Traditionally, at least within the United Kingdom, November 5th. marks the occasion in 1605 when one Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament. In the past celebrations of this event were largely of a domestic kind - a bonfire in the back garden, topped by a 'Guy' dressed in discarded, outworn clothing, a few rockets, the odd Catherine wheel and, to add a little glitter, a handful of sparklers. More recently, with the advent of Health and Safety, Bonfire Night has become somewhat more controlled with both fires and firework displays in the hands of 'responsible' bodies such as local councils, charities and other fund raising organizations.
So far so good. But not, I fear, for much longer. Today the comparative innocence of Guy Fawkes' Night has been largely eclipsed, at least in the consciousness of the young, by the newly imported Hallowe'en. Now, let it be clearly stated, I embrace cultural diversity, difference, and that wonderful foreignness to be found beyond one's own shores but, I regret to say, I find little to condone in the practice of a pagan rite where children are encouraged to dress up as witches or devils, to sport sinister masks, to pretend at ghosts and to tour the neighbourhood demanding Trick or Treat.
Happily none of this has yet found its way into Hungary where All Hallows' Eve is spent in quiet preparation for that Holy Day of Obligation, November 1st., All Saints' Day. On this day, throughout the country, the cemeteries become great meeting places for families and friends who gather at the gravesides with flowers and candles to honour the dead. And lest anyone should think this mournful, macabre even, let me hasten to add that as evening gathers a myriad of flickering nightlights add a warmth to an atmosphere which is both respectful and companionable.
At Kerepsi Cemetery in Budapest with its acres of parkland, its broad avenues of century old plane trees and its decorative tombs and monuments, thousands of candles will next Monday night illuminate the faces of the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the believer and the non-believer in the unifying of a nation which, whilst facing an uncertain future, is at peace with its past.
P.S. Today's photograph depicts an oblique view of the Labour Movement Mausoleum [1958] in Kerepsi Cemetery, Budapest. It, along with many other notable tombs, is open to the public on the night of All Saints' Day.
131 comments:
I like your sentiments Edith, and completely agree.
Dear Kerry, Thank you for your supportive comment. One is always in fear on these occasions of stirring up a hornet's nest!!
Dear Ms. Hope: The cultural perspective you bring here is most interesting and enlightening to this reader of yours from the shores of the country that popularized Halloween as you describe it. But you are not alone in decrying the encroachment of same. There are cultured Americans (not an oxymoron as some might suggest) that bitterly regret the debasement and commercialization of Halloween in our lands, which has become little more than a yet another degraded and ugly opportunity to move merchandise and ring the cash register. New York city, in particular, becomes the playground of loutish drunks and deranged revelers who lurch about menacingly, freed from any social responsibility by the wearing of masks, which makes it all the more unnerving for the citizenry attempting to go about their business quietly and with decorum. And the wee ones who should have the pleasure of trick or treating? Either locked away by fearful parents or out and about unsupervised among the mayhem, often dressed age inappropriately in the guises of harlots or denizens of the underworld. Most unpleasant and shocking! I rue the day it has come to be so, and regret that our debased customs have been imported elsewhere. I long for a gentler and more respectful observation as you describe in your post ... Reggie
Dear Edith, Halloween has also hit Germany hard, at least in stores and among young people. I really hope it doesn't eclipse St. Martin's Day, which is the traditional autumn lantern festival here. I had the good fortune to be in Vienna last All Saints' Day, and we visited the huge cemetery on that occasion. It was much like you describe it in Hungary - a family outing, respectful but in a way joyous. Afterwards there was plenty of opportunity to have sausage and beer at the cemetery gates!
I completely and utterly agree.
I understand the cheerful 'scary' side of it....but you only have to do a quick browse on Google to see the extremely sinister side of Halloween.
And to drag my children in, too?
Did you know that it's the night that the crime rate is highest in the UK?
You've got me on my high horse now....I think it's time to hop off and let someone else have their say...
Dear Reggie, Thank you so much for your erudite and carefully worded comment. I had hesitated to identify the source of Hallowe'en as it has come to be, but from what you describe, it all sounds too horrific to contemplate.
It is rather sad that what could be seen as simple fun for young children has been overtaken by a youth culture for whom there appear to be few bounds.
Dear Barbara, Thank you for your comment. Your experience in Vienna sounds very close to what happens in Hungary. What makes the 'Day of the Dead' so very special for me is that the same graveside vigils take place across the length and breadth of the country, in the tiniest of graveyards to the most magnificent, every community is united in honouring the dead.
I am not familiar with Guy Fawkes' Night. I do enjoy learning about the celebrations and rituals of other cultures.
All Hallows' Eve and All Saints' Day are important to us. My mother always made sure there were bouquets of fresh mums from our garden on graves of loved ones by Oct 31.
We also partake in trick-or-treating. The small community I grew up near looked forward to the children in their costumes each year, and rewarded us with a lot of candy. A lot of older citizens who didn't get out easily really liked to see each child and would want to know who was behind the masks.
As an adult, I like seeing the creativity of some of the costumes and am happy to give out candy even to the teenagers still looking for a treat. I'd much rather see them doing that than being involved in a "trick" that isn't well received.
For our climate, it's sort of a community event where people take their costumed children out to visit neighbors and friends casually before the weather gets too cold to be out in the evening.
I also enjoy carving pumpkins!
There is another side of it: pounds of candies gathered by children by trick-or-treating and then eaten in a short period of time. More candies come later, for St.Valentine's day, and again for Ester... And then we complain about health problems... But someone enjoys profit...
Dear Sarah, Thank you for your comment. I can imagine that it is a very delicate balancing act that a parent must perform with small children who are swept up with the fun of it all and are unaware of the dangers and deeper implications. It cannot be easy.
Dear Tatyana, Thank you for your comment. What an interesting and pertinent point you raise here. Yes, healthy eating education seems to be very much overlooked on these occasions.
Dear Sherlock Street, Thank you for your comment. I have been most interested to read about the events of All Hallows' Eve and All Saints Day in your community. I think that what you describe sounds great fun but is, perhaps rather different from what is experienced in larger cities where community ties are not so strong.
Hi Edith,
You know I am a fan of fall decor and all that goes along with it including the pumpkins, ghosts, witches, etc. I am not a fan of trick-or-treating.
Each year we would study the origins of Halloween which began with the Celts 2,000 years ago in the area that is now known as Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France. It began as a pagan ritual, bonfires, animal skins and animal head masks. It all had to do with the harvest and the upcoming winter. In time, especially with the early pilgrims it became more of a religious celebration.
It came to the U.S. via the European Immigrants especially the irish fleeing the potato famine. They began the practice of trick-or-treating going around carrying lighted pumpkins with baskets asking for food or and money to stay alive.
I agree, it has now become ultra commercialized and has mostly lost the emphasis on the harvest aspect.
However, I think it is important to know from whence it came, explain this to children (at the appropriate age) and have fun but with temperance.
Eileen
We moved to Sweden (from America) five years past and I was shocked to see little kids dressed up as witches-on Easter-and making the rounds looking for goodies. Halloween (American style) is still mostly celebrated by expats, and bar regulars.
Dear Eileen, Thank you so much for your comment. I have found your account of the historical foundations of Hallowe'en most interesting. I certainly understand that your beautiful decorations for autumn are very different from what goes on in larger communities, often not attached to family celebrations, where the emphasis is not on Harvest but on Trick or Treat.
Dear LL, Thank you for your comment. Yes, my concerns tend to centre around the 'lost innocence' of young children.
We could do with Master Guy in the US these days!
Dear Nick, Thank you for your comment. And, to what purpose exactly would you put him?
Wonderful post Edith. I am curious. . . are they celebrating the fellow trying to blow up the Houses of Parliament or that it failed? ;>)) I believe we can blame the media and capitalism on the likes of Halloween and what it has become. Having said that . . . people need to wake up too. I agree completely with you and like Coke, MacDonalds etc. so sad to see the spread of such thoughtless, bad taste. The image of thousands of candles lit up as you describe sounds so lovely. That paragraph is very moving. ;>)
Dearest Carol, Thank you so much for your comment. A nice point about Guy Fawkes. Now, some 400+ years on, I am not at all sure what one is celebrating.
Yes, as you say, the candles are indeed a remarkable sight, lighting up the cemeteries.
I was about to write something along the lines of Dear Reggie, but perhaps a little less forcefully, although equally well felt; more than half these morons have no idea what Halloween is all about. Any dear child that wants to ring my bell for whatever goodies they think are (unlikely) to be produced would have to answer the question: "what is Halloween?".
I like the idea of a "Kerepsi" cemetery, with or without Halloween. It's such a beautifully appropriate word, in my (unlikely) pronounciation of it.
I'm sure you can tell how much fun I am with childer.
Dear EH, I do say you have sent me googling AGAIN! In all my American ignorance, I thought Halloween was an ancient British custom. I have now discovered it was a Celtic tradition, somehow evolved into what it is today. And I guess Celtic and British are not the same thing. I do in my mind lump those cultures together, I'm afraid. I have to say I know nothing of that Guy Fawkes' Day, and I've heard of All Saint's Day, but never celebrated it in any way. I grew up like any other American kid, going trick-or-treating, and today, I still look forward to seeing the costumed children and spending hundreds of dollars on chocolate bars to appease them (could've spent those $$$ on plants). This is the first year that one of my own children will not be dressing up and going out. The youngest has outgrown such childish things. It's all quite sad to me. I'm with you, though, I don't like the dark side of Halloween. There is no excuse for pulling pranks and vandalizing someone else's property.
Dear Edith, I so agree with Reggie's comment.
It is the commercialism in the US that encourages this kind of behavior. After living here 30 years it still amazes me.
I would so like if you were able to include an icon on your blog for delivery via e mail. Then I would be sure not to miss a single of your wonderful posts.
xs
We have friends (from the UK) who have a large country propery and they host a Guy Fawkes bonfire every year.
Everyone brings a potluck dish and a "Guy
...to throw on the bonfire...the Guys are frequently political figures...they are made of old clothes filled with pape or straw...sometimes at the last moment a Harris Tweed jacket will be removed from the Guy beofre the firey inferno!
After watching the flames and as the fire dies down we go inside and enjoy a potluck supper.
Halloween here traditionally involves children in costumes going door to door saying "trick or treat" and candys are handed out.
Hello Edith...I have to say, I wholeheartedly agree with you. When I was growing up my mother was against the ghoulish, evil (and as she saw it, vulgar) aspect of Halloween. She never let us dress up in anything scary and there was nary a bat or a witch allowed in any of our holiday decorations. I remember being rather put out by this at the time, but now that I'm an adult with my own little boy, I can see where she was coming from. On our street Halloween is an extremely big deal. We have many old, Victorian homes that lend themselves to that spooky atmosphere. My neighbors go all out with haunted houses, graveyards, hanging corpses replete with smoke machines and ominous music/creepy sound effects. I think we are the only participants on the block that don't do a scary display (we opt for a harvest themed arrangement instead)...but I have had parents come up to me and say "thank you!" because our house was the only one their children could go up to without becoming hysterical due to fear. You can literally hear the little ones shrieking and crying inconsolably. I think they're relieved to see me sitting on the porch with my gourds! I can understand that it's fun to be scary and embrace one's dark side...but to the point of mentally scarring 4 years olds? No.
Oh dear. I've said far too much:)...I did want to add that it's so nice to know more about Guy Fawkes (I'm off to google more) and some of your lovely traditions in Budapest! Love your blog Edith.
H.H.
Chère Edith,
La France aussi se met à l’heure d’Halloween et ce n’est pas une réussite.
Je me demande si la mondialisation est une bonne chose pour les fêtes de chaque pays. Je ne vois là qu’une manifestation commerciale sortie complètement de son contexte. Les enfants français ne connaissent pas l’histoire d’Halloween, ni ses rituels. Je trouve que cela perd de son charme et de sa poésie.
A bientôt.
Dear Edith,
France also puts itself at the time of Halloween and it is not a success.
I wonder if the globalization is a good thing for the parties of every country.
I see there only a commercial demonstration taken out completely of its context. The French children do not know the story of Halloween, nor its rites. I find that it loses of the charm and its poetry.
Goodbye.
Guy Fawkes night used to be a favorite night for me as a child, second perhaps only to Christmas. My father would always bring home fireworks, and the Catherine wheels were my favorite! Building the Guy, and and the bonfire were an all day event too. Hallowe'en just wasn't really celebrated much where I grew up. I never even went trick-or-treating until I was about 11 years old, and living overseas. Hallowe'en was just starting to take off when I left England. Here it just seems to be an excuse for selfish teenagers to stand at your door DEMANDING you give them candy. I personally preferred bonfire night.
"Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
To blow up the King and Parli'ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow;
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holla boys, Holla boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
And what should we do with him? Burn him!"
Our Halloween is so much more than commercialism. I am so sad when I hear these things. Deep down, it has religious persecution at its core, and even today, in many American communities, there were be groups of kids and their families protesting the event by going to church all night.
It has history at its heart too and that is probably why it seems to foreign to other countries.
Humor is the best part of this holiday though and when I witnessed my friends from Spain dressed up as Early American Pilgrims from the Mayflower I could not stop laughing. Much wit and class can come with this holiday, if only you get creative enough with it and many statements can be made that on any other night of the year would be unthinkable.
As a Catholic, I love the holiday, and I am able to celebrate La Dia dei morti too as the Italian-American that I am. Often I place a shrine in my home with flowers and gifts for the many amazing people who brought me to this place called Oregon. This year I intend to honor my Native American great-great grandmother I never knew about until recently due to "family secrets". This has nothing to do with buying much of anything at all but it does mean that I get to pick some flowers!
Dear Columnist, Thank you so much for your comment. It is, I agree, a great concern when people involve themselves with something without really thinking about the implications or the deeper meaning. In particular, I am uncomfortable with the involvement of young children.
Dear FG, Thank you so much for your comment. I am surprised that you had not heard of Guy Fawkes but am pleased that I have yet again provided you with something to Google. It is a difficult line to hold as a parent I imagine. Where does the fun end and the unpleasantness begin?
Dear Sandra, Thank you so much for your comment. Commercialism has infiltrated so many aspects of life that an enjoyment of simple pleasures without spending money becomes increasingly difficult.
I have no idea how to put in the email link you suggest. Can you add yourself as a 'Follower'? I do hope so!!
Oh Edith,
I'm so with you on this one. I have never supported Hallowe'en, and it's always Guy Fawkes night that we celebrated......but, each year there are more and more Hallowe'en costumes and paraphanalia in the shops and, I'm afraid that it's here to stay.
I think that your All Hallows Eve sounds a beautiful way to remember those that you have lost, and it must be a wonderful sight with all of the candles aglow.
I'm sticking with Bonfire night on the 5th of November !
P.S. Thank you so much, Edith, for your lovely comment on my Pink post. XXXX
Dear Hostess, Thank you for your comment. Your friends' Bonfire Party sounds great fun and just exactly how I remember them from my youth. The 'pot luck' supper could certainly be very interesting indeed. I remember sausages on sticks and toffee apples as essential bonfire fare.
Dear Hill House, Thank you so much for your most detailed comment. It is, I suspect, rather difficult to stand out against the prevailing tide of your neighbourhood. I must admit, from what you say, I should be terrified to walk along your street after dark! I am pleased, however, that at your house, at least, small children can have fun without being reduced to tears.
Chére L'Elégante, Thank you so much for your comment. I wonder, like you, whether globalisation is eroding the glorious differences that abound in the Cultures of every nation. Exploring these differences is the wonder of travel so we must all do what we can to see that they continue.
Dear Clare, Thank you so much for your amazing and informative comment. Bravo!! I have never known the Gunpowder Plot poem beyond the first two lines.
I agree, Bonfire Night is very much favoured by me above Hallowe'en. Even with the ubiquitous Health and Safety constraints, fireworks, flames and frazzled food all add up to a great event in my eyes!!
Dear Ficurinia, Thank you so much for your detailed comment. There is so much to enjoy and applaud that it is such a pity when other considerations spoil the event.
I am interested that you too, at this time of year, give time and trouble to remember people who have played a significant part and influenced your life.The last flowers of the season and memories make such perfect partners.
Dear Jacqueline, Thank you so much for your comment. I am so pleased to hear that Bonfire Night is alive and well with you, your family and friends. I hope that you all have a wonderful time.
I too fear that the Hallowe'en bandwagon may be gathering speed.Still, if people did not buy the spiders, masks, cloaks etc etc they would soon disappear from the shops.
Hello Edith. Mu husband and I go out for dinner every Halloween to avoid the ghouls and vampires roaming the streets. Never liked the event even as a child.
I have heard of Guy Fawkes but what is the Catherine wheel?
Dear Patty, Thank you for your comment. A romantic dinner for two sounds the perfect way to avoid Hallowe'en.
The Catherine Wheel is a firework, shaped like a wheel which is fixed to a pole. When lit, the firework spins round as well as letting off sparks of light. It is named after St Catherine who was put to death on a wheel for her beliefs. As a result, when St Catherine is depicted in Art she is shown with a fragment of a wheel as her attribute.
It's interesting how many cultures evoke the gritty supernatural in these waning days of light, the pendulum swinging from evil to goodness.
Goodness, yes, Edith - I completely agree. I love the Continental idea of celebrating All Souls' Day. Hallowe'en is getting far too commercial in this country (as is Advent, but don't get me started on that!). We seem to find it impossible to comprehend the concept of quiet reflection before a celebration.
And as for fireworks - my neighbours seem to specialise in the sort that sound like some kind of aerial bombardment. At least pumpkin lanterns don't make any noise.
I think that what I should have said is that the secularization is worse than the commercialism. All Hallow's Eve is followed by All Saint's Day and then All Soul's Day for a reason. Without that tradition, and some kind of spiritual context—even if only a cursory understanding, it ruins the traditions.
Marti Gras in the US is even worse. The majority of Americans believe it is a holiday that originated in New Orleans and they don't know about its origins at all. It is really sad.
Enjoyed your post, Edith. You should see our neighborhood this time of year. It is full of orange lights on houses, bushes, trees, etc.Some people decorate more for halloween than Christmas or any other holiday. I think that SOME(not all)of the outdoor decorations are over the top way too scary. I'm not a fan and I never have been.
I would rather just celebrate fall with smiling pumpkins and apple cider. :)
Dear Paul, Thank you for your comment. Yes, there does seem to be a fascination with the dark side of life as the nights draw in....
Dear Victoria, Thank you for your comment. You are so right. We do seem to have lost our way in being able to have celebrations involving quiet contemplation rather than noisy, drink- fuelled, boisterous activity. And, as you say, better to not even start on Advent or Easter.....
Pumpkin lanterns.....lovely!!
Dear Ficurinia, Welcome back. Yes I do understand and agree wholeheartedly with the point that you are making. It is, as you say, the lack of even the most basic of understanding of these religious festivals that ruins them.
Dear Amy, Thank you for your comment. Perhaps it is just as well that I cannot see your neighbourhood at Hallowe'en!! I am with you with the candlelit pumpkins and the apple cider! They sound the perfect way to enjoy the event.
An interesting post Edith. It seems years since I have heard the words "Penny for the guy". Where have they all gone? I must admit that I am a grouch when it comes to fireworks - love the sight but dislike the noise, so I am always indoors on the night. I have no time for the modern Halloween customs and am greatly concerned that some children are allowed to wonder round in the dark, knocking at stranger's doors. I am glad to hear that this had not spread to Hungary. The celebration of All Saints' Day there sounds similar to what goes on in Italy - my mother's homeland - a most respectful and moving way to remember loved ones.
Dear Anna, Thank you so much for your comment. Like you, I prefer to be inside on Bonfire Night and am always concerned for pets which may be alarmed and worried by the loud bangs and cracks of fireworks.
I am most interested to learn that your mother was born in Italy. Kerepesi, it is said, was modelled on the Italian cemeteries of the C19th. Through your mother,you must be well versed in the traditions of 'Dead Day'.
Dear Edith, Oh, dear. I am so sad to hear Guy Fawkes Night is declining and Halloween taking its place in England. I visit frequently, but not at this time of year and somehow that information had not reached me. I enjoyed Bonfire Night as a child. It was a community event: the children gathered branches for the fire, and made a Guy stuffed with newspaper. Our fathers would light the fireworks and the children were made to "stand back" so it was quite safe. We roasted potatoes in the fire - a great treat on what was usually a bitter cold night. We played games in the darkened street ... "Kick the Can" and "Tag" ... no cars then. For someone not usually allowed to play outside after dark, this was another great treat.
In America my husband and I experienced a horrific crime as a result of Halloween. So for several years now, on that night we darken the house and go to the movies until "trick or treat"is over.
I will be in England on Nov 5th this year. Don't tell me there will be no Bonfire Night. P. x
Dear Pamela, Thank you for your comment. Rest assured, there will still be bonfires to attend on 5th November! However, they will most probably not be as you [and I ] remember them from childhood. They tend to be much bigger affairs these days and organised at a central venue. The fireworks are, however, spectacular and much more professional than a Rocket launched from a milk bottle!!
Guy Fawkes and England's Parliament - do we celebrate for or against? Living in South Africa 'Guy Fawkes' is just an excuse to terrorise animals. The SPCA is always left picking up the pieces. And Halloween is coming here too. Away from an Anglican church year, I lose contact with All Saints and All Souls.
Texas Dia de los Muertos
http://www.penick.net/digging/?p=9737 This is a Mexican spin on All Saints and All Souls.
Dear Edith, What a shame that "Trick or Treating" has taken over Hallowe'en. As a child, I loved to dress up and go guising, as we called it. The tradition was that on this night the door between the worlds opened a crack and children were protected from evil spirits by being disguised. Even wearing your clothes back to front was considered enough to foil the demons' attempts at kidnap. We would visit our neighbours where we were expected to do a turn and were rewarded with handfuls of monkeynuts, apples and a few coppers. Back home there would be "dooking" for apples which washed away the last of our sooty make-up. A good year would see us with enough cash to buy a five shilling box of Astra or Standard fireworks for Bonfire Night.
I'm only sad that many parents are too afraid to let their children go out and would love to hear the chap at my door and the old refrain "The sky is blue, the grass is green, please can I have my Hallowe'en".
Dear Edith - how completely wonderful. Apart from anything, we tend to shove death into the corner and back away dismayed. I love old graveyards and find it good to reflect now and then on great people I have known who have died. Slightly loathe halloween apart from pumpkin carving and eating.
dearest edith,
i couldn't agree with you more. i abhor what halloween is today. the loud orange and plastic everything is atrocious. the awful, blood drenched costumes hideous. i was raised catholic so we observed all saints day, which as a child meant the day off from school. but we were taught the true meaning and respect for the departed on this day.
our country has become all about commercialism. our holidays can be ruined if we let them decide for us how they should be spent.
i'm starting to sound awful. i'll shut up now.
~janet
Dear Edith, I too was not familiar with Guy Fawkes' Night. Now I know. As morbid as it sounds now I do remember enjoying Halloween each year as a child in all innocence. No tricks, just dressing up and having fun.
I hope I didn't miss too many of your wonderful posts as I've just been released out of the hospital today. Seems to be that October for me is hospital month each year. Either being sick or having a surgery both of which always seem to be in that month. I always say I seem to get the trick not the treat! Hopefully I'm on the mend and happy to be back reading my favorite posts. Don't know when I'll be able to write something as I'm pretty braindead at this point but will be content reading for a while. I joke that I do this just to screw up my husbands hunting season. Not so! Glad to have made my getaway and be back to enjoy reading.
The "respectful and companionable" candle-lit celebration of All Hallow's Eve, as you describe, Edith, at Kerepsi Cemetery and others in Hungary is certainly my idea of a right and appropriate way to spend All Hallows Eve...I have been especially shocked this season here in the States by a national chain of party stores featuring a devil-dressed baby to advertise its garish and expensive Halloween costumes and decorations. What formerly was a time of innocence and fun has turned into a materialistic season of selfishness, pranks and trouble-making, which has seemingly spread even to England and beyond...Cassandra ♥
dear Edith,
I can see that Halloween ( we seem to have lately dropped the apostrophe in Hallowe'en altogether) must seem to be an odd holiday. The only explanation I can offer for the popularity of Halloween is that there is something about being the adrenaline rush of being scared, when we know that what is scaring us is harmless, that we humans love. Halloween seems to play to this. Digging out plastic bats, spiders and skeletons and decorating ones home seems to be the North American way of making "scary" harmless and fun. The Trick or Treat gathering of candy answers every kids dream of endless sweets. It is for parents to control the candy loot and ensure that the little ones teeth don't fill up with cavities. I do think that Trick or Treating is commercial addition to the traditional holiday. Guy Fawkes day sounds to me like it would be great fun as well.
Interesting post, dearest Edith. Though I admit to celebrating Halloween in the simple sense (love making homemade popcorn balls, caramel apples, etc.), I was elated my 10 lb. baby boy (soon to be 28) chose to be born on Nov 1st (All Saint's Day) instead of Halloween.
Hi Edith, thank you for another interesting and stimulating post. Reminds me of my childhood sharing a bonfire and fireworks with the other kids in the street. Then fireworks stopped being readily available and now it's all Hallowe'en - part of the Americanization of our culture. cheers, catmint
Dear Edith, I feel I have to be one of the voices that speaks up for the innocent side of Halloween - and there is one! :)
My little son, three yrs old, will be going out in his Tigger the Tiger costume to visit a few of the neighbours to trick or treat. Of course, one of us will be with him, as is the case for all small children. I know that by the time children reach the upper grades and university it is just an excuse to dress up and be a little naughty, but really, I think only bad people do bad things on Halloween. For the rest of us it is a chance to see all the adorable children of the neighbourhood dressed as ladybugs, little Harry Potters, dragons and monkeys. So, there, I hope I've expressed the sweet side of things here in Canada!
ps. And I would love be in England for Guy Fawkes day sometime and enjoy a brilliant bonfire. :)
Dear Edith Hope,
you are so right with your post! I think Halloween in Germany is a complete commercial show, and what I abhor are the bad manners they teach children ("You have a right to get gifts! If not: destroy! No need to say Thank you!" - it's the same as with these utterly silly placards where they make children stick out their tongue at you - and afterwards complain that there is no longer any respect).
That said I know that children like to dress up and are fascinated by vampirs. My son loved the chapter in Paddington Bear where they celebrated Guy Fawks - so we had a little bonfire in the garden, too - foreign culture entering :-)
November is the month to contemplate, think of the dead, be drawn-in. That is a silent quality of a dreary month. Britta
Hi Edith,
How true everything you say is, and I couldn't agree more. I think that between merchandising, misguided parenting, greed in our shops and greed in our children, we are on a slippery slope. The way to celebrate the dead is indeed as you have it in Budapest. Unfortunately children today are not made aware of the darker side of just what halloween actually celebrates.
Dear Diana of EE, Thank you for your comment. I am so distressed to hear about the animals which are harmed in the name of Guy Fawkes.....what a world!
The link to the Mexican celebrations of All Saints and All Souls is most welcome and interesting. Thank you.
Dearest Isobel, Thank you so much for taking the time and trouble to write so warmly about your childhood 'guising' activities. This is such a heartwarming tale, oh if only the clock could be wound back as children now do seem to lose out on a lot of fun.
Dear Catherine, Thank you for your comment. You are so right. Death is so often treated as a taboo subject and must never be mentioned. I always feel that the Hungarians have got the balance right between revering the Dead whilst also quietly reflecting on their own mortality.
Dear Janet, Thank you so much for your comment. We are indeed in agreement here. And, as you say, holidays which represent such a special time to spend with friends and families can be overtaken with the awfulness of it all.
Dear RG, Thank you for your comment. It is pertinent to remember that there can be a fun side to Hallowe'en, it just seems to get more and more difficult to find amidst other horrors.
I am pleased to hear that you are out of hospital. You have had a most difficult time of ill health and I do so hope that you are well on the road to recovery. You make amazing light of it all, but it is, I am sure, very distressing to have this recurring problem. Get well soon!!
Dear Cassandra, Thank you for your comment. I am in complete agreement with what you write here and should, as you do, find a devil-clad baby distressing as a form of advertising.
Young people seem to have shorter and shorter time to enjoy the innocence of childhood. This is indeed sad.
Dear Jennifer, Thank you so much for your comment. There is, as you say, something to be said for making'scary' harmless and fun. Rather like facing one's demons which in life is a good discipline. It is just rather a pity, I feel, that the 'scary' has become rather too scary in many situations and the fun is in rather shorter supply.
Dearest Joey, Thank you for your comment. I am quite certain that Hallowe'en tastes more delicious at your house than anywhere else. As a child I loved toffee apples at Bonfire Night but now I just worry about the cost of dental repairs!
I cannot believe that you have a 28 year old son....but how wonderful that he was born on All Saints Day.
Dear Catmint, Thank you for your comment. It is extraordinary to think now that bonfires were allowed in the street in our childhood. Whole roads were closed to traffic for days. How was it possible?
Dear Ms S, Thank you so much for your comment. There is, as you write her, a sweet side to Hallowe'en and I am sure that you and your small son will have a wonderful time. His Tigger the Tiger costume sounds to be great fun.
As you say, bad people do bad things and they are not solely restricted to Hallowe'en. It is just such a pity when this spoils the harmless fun of others.
Dear Britta, Thank you for your comment. That is a most interesting point which you raise about manners and respect. Mixed messages certainly do seem to be being given.
You are right about the fascination of Vampires and the Dark Side, there just really must be a way in which these an be 'explored' without harming others or damaging property. Reading a Bram Stoker novel might do the trick!!
Dear Gary, Thank you so much for your comment. It is, perhaps, unfortunately true that profits will be made whatever the human cost. Increasingly, evidence of this is in all walks of life.
Hi Edith - I'm with you. I abhore Hallowe'en since it has been taken over by the marketing con and gratuitous bullying of 'Trick or Treat' All Saints' Day sounds much more my cup of tea!
When I was growing up in Yorkshire we had 'Mischievous Night' instead - harmless stuff like knocking on people's doors and running away or someone building a drystone brick wall across our drive one year - I thought it was brilliant, but dad wasn't too impressed as he had to dismantle it to get out for work!
No bullying, just fun :)
Dear NG, Thank you for your comment. I agree, it is the bullying and threatening aspects of Hallowe'en which are so unpleasant.
As for the fun of having a brick wall built across the drive....I can only think that Yorkshire people have a more robust sense of humour than we southerners.
Dear Edith,
Yes, of course we overdo things here in the US.....
though I do remember bobbing for apples on Halloween at my prep school.
A sad anecdote: somewhat recently woman hanged herself in the basement of a charming house in my daughter-in-law's neighborhood.
The people opposite her have halloween decorations....... including a ghost HANGING from a tree....
(I do not think they know the manner of their neighbor's death......)
Rather horrid for them though. If I actually lived there I would mention it!
Off to Florence tomorrow to escape NY Halloween!
Dear Elizabeth, Thank you for your comment. What a very sad story and how difficult this must be made at this particular time of year with the type of decorations you describe seen all around.
On a lighter note, how wonderful to be jetting off to Florence. Such a beautiful city and I look forward to hearing about your travels.
Dear Edith, I so sympathize! Here in the U.S. I've always been a bit of an oddball in my loathing of Halloween, even during the time my children were small. So sad to hear of what's happening in the U.K.
Dear Cyndy, Thank you for your comment. No, not an oddball, more an individual with your own view of things. I fear that much of the hype comes from people following like sheep and not really thinking for themselves.
Dear Edith,
I agree with you. Hopefully we can make our traditions stay alive!
In Holland we celebrate 'Sinterklaas' on the 5th of December. He is a holly man, who gives children presents on his birthday. The last ten/twenty years Sinterklaas has to make room for Santa. So sad. I miss the beautiful window displays and celebrations. Luckily I am not the only person who is sentimental about it. I hope we can keep this 'celebration' alive together.
All Hallows Eve sounds like a beautiful and very special evening to me.
Lieve groet, Madelief
Aha, I recognised that picture immediately!
I must admit that the idea of Kerepsi lit by candles sounds stunning. I can imagine the atmosphere. It has an aura during daylight hours, and that would be magnified immensely. I'm bloody jealous; will you be attending?
I remember back when the GLC walked out of Highgate Cemetry (the old walled area) and it was left abandoned how it used to be at night; it was amazing until the place the got overrun with nutcases.
I've been a few times since the trust took over, but they frown on people just wandering around. I had to do a tour and drop off the end to get some time to just stroll and enjoy it.
Dear Madelief, Thank you for your comment. I agree. I think that we must all work very hard to keep these beautiful traditions alive and well.
I love the sound of your 'Sinterklaas' day on 5th December which sounds very much like the Szent Miklos celebration in Hungary when shoes are filled with small gifts and sweets.
Dear IG, Thank you for your comment. I am delighted that you recognised the picture - although not nearly as good as either the reality or your own wonderful photographs. I cannot tell you how pleased I am that you too found Kerepesi to be a special place.
Unfortunately I shall miss the actual day this year, although last year I did a complete tour of all the tombs - not a guide in sight but the tombs are 'guarded'. It is indeed an amazing sight and, in particular the spectacular contrast between the elaborate graves of the Hungarian heroes and the stark Labour Movement Mausoleum from the Communist period.
It's interesting reading this right after I returned home from dropping off my 4 year old at preschool where the kids are wearing their costumes and having a little Halloween/Harvest party. I love seeing the kids dressed up as princesses and other cute characters. I guess my experiences with Halloween differ from some others that have commented. It's always been fun and I remember as a kid loving decorating our house with fake spiders and ghosts. I know it wasn't as commercialized back then as it is now, but I still think it's fun. Maybe we've just been lucky in our experiences with it.
I remember reading about Guy Fawkes day last year on some blogs but had no idea who he was or what he did. I think the way All Souls day is celebrated in Hungary sounds like a beautiful way to remember loved ones.
Dear Catherine, Thank you so much for your comment. Yes, your own experiences sound to have been great fun and totally in the spirit of the ocasion. If only that could be the case for everyone in every situation.
Edith we have never let our children celebrate Halloween at home or even at school. I would rather they knew about saints and martyrs of old and being thankful for the harvest bounty at this time of year.
I don't like that evening especially if I hear lots of children outside as it is a night when they can get up to real mischief while trick or treating especially the older ones.
Now that we live in Scotland my boys can enjoy Guy Fawkes night instead.
Dear Rosie, Thank you so much for your comment. We do seem to be in complete agreement here. There is often a great deal of pressure on parents from their children to be involved so it cannot always be easy to take a firm stand.
I am quite sure that your two boys will have great fun on Bonfire Night!!
Interestingly I have had growing mixed feelings towards Bonfire night. It does seem to me strange that we celebrate the burning of someone.
I also dislike Halloween immensley, so commercialised here in the UK and then you have the nastiness which sometimes unfortunately accompanies it.
I was intersted to read what you wrote about the tradition in Hungry, it reminded me of a similar tradition in Mexico which has also seemed a nice way of remembering the dead.
It’s so strange celebrating Guy Fawkes Day. In the USA we set of fireworks to remember Independence.
When we were living in Oxford, my kids were sad that Halloween trick or treating was just for very little kids in England. American kids are more focused on candy and costumes than the spiritual history.
Interestingly, Edith, Guy Fawkes day is also celebrated in my home and native province of Newfoundland. As for Halloween, I find no harm in it, or in Samhain, or All Hallow's Eve (if you prefer), any more than I find in most things--unfortunately, there are always a few bad apples who give the rest a bad name. As children, we enjoyed going round the neighbourhood, and as an adult, I loved taking my son around; also as an adult, I worked several Halloweens as a volunteer firefighter and we never had anything more amiss to deal with than on any weekend or holiday. Perhaps we're just a gentler bunch here in Atlantic Canada. When we're not celebrating Gunpowder plots, of course.
I just had to jump in here with my two cents: I'm convinced Guy Fawkes was setup to take a fall so the debacle could be blamed on the Catholics. It's the only theory that makes sense of all the evidence.
As for Halloween, it's one of my favorite times of year. As a kid, I reveled in the freedom of Trick or Treating. Now, the authorities have tried to tame it with limits on Trick or Treating hours, some even limited to daylight. (How pathetic.) A good scare is cathartic. I also hate how commercial it has become. The colorblind must be confused and think it's Christmas.
I'm fully aware of the holiday's roots in Samhain, and the thinning of the veil between this world and the next. However, I dispute the claims of those who fear Halloween as Satanic. As for the drunken adult revellers, are they any worse than the masked revels of Carnival?
The night of mayhem is not Halloween, but the night before, known as "Hell Night" in places like Detroit, where there has been much vandalism and arson. It has nothing to do with Halloween as much as merely an excuse for lowlifes to do some looting.
Kerepsi does sounds a lot like Dia de los Muertos in Mexico and the American Southwest.
Dear Edith, I couldn't agree with your sentiments more. As children and young adults it was always the tradition of Bonfire Night that we celebrated, and enjoyed very much as a community. It seems as if many of our traditions here in the UK are being lost in the relentless march of consumerism and 'inclusiveness'. This awful modern Halloween does seem to have taken over massively in the past couple of years and shops are full of distasteful, tacky and expensive halloween outfits. It all seems like a cynical ploy by the manufacturers to make even more money from a gullible public.
I think the way All Saints' Day is observed in Hungary is a fitting and very beautiful way of remembering our loved ones.
Thank you for opening up this very interesting debate! I shall now step down from my soap-box!
Jeanne
x
Dear Helen, Thank you for your comment. Yes, the traditions of Hungary and Mexico seem very similar with regard to the Day of the Dead. I am much taken with the event and really do feel that it is both a fitting and spiritually uplifting way to remember those who have died.
Dear Sarah, Thank you for your comment. It is true, I think, that for so many customs and traditions many people have lost sight of their foundations. And so, the firework parties and the dressing up become rather divorced from their origins. This is a pity in my view.
Dear Jodi, Thank you so much for your comment. You are quite right that, of course, it is not the event per se that is a problem, just certain individuals who use it as an excuse for anti-social behaviour. In that sense, I agree, Hallowe'en is no different from many, many other celebrations.
Dear MMcGD, Thank you so much for your very detailed comment. Your theory of the Gunpowder Plot could indeed be right. I am certain now, some 400 yrs on that most people have forgotten what it was about any way.
It is so true that for many Hallowe'en is harmless fun. But, perhaps, whatever our independent views, there seems to be a general agreement about its over- commercialisation. That is increasingly true in the UK.
Dear Jeanne, Thank you so much for your comment. Perhaps you have hit the nail on the head here - certainly for me, Bonfire Night was about having fun in one's local community and sharing an evening's entertainment and food with neighbours and friends. Nowadays, that sense of community has been lost in so many areas and that is, in my view, a great pity.
Dear EH: In Finland, the small girls dressed as small witches with freckles painted around their nose and red cheeks, walking from door to door, repeating their small rhyme, is an old tradition and I think that it is quite cute. The Halloween has landed like MacDonalds over here and I really feel that both of them are unneeded. We celebrate All Saint´s Day by visiting the graveyard and setting candles in memory of those, who no longer are with us. This tradition is needed.
Dear Mette, Thank you so much for your comment. The old traditions are really under threat I fear and we must do what we can to keep them alive and well. The small girls chanting the rhyme sounds delightful and long may it last!
Dear Edith,
Interesting take on Halloween celebrations. I understand your point of view. Personally, I dislike the sensationalized horror movies, and its affect on children in the long run.
Dear PoE, Thank you for your comment. Oh yes, I agree completely about the horror films. I never watch them.
I am alarmed at the comments and the demonizing of Halloween by your commenter's. It is quite clear that the Halloween I celebrate is far different from what is being discussed here. I feel utter sadness that all of you have not experienced the innocence of joy and delight that those in my circle associate with Halloween. What fun you have missed, for a single day out of
365, to enter the magical world of make believe, to cast all cares aside and with all the imagination you can muster... pretend you are someone or something else. It would be a dreary world indeed if not for the opportunity to invite such magic into your life and the lives of your children. Halloween can be like any other holiday in that one can easily be carried away and succumb to the commercializing and the exploiting of the innocence. I simply choose not to. I am not ignorant to the fact that many choose to make this holiday one of macabre, gore, and fright. Not so in my world. As in everything , we alone have the power to choose what we invite into our lives. I so much enjoy the lightheartedness and fun that Halloween has brought into the lives of my children and now grandchildren. The sheer anticipation of deciding who you will be this Halloween sparks the imagination and sends the mind dancing in a zillion different directions. "What are you going to be on Halloween night... a witch or a Goblin or a Ghost? What are you going to be, well don't tell me, wait til Halloween and let me guess!" Imagine the wide open eyes of my grandchildren as I sing this song to them and the fun we have going through Grandma's Halloween closet trying on costumes. Imagine yourself being a pirate or a princess or a frog or butterfly, Peter Pan, a scarecrow, a spooky ghost or my dear favorite... a Witch! Oh the fun I've had as I've become a Witch, just for a single day of the year. This old world could use a day of innocent fun and harmless make believe... this is the Halloween of my traditions and one that I hold dear.
Dear Meredhuit, Thank you so much for your passionate comment. The different perspectives on Hallowe'en are, for me at least, extremely interesting. I can totally see your point of view and, yes, would agree that a day of 'make believe' and harmless fun can be nothing but a good thing. It is unfortunate, however, that not everyone has such positive experiences and excess, as in all things, is probably where it all goes wrong.
Thanks for the informational post....it is so very interesting how different cultures celebrate Halloween...Of course here in the U.S. It is centered around food/candy (O:(O:(O:. Oh my.....and we wonder why everyone is becoming so rotund in our beautiful country.
Xo
Jo
Dear Edith, Well honey, you have done it again. Such comments, such passion, such diversity and so many. I for one, am throwing on a wig and calling it a day!
Dear Jo, Thank you for your comment. It is, I agree, so interesting to hear about the cultures of other countries since it helps to understand the motivations behind peoples' actions. I find it all endlessly fascinating.
Dear Kevin, Thank you for your very kind coment. Wherever the place, whatever the occasion and whatever the time of day or night, I am sure that you will be the stylish life and soul of the party!!
Dear Edith,
A very interesting post that stirred up a lot of different opinions! Reading all the comments was very interesting.
The world today is a melting pot with different traditions and customs. I think there can be something positive in whatever you do. Whether it is Halloween, Guy Fawkes, Bonfire Night or All Saints' Day. I think you should take or use what you like or think is fun and discard the rest.
All the best,
Ingrid
The Guy Fawkes bonfire celebration you describe sounds wonderful. My family has always been uneasy celebrating the traditional halloween. Every year when they were young, my boys attended a fall festival with games, entertainment, and lots of good things to eat, rather than go trick-or-treating. This was safer and more fun. I am shocked to see what a big deal halloween is becoming, with people spending exorbitant amounts of money on home decorations and costumes.
Dear Ingrid, Thank you so much for your comment. We are, as you say, so much more aware these days of customs and traditions from other cultures and that makes for wonderfully varied experiences in life. I think that your advice is very sound but sometimes peer pressure or commercialisation can cloud one's better judgement.
Dear Deborah, Thank you for your comment. I think that some aspects of Hallowe'en challenge most parents to do what they think right without being killjoys. The Fall Festival which your own children attended sounds great fun and so good to have an opportunity to reflect on all the blessings that we have in our lives each day.
I bet the cemeteries are beautiful with candlelight. The comments on this post are an interesting read :). Thanks for being a faithful commenter on my blog.
~ Julie
Dear Julie, Thank you for your comment. The cemeteries do indeed look beautiful and visiting them is a very moving experience.
Dear Edith, I do agree with your sentiments re Halloween and Trick or Treat.
I do however remember the excitement of father coming home with a small box of fireworks on 5th Nov. The large public displays may be more spectacular but some how I feel the lack the intimate feeling of a family standing in their own garden. We have also lost something with the large public displays. May be dressing up for Halloween somehow feels like families are doing something for themselves.
Dear Edith
I must say...I always learn something from your posts...a very interesting post you have today. I must admit that I am not in favor of Halloween because I have done some research on it and do not want to celebrate it. I know many people in the US do it for fun but I still can't agree with the whole thing because there is a much darker side to it ......
:)
Dear Edith,
With the move and all...as you know, I've no time to contemplate Hallowe'en. To be in Budapest would be at Kerepsi Cemetery, that would be another thing altogether.
((forgive the link, but FYI
there's a new BlogRoll page on Bay Area Tendrils:
http://bayareatendrils.blogspot.com/p/garden-bloggers-travel-lifestyle.html
))
Growing up as a young girl in the United States, I must admit Halloween was my favorite holiday. The embracing of all things autumnal and the thrill of disguising myself in something theatrical for trick-or-treat night was an event I looked forward to all year. It was also a big event in my household, for our children, and a fine avenue for them to express their artistic talents in planning their particular costumes. Perhaps if All Saints' Day had been observed in my parts, I would feel differently about celebrating Halloween.
Hello Edith I also think it's a shame that Bonfire Night has been almost eclipsed by Hallowe'en. I remember having great fun as a child in just the way you describe. Plot toffee, baked potatoes, parkin/gingerbread, and a bit of history too. Much more fun. Kathy
Dear Edith, as usual I arrive late and millions of others have left such erudite and scholarly comments but just to say that I agree entirely with you regarding the exploitation of halloween. Excellent article.
Dear Chris, Thank you so much for your comment. This is a most interesting point you raise here and something which which I identify completely. Oh, yes, the thrill of family and friends gathered around a completely homespun Bonfire Night celebration had a magic that no amount of organised affairs can replicate.
Dear Ingrid, Thank you for your comment. Yes, I agree, the darker side of Hallowe'en does not seem, to me at least, cause for celebration.
Dear Alice, Thank you for your comment. You are always on the move!! It is no surprise to me that you cannot find the time for Hallowe'en, indeed I am always surprised, but also delighted, that you find the time to comment here.
I shall indeed follow up the Bay Area Tendrils link as I was of the impression that you had 'moved' on from there.
Dear Willow, Thank you for your comment. There is, as you point out here, so much fun and capacity for artistic expression in Hallowe'en that, of course, it can be a completely magical celebration. However, as in all things, there is an unpleasant side which spoils everything if it gets out of hand. It is all amatter of proportion!
dear Kathy, Thank you for your comment. I agree with you that Bonfire Night, at least in the UK, was always such fun and has in recent times been eclipsed by the more unpleasant aspects of Hallowe'en.
Dear Michael, Thank you for your comment. Better late than never as they say! I am so pleased to hear from you as I trust that this means that your difficulties are being overcome. I certainly hope so.
I totally agree. Such innocent fun we had as children with baking potatoes on the fire with a few catherine wheels or sparklers.
And no great celebration of pagan halloween, just 'duck apple night'
Dear Barbara, Thank you for your comment. Yes, those were indeed the days! Just simple fun, centred around the family...perhaps that is where it has gone wrong.
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