DH *promised* he would hand out Halloween Candy to the trick-or-treaters tonight. Alas, he forgot that we have an overly friendly, quite large Golden Retriever who rushes to the door each time the door bell rings...because of course, he is the center of the universe, and whoever has rung the doorbell is surely here to see him (the dog- not DH). So since both DS and DD are at sleepovers he decided that he should sit with the dog in the man cave with the giant high definition TV - therefore 'protecting' the trick-or-treaters since the dog would be safely closed behind french doors...probably watching some type of sporting event. Male bonding at its finest!
Enter Grace, now the official candy-hander-outer...(I believe that falls into the 'other duties as assigned' section of my job description). The problem is I don't much care for Halloween. Halloween was not about dressing up and going out for candy...that wasn't Halloween. In fact, I was trying to watch TV tonight and a commercial came on for a movie about a woman acsused of being a witch and being burned alive. And for God's sake it was Lifetime!
Our neighborhood isn't big nor is it overflowing with children so there weren't that many trick-or-treaters...but the thing is I don't like it. I don't like the costumes or the fact that these kids walk up to houses where people they don't know live...all in the name of candy!...and other stuff.
One Halloween Eve when I was a kid, I was sitting on the front steps and I looked over to the right to the back of the trailor where we lived at the time and out of no where came this figure dressed like a devil...only with a green face, not a red one. And he stood there looking at me walking closer, sort of dancing....I realize now it was probably a teenager but it scared the hell out of me then.
I don't like halloween! And the hus knows it too! So I'm kind of pissed off that he said he wanted to hand out candy and then bailed on his deal! I should have set the whole basket on the porch with a sign that said take one, or two, or a handful - don't really care. Instead I handed out all the snickers first since those are his favorite....(i am such a bitch!) And since he is safely tucked into bed with visions of (now) non-existent snicker bars in his head...I'm thinking of making a clown mask to put next to his pillow!
He knows I hate Halloween! I hope PAG doesn't flip on freakin' Freddy Krueger, or Mike Myers tonight! She is like that - does shit to deliberately torture the kid. I hate her!
I'd go torture her by staring at a reece's peanut butter cup - but I handed them all out... I am not going to sleep tonight - no way! And I cannot allow that stupid baby to call the therapist again tonight! I can see tht is the path we are headed down tonight. She is such a baby! I am turning off the phone - and whatever happens, happens.
It is Halloween, after all. Satan's night! "Officially"! She is scared as hell - but oh, well...she can learn to deal with it as it comes...no whiny messages crying for God knows what to the therapist tonight! Phone privaleges...DENIED!
Halloween is not realy Satan's night. It's a Pagan holiday, and the Pagans did not have a Satan. The idea was not to glorify the devil, it was to remember the dead, and the spirits of those who had passed, both good and bad.
ReplyDeleteThe reason it is at this time of year is because it is a season of endings - leaves falling and bountiful harvests all collected, it is time for the long night of winter...
Read this:
The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home whilst harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces.[4][5] Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire.
So you see, the costumes really are meant ward off evil, not to glorify it in any way. It was a harvest festival with cleansing ceremonies that were meant to keep people safe during the long winter.
Hope this helps you feel less afraid of Halloween
Oh, and by the way, the name comes from "hallowed evening". Not a bad concept at all :-)
Grace, don't hate the babies!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping you fared okay last night and I bet it's even okay if you (or someone) called your therapist. I'm glad you gave out all your hubbys favorites first! Maybe you should have dressed up the dog with red eyes and blood on his face - would have taken care of the problem of trick or treaters!
To Shen: Thanks for sharing the origin of Halloween. I knew it wasn't for letting witches and goblins out of their eternal chains only. It is actually almost poetic. I enjoyed reading about it.
Hi Shen,
ReplyDeleteInteresting...I did not know that about Halloween. Thank you for sharing.
Ivory,
I made it. I didn't call - and love the suggestion about dressing up th dog! That would've been funny!