Halloween

The Halloween celebrations of my childhood seem so innocent in retrospect, as indeed they were, unlike some now. In England when I was a child Hallowe'en (Eve of All Hallows) was a very low-key event. I don't remember any commercialism. I've just heard what the average spend per household for Halloween is today in the UK and I'm horrified, especially as that includes much plastic rubbish, easily flammable costumes, sweets that rot teeth and a gross waste of pumpkins by people who only use them for carving and not eating. I could go on, but that would be at the risk of being a kill-joy and I am all for people having fun in ways that don't harm people or the planet.

So, back to my childhood reminiscing. Bobbing for apples, in a bucket of water without using hands, was about as dangerous as it got at the Sunday School party on 31 October. Well, I suppose a child could have been drowned if there had been someone there of such evil intent or if the supervision had been lax.

Passing round a paper bag containing 'eyeballs' to feel in the dark was as scary as it got. And when the light was turned on and the eyeballs revealed to be grapes gave reassuring relief and a treat to eat.

One year at a friend's house I remember carving lanterns from swedes (turnips for some of you), standing those outside the door, then running around inside the house covered in old sheets as children pretended to be 'ghosts' to frighten each other. There was much more laughter than fear. But we were well supervised.

The Irish/American custom of 'trick or treat' was completely absent around our way and no-one would have dreamt of buying a Halloween costume such as fill the shops now in the commercial run-up to 31 October. What's wrong with making your own (if you must)?

I don't believe I was harmed by my childhood Halloween activities, any more than I am harmed by erecting the pagan symbol of a Christmas Tree, which probably has origins at least as old as the pre-Christian late autumnal celebrations such as Samhain. These took place after the end of harvest, the start of winter as the nights get longer and the climate colder. I am aware that there can be a darker evil aspect to Halloween that seems to have grown in recent years. I would not want to minimise the dangers of getting drawn into occult activities such as sorcery, witchcraft or necromancy. It also seems that there is currently an increasing interest in the occult, perhaps to fill a spiritual yearning that is in us all, but also more dangerously to feed the desire for control over other people. Such things are immensely damaging, destructive and to be shunned.

Some Christians will have nothing at all to do with any of the prevailing Halloween traditions and will just say, 'we don't do Halloween'. Some churches provide alternative Halloween parties and call them Light parties, which fits well the celebration of All Saints (All Hallows) - a wonderful feast of light that traditionally begins after dark today.

In general I do not 'do Halloween' in its popular form. The pumpkins we have grown all summer are stored in the cold porch of our house. None are carved because they are for eating during the winter and I was brought up to avoid wasting food.

Whatever you are doing today I hope you keep safe and find some joy. Meanwhile, I look forward to celebrating the Feast of All Saints, which many churches will mark either tomorrow or on Sunday. It is a day to remember all those Christians, known and unknown who have gone before us and who in their lives carried the true light, the Light of Christ.

For All Hallows Eve Malcolm Guite has posted on his blog a sonnet of reclamation as a contribution to reclaiming this season for the Christian purpose it has served since the 8th century. You can hear him recite it here or read the words below:

All Saints

"Though Satan breaks our dark glass into shards

Each shard still shines with Christ’s reflected light,

It glances from the eyes, kindles the words

Of all his unknown saints. The dark is bright

With quiet lives and steady lights undimmed,

The witness of the ones we shunned and shamed.

Plain in our sight and far beyond our seeing

He weaves them with us in the web of being

They stand beside us even as we grieve,

The lone and left behind whom no one claimed,

Unnumbered multitudes, he lifts above

The shadow of the gibbet and the grave,

To triumph where all saints are known and named;

The gathered glories of His wounded love."


Image Credit: Commons Wikimedia

PS This post is an update on one I posted on a previous 31 October.

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