Re: Halloween
 

so what is Halloween about then?

Back in the UK the 31st October was known as Mischief Night when I was a kid (er...a LONG time agao) and we did pumpkin lanterns and cherry knocking and putting fireworks through peoples letterboxes, oh what fun!!

Then it died but it has started coming back again more of the American trick or treat way, with elaborate costumes and Card Shop parapernalia, hence people disliking it because of the commercial aspects of what is not really a known celebration.

Re: Halloween
 

What is it about? Canadian perspective...for kids, dressing up in costumes, getting candy, watching scary movies, parties. Being "scared," whatever that entails. What I remember from the Hallowe'en of my childhood, way back when, was the fun of going through the neighborhood with my brother and buddies after dark, seeing all the candles and decorations, and just having the freedom to go from block to block, before the era of helicopter parenting (obviously we were about seven or eight before turned loose on our own). Our primary school also used to let us dress in costumes on the day and they'd often pile us all into the gymnasium to watch Walt Disney's the Headless Horseman and eat popcorn balls.

For parents, well, it's about the kids, right? Decorating the house, carving the pumpkin, handing out treats, baking, even dressing up. There's quite a few folks who have got the "I'm still a kid at heart" motto when it comes to the holiday and they do amazing haunted houses and host great parties.

People can cry "commercialization" of any holiday and they usually do. Easter cards. Plush bunnies. Christmas OTT craziness--the most overly commercial holiday of all. It's the spirit of it, right? The Hallowe'en before we moved away, my four year-old daughter and I were making little tissue ghosts to hang in our birch tree in the front yard. That was more meaningful that buying a string of lights from the shop and we remember the fun we had hanging them up and playing in the crunchy leaves afterwards.

Re: Halloween
 

http://www.witchology.com/contents/o...en/samhain.php

Its a traditional Pagan holy day and Witches' Sabbath.

Re: Halloween
 

And the irony is that my Catholic primary school (the only school in town) was the one that allowed us to dress up, eat treats, and watch Hallowe'en cartoons. :thumbup:

Re: Halloween
 

Nooo...what is Halloween meant to 'celebrate'?

Re: Halloween
 

Good grief...we are all going to Hell!!

Re: Halloween
 

The joy of being a child. Fantasy. The start of winter (in Canada anyway). Who really gives a crap what it's meant to "celebrate"? It's a day for kids to dress up and eat shedloads of sugar.

Re: Halloween
 

well who gives a crap about Canada??? This is for expats in Australia!!

Maybe Ned Kelly Day might be more appropriate...kids can walk around with buckets on their head and eat raw dingo meat for treats! :)

Re: Halloween
 

I'd be all for that. Wild Boys is my new favourite show and has the hottest bushrangers, makes my day.

Re: Halloween
 

I would argue it has as much instrinsic celebratory value as Christmas or Easter (i.e. not much).

Aside from the touchy-feely friends and family get together guff.

Humbug.

Re: Halloween
 

Well, clearly you do or you wouldn't have quoted Japonica's post regarding the Canadian perspective on it. Oh, and the OP is in Canada asking whether Hallowe'en in Australia will be similar TO CANADA

Re: Halloween
 

Yeah, not many points to paddyo for missing that little detail in the OP...

Wait for it...we're going to have some sage advice and a comparative analysis of Hallowe'en in the two countries from experts who have never been to Canada (perhaps aside from a two week jaunt through the Rockies, if we give them credit) and who couldn't be arsed about learning anything about other traditions or letting kids have fun. It's going to be scintillating...just wait...it goes like this...

Bah humbug. That was profound. I bet the OP appreciates the insight.

Re: Halloween
 

We had a great time trick or treating in the "American area" of Singapore - whole streets are closed down and hundreds of kids are wandering around in fancy dress.

And I've learned something new, or maybe I was just woefully ignorant; it'd never occurred to me that Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving.

Re: Halloween
 

:thumbup: Yeah, but in October, not November. Nice long holiday weekend too with stat holiday.

Re: Halloween
 

Actually it was 2 months in Canada.....but the post was in the Australia forum so its about caring whats IN Australia...not what was wisely left behind!!