm quite used to having an unpopular opinion on this subject (amongst others), and I'm unlikely to change my mind about it.  

[TatteredAngel]

Morgandria

I don't consider Hallowe'en a liminal night. I consider it a modern holiday based on older traditions; an observance that has split off from any spiritual past and is now secular. Samhain is a liminal night, to me. Not Hallowe'en.

It doesn't matter. I'm quite used to having an unpopular opinion on this subject (amongst others), and I'm unlikely to change my mind about it.

Speaking as someone whose friends and family are largely more secular, I find it kind of upsetting that you figure that a modern secular holiday can't be liminal for those who do not observe something like Samhain. Samhain is your liminal night. That's fine. But I don't think it's right for you to be bitter that others might want that liminality on another night more significant to them. I'm not trying to change your opinion, since you've made it obvious you aren't entertaining other options, but it seems like you're making sweeping statements that are inflammatory at best. In particular;

Morgandria

No-one answers a door wanting to see a gangling teenage weed in a costume.

That really bothered me. You didn't say "I think teenagers are too close to being adults and should not be doing this," you got personal. It does matter, because whether or not your opinion is unpopular, you're not being terribly nice about it. Some of us would be okay with those gangling teenage weeds, some of us wouldn't, but reducing them to an unflattering caricature is inappropriate.

I was one of those "gangling teenage weeds" to whom Halloween meant a great deal. I'm in my twenties now and Halloween still means a great deal to me. Your opinions don't bother me, you're welcome to them, but your generalizing and bitterness towards something that is by your own admission not an important holiday to you does.  

[Recursive Paradox]

Morgandria

I for one do not want to live in a world run, and populated by, overgrown children.

I personally think a world in which we've recaptured some of our childlike wonder and curiosity is a far better place to live in. All that's necessary is everyone take responsibility when they have to.

So if it's a parent who has kids of their own and the kids want to go trick or treat? The parent should watch them and accompany them instead of trick or treating themselves.

But what particular set of responsibilities is the teenager dodging by trick or treating?