tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post5838946277372994427..comments2023-12-18T17:32:03.325+00:00Comments on Kindred of the Quiet Way: "The children are coming!".... Hallowe'en.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post-35003603948745965032011-01-19T00:25:34.325+00:002011-01-19T00:25:34.325+00:00:0):0)Pen Wilcockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13818227904371811230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post-47525566376058847032011-01-18T23:47:50.850+00:002011-01-18T23:47:50.850+00:00I was interested to read Ganeida's comment. T...I was interested to read Ganeida's comment. This year being on facebook I came across similar views from other Aussie's our age. I was a little surprised. I do feel like Ganeida that I have a low tolerance to anything scarey. <br /><br />The Aussie's normal everyday ones where actually quite upset, even more than Ganeida perhaps. There were lots of things in our mainstream grocery shops. I loved it, I even asked my son to buy me some of the inexpensive things from Aldi for my Christmas present. However I would have preferred the pumpkins to the spiders, but they were sold out.<br /><br />I think because my husband went to America a couple of times in October, and Canada too, I have a much more positive view. He brought back a large bag of candy that was fun with corn shaped lollies and some other normal candy from Walgreens that is nicer than what we can buy here, more wholesome taste. My daughter was only four and it was a happy time. I saw the photos of the pumpkins and corn stalks on people's entries of their houses. Knew nothing about it before, it was 2000. So when my son shows (he is 22) an interest in getting a large pumpkin from Coles and it then comes up in the compost and he is growing them I am all excited. Especially since my Dad told stories of giant pumpkins when he was a boy with piglets inside of them, not that the halloween pumpkins are that big. Coles had ones in the shops that you don't usually see. Even for Christmas now then have inexpensive dress ups, like the most gorgeous plum pudding for a toddler. It is new to Australia, but I adored the costumes and wished I had a toddler to dress. I expect though other middle aged ladies just thought the same thing that they are trying to make money. My husband was working in a corporation in 2000 so I like corporations, it was what brought this excitement. We live now though in an isolated place, not sure how it compares to Ganeida's island. The kids here are quite safe running around and know who they are bumping into in the night. It has been very fun, and I wished I was more prepared with the lollies. I was sad about that.Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17457300221571368059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post-6976407229431703952010-10-22T16:39:17.481+01:002010-10-22T16:39:17.481+01:00Sorry Buzz - yes it did. Can't remember what ...Sorry Buzz - yes it did. Can't remember what went awry there - probably my fault!<br />Thanks for this, anyway xPen Wilcockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13818227904371811230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post-88652194789216232862010-10-22T13:43:24.909+01:002010-10-22T13:43:24.909+01:00Did my earlier comment not come through? :-\
Resp...Did my earlier comment not come through? :-\<br /><br />Responding to something Gerry said about Bonfire Night:<br />I think, for most people who aren't Catholics, they aren't thinking about religious affiliation at all on Bonfire Night; and for those who are remembering 1605, these days it's more about burning an effigy that represents anti-democratism and terrorism, rather than Catholicism. (Not to say that it hasn't been clearly about Catholicism in the past.)<br /><br />There is still a discussion to be had about whether or not it is still offensive, but if you wonder why ordinary people could do something so hateful towards Catholics, I think it's because they aren't thinking about Catholics when they do it, or even about it being a figure of an actual man - rather, an anthropomorphic personification of an idea!Buzzfloydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10907833292561328868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post-82707512174974171792010-10-22T12:12:12.571+01:002010-10-22T12:12:12.571+01:00Hi Persuaded!
:0)Hi Persuaded! <br /><br />:0)Pen Wilcockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13818227904371811230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post-28073408939852799252010-10-22T12:05:17.596+01:002010-10-22T12:05:17.596+01:00You know, I don't think I've ever found an...You know, I don't think I've ever found another believer who feels as I do about Halloween.... but now I haveā„Diane Shifferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03449110271720365988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post-91832956788472131352010-10-20T11:06:36.154+01:002010-10-20T11:06:36.154+01:00Oh! Being burned to death as a form of *tribute*!...Oh! Being burned to death as a form of *tribute*! Now, why didn't I think of that?<br />x thanks BadgerPen Wilcockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13818227904371811230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post-26011162360801180672010-10-20T10:41:30.985+01:002010-10-20T10:41:30.985+01:00Speaking as the Badger in the post above, I found ...Speaking as the Badger in the post above, I found the experience of welcoming small children, admiring costumes etc very rewarding. Kids usually come with their parents or other adults, and that's ok.<br /><br />I did get very sick of having my house pelted with eggs and flour: rampant teens are rarely a blessing.<br /><br />There is quite a strong bonfire tradition on the south coast of England, with torchlight processions and costumes. One nearby town still burns an effigy of the Pope. In Hastings we have moved on a bit and in recent years have burned effigies of Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, and not to leave our American cousins out of it, George W as well. Probably it will be David or Barack this year. Until you have been burned in effigy you just haven't made it.Tony Collinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944180192955058668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post-31004187963518433642010-10-19T21:44:56.865+01:002010-10-19T21:44:56.865+01:00Hi Gerry! Funny old world indeed!!
Hi Ganeida - y...Hi Gerry! Funny old world indeed!!<br /><br />Hi Ganeida - you will be relieved to know that's my last post on Hallowe'en - no more! :0)Pen Wilcockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13818227904371811230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post-88241780950836422402010-10-19T21:25:05.821+01:002010-10-19T21:25:05.821+01:00Ember: Halloween has never really been celebrated ...Ember: Halloween has never really been celebrated out here until the past few years & it seems to be the teens who are getting into it. Last year they trashed our neighbour's yard; Star & I saw it when we got home & cleaned it up for her so I don't know if she even knew it had been done. Friends had their littlies terrorised & there were eggs & bricks thrown at houses out their way. I have threatened to bail our next lot of unwanted visitors up & give them a lecture on Celtic history [after all I don't get lots of opportunities to pontificate on my favourite subject!] & Dearest has said we need to organise to have some kiddie tracts to hand out but we don't get lots of visitors. We are sort of out of the way & none of our living area is on the street side so our house is dark & uninviting normally. <br /><br />Apart from anything else I do think it is an invasion of privacy but not having grown up with it I just don't get anything about this. Why are parents letting young kiddies wander about unsupervised late at night? [seen & witnessed last year on our way home from choir] Why the focus on the ghoulish?<br /><br />I admit seeing all the nightmarish stuff makes me physically sick. I am super sensitive to anything of horror [no horror movies for me! lol] so this is a really difficult time of the year for me if there is a lot of supernatural activity taking place ~ & that pings me of because it is generally a lovely time of year & my birthday falls plop in the middle of all the fuss. *sigh* We can't even turn it into a harvest festival & I suspect out here it is just another way for the retailers to make a quick buck [a 2nd reason to veto it in my book].<br /><br />I have been fascinated by how you view this but just thinking about Halloween has me breaking out in a cold sweat & my gorge rising up. Perhaps because I have absolutely no positive associations with it? *sigh* Seems I will have to decide on a positive course of action as it becomes more mainstream each year. How about an island just for one? ;DGaneidahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17176246964466185315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post-11070793957829739362010-10-19T19:35:15.783+01:002010-10-19T19:35:15.783+01:00Well growing up in Ireland there only was Hallowee...Well growing up in Ireland there only was Halloween and we little christians dressed up with the others and lit our bonfires and knocked on doors with the rest of the gang. It was only when I came to England and the church spoke of All Hallow's evening and happy partys were held etc. that I turned my back on it and stopped my children from having the fun that I had had! Now with my Grand children I once again carve the pumpkins [and what child wants a happy faced pumpkin!] duck for apples and they wear their halloween clothes. I make it clear that the evening is in celebration of all the saints, and tell them, that means us. Now the thing that puzzled me for years over in England was that they celebrate 5th Nov. by putting an effigy of a man on a bonfire to burn, And I thought...how can that be any better for those children to think that it's o.k. for a catholic to be burnt!!!Funny old world!Gerry Snapehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269492251928362799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post-33750393487853120202010-10-19T15:59:39.069+01:002010-10-19T15:59:39.069+01:00:0)
Hi Julie! x:0)<br /><br />Hi Julie! xPen Wilcockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13818227904371811230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55532501364780143.post-32812376355726749292010-10-19T15:26:12.421+01:002010-10-19T15:26:12.421+01:00This is one of my favorites of all your posts, Emb...This is one of my favorites of all your posts, Ember. <br /><br />When my daughters were little we also didn't celebrate Halloween and did exactly as you have described. If we were home, the porch light was left off, curtains were closed, and we were "not in." Many years we went to our church's Harvest Festival instead, where candy and Biblical costumes abounded, and everyone had fun. When my 28 year-old Sara was three, she won the costume contest, having gone as Lazarus. I wrapped her round and round with toilet paper from head to foot and a few lengths trailed behind, and it was pretty amusing. When she was called up on the stage for her 1st place award she was shy and started crying, and that's a vivid memory I have - Sara as Lazarus, trailing toilet paper and crying as everyone chuckled and applauded. :)<br /><br />Anyway, now I'm a grandma, and my adult daughters with children take their children trick-or-treating, and I have enjoyed walking around with them each year. One year Clara was Pippi Longstocking, one year Eleanor was a honeybee, another year Cullen was a carpenter. :) We have given out candy in recent years, but what has been missing has been the intentional love and messages you wrote about. <br /><br />Thank you for sharing everything here - you've given me some ideas to help make our home a "light" on a traditionally darkish night.<br /><br />As usual, I learn from you and am blessed.Julie B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14372718712032820169noreply@blogger.com