Can someone please explain to me why, when my daughter says “We shouldn’t really be recognising Halloween now” she’s told “It doesn’t matter”? Why doesn’t it matter? If we said it’s not important to recognise Hanukkah in December or Christmas on December 25 could you imagine the backlash?
But when a pagan child in the Southern Hemisphere says that right now we are in Beltane and not Samhain (as in the north) she’s told effectively to get over it.
I understand the Americanisation of our culture and that’s a different issue, but Halloween is a Christianisation of the pagan Samhain – a time to celebrate the world moving into darkness… Which just doesn’t reconcile with our season of new life right now in the south. (I also understand some pagans are traditionalists and follow the northern seasons, so to those I say please understand we follow the seasons as they fall here in the south.)
I admit that this year I bought some lollies to give to any random child who knocks on our door on October 31, but frankly I couldn’t stand any longer having to turn away tiny children whose parents have enabled them to be indoctrinated by what they see on TV. I will counter the ‘dark energy’ as I did last year with a Beltane altar at the door.
(By referring to ‘Americanisation’ of our culture, I am referring in this instance to the practice of recognising ‘Halloween’ at this time of year which was never part of Australia’s culture, and to trick or treating specifically which was started by children in the US in the 1940s and actually was never part of the original Samhain tradition.)
But again, if it’s okay for a Southern Hemisphere kid in a season of birth to celebrate ‘death’ why is my pagan child told when she tries to explain her spirituality, it doesn’t matter?
After all this is OUR time … Our spirituality continues to be eroded by commercialised and Christianised observances and we aren’t allowed to complain? Or have an opinion?
Imagine a Muslim letting it slide…. Or a Jew…. Or for that matter a Christian should we tell them the observance of one of their spiritual times on the wrong date “didn’t matter… It’s just for fun”?
If we continue to allow non-pagans to tell us ‘it doesn’t matter’, eventually it won’t. Our spirituality will continue to be diluted and that will be a loss not just for us but the world as a whole.
Tip: If you do allow your child to participate in trick or treating, respect the porch light. If it is on, chances are the household is participating. If it is off, don’t knock.
Same situation, I just don’t get it. If I have to accept that people wish to celebrate Halloween, then why do others not have to accept that I choose to celebrate Beltaine. I don’t argue their wish, I just say no thank you to any invitation to celebrate death at the time of birth. When asked why, I explain tactfully (very hard for me) that it is a northern hemisphere celebration and if I am to allow “trick or treat” it would be April 30th. People just don’t get it, argue that I am wrong.
I do not disrespect anyone by not “doing” halloween, so why should I be disrespected in return.
I can’t answer your question, I really wish I could.
The thing I find even more strange are the people who happily allow their otherwise non-pagan children to dress up in pagan symbols, and to effectively honour a pagan time – but then have the audacity to tell us to get over it when we say something about it! I certainly don’t have a problem with people observing Halloween – but my problem lies with THEM taking issue when we try to point out it’s the wrong time of year for us. And then we have to ‘put up and shut up’ – it just beggars belief really.
Is it any wonder pagans remain underground instead of being free to share their views with the wider community in open discussion and in an attempt to gain better understanding of our ancient beliefs? While the world pushes for greater understanding and acceptance of Islam and its practice we remain very much a minority – but one that TRULY speaks of peace, connection and understanding!
Gaias Wisdom
I believe it all comes down to education as with all things that we don’t understand. If people don’t know or if they are ignorant, it is up to ‘us’ to educate them so that they are aware of the real traditions and rituals – not to go underground. It is unfortunate but nothing is learned unless it’s told and that’s what blogs like yours is here to do.
Absolutely Latvian Goddess. It’s a shame we get flayed when we try to educate though…. as has happened to me for most of the morning this morning. The howls of “Oh for heaven’s sake get over it! It’s just fun! The kids get a chance to dress up and get out of the house.” If I dressed my daughter up in a burkha and said “It’s just for fun – she’s playing dress up” what would be the result I wonder? It’s no wonder we keep quiet when even trying to educate leads to backlash. This is why we tend to just get on with living our beliefs and let the rest fight it out! 😉