Halloween: To Celebrate, Or Not?

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Pick a perfect pumpkin.
Happy Halloween! I don't hate Halloween, I just don't do Halloween. Does anyone feel like me? 

I'm a Halloween sceptic, as I'll go into it later. Perhaps it's my Christian values?

Halloween is a celebration of death, not costumes and candy. It also has these weird Celtic and Pagan origins, making it more absurd.

Centuries ago, immigrants took it to America. It was a non-event in the UK, until fairly recently. Western culture soon commercialised it.

And "trick-or-treat", still lives strong. Many kids in Halloween attire, will keep up the tradition tonight, by hassling adults for sweets. You can't draw a "carol singing" comparison. Carol singing is festive charity work, and they don't egg your porch; unless you piss them off!

So today, I blog about general Halloween stuff.

The Pumpkin Picking Parents

This may surprise you.

The fields are alive, with the sound of pumpkins.
On Wednesday, we went pumpkin picking. We took a local visit to 'Hurley's Pumpkin Forest'. We'd been before, but this year was better. 

Pumpkins aren't just for Halloween. You can make soups, cakes, drinks, sauces etc.

This week my son made pumpkin pie at nursery, and on Wednesday I tried a pumpkin latte (nice!). 

Around Halloween time, I consume (literally) the bits I like. But buying a pumpkin, doesn't constitute "buying into" Halloween.
Buying a pumpkin, doesn't constitute "buying into" Halloween.
Pumpkins pre-date the Halloween era, and go back centuries. Halloween stole the pumpkin idea, as their symbol. And I bet they paid no royalties! Farmers were picking pumpkins long ago.

A Halloween Tale, Trick-Or-Treat

My cynicism is not without foundation. When I was young, our dog bit a "trick-or-treater". 

He'd been barking at "trick-or-treaters" all night, and was fed-up. The last "trick-or-treater" of the evening, was one "three-foot" Frankenstein too many, for our dog!

The last "trick-or-treater" of the evening, was one "three-foot" Frankenstein too many, for our dog!

Somehow, he escaped the house and bit the child. The boy was shaken, but survived with a small scratch. My mum was very embarrassed, but the boy's parents were sympathetic.

Word got around at school. Apparently my dog was possessed by evil, and had savaged the boy. The "Chinese whisper" effect in full flow. What are kids like!

From that day, it cemented a belief, that Halloween was "hassle". Who wants children put at risk? My wife shares this cynicism, I'm in good company. 

Final Thoughts

Celebrate Halloween in your own way, but take it for what it is. 

Perhaps it's harmless fun, perhaps I'm a killjoy? I don't know. Whatever you do for Halloween, stay safe and don't burn any witches!

Now where's my Ouija board? 😂

Related Links

https://pumpkinforest.co.uk/

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