Halloween....

[ElwoodBlues1]

My daughters have always been the scrooges. Every year they'd want to put up a sign "no trick or treating here", I always said to them there is no need to do that as I thought it was rude, just politely don't answer the door as if no one is home.

We have a very large German Shepherd who handles security at our house and plenty of signage indicating his presence which seems to deter Happy Halloween visitors....as well as Posties, Couriers, Religious salespersons and those annoying Energy salesman and lighting clowns who want to change our light globes and make our lives more green.

[Gointocarlton]

We have a very large German Shepherd who handles security at our house and plenty of signage indicating his presence which seems to deter Happy Halloween visitors....as well as Posties, Couriers, Religious salespersons and those annoying Energy salesman and lighting clowns who want to change our light globes and make our lives more green.

Unfortunately my current head of security a.k.a guard dog (Gus the GSP) would gladly let the Happy Halloween visitors....as well as Posties, Couriers, Religious salespersons and those annoying Energy salesman and lighting clowns who want to change our light globes and make our lives more green into the house and probably make them and espresso.

[DJC]

Unfortunately my current head of security a.k.a guard dog (Gus the GSP) would gladly let the Happy Halloween visitors....as well as Posties, Couriers, Religious salespersons and those annoying Energy salesman and lighting clowns who want to change our light globes and make our lives more green into the house and probably make them and espresso.

Our two Staghounds are a bit like that, but they are large and look intimidating.

I found a great sign for our front gate; “Caution dogs on property.”  It’s sufficiently neutral in the event that they did injure someone but still deters casual visitors.

[kruddler]

Reading this thread makes me wonder for the future of csc.

I can't help but read every post thinking it is missing the obligatory...
"Back in my day..." *shaking the walking stick and pushing the glasses back up on the nose and leaning back into the rocking chair tucking themselves back under the blanket*

I feel like a toddler because my age starts with a '4'.

Halloween is very much about having a little fun. The origins mean little nowadays.
It's a bit like Easter. Original meaning is largely lost (to the younger generations at least) and its just about having a bit of fun with the kids.
To those who disagree, can you tell me what the Easter bunny has to do with Jesus? Chocolates? Eggs??

Halloween pre-dates the Americans, so you can get that bee out of your bonnet too.

[northernblue]

Reading this thread makes me wonder for the future of csc.

I can't help but read every post thinking it is missing the obligatory...
"Back in my day..." *shaking the walking stick and pushing the glasses back up on the nose and leaning back into the rocking chair tucking themselves back under the blanket*

I feel like a toddler because my age starts with a '4'.

Halloween is very much about having a little fun. The origins mean little nowadays.
It's a bit like Easter. Original meaning is largely lost (to the younger generations at least) and its just about having a bit of fun with the kids.
To those who disagree, can you tell me what the Easter bunny has to do with Jesus? Chocolates? Eggs??

Halloween pre-dates the Americans, so you can get that bee out of your bonnet too.

Listen kid, I don’t even do xmas.
As far as I’m concerned if you want to “celebrate” xmas you should need to show a card that you’ve been god bothering at least 20 maybe 30 times a year so if there’s no regular god bothering then there’s no xmas birthday cake !
Same for the ritual nailing some clown to a wooden cross.
I’m happy to respect those who think their invisible sky friend helps to make them better people but I have zero time for those who just want 4 days of paid holidays.

[Lods]

Halloween pre-dates the Americans, so you can get that bee out of your bonnet too.

It's the Americans that have been the 'influencer' though.
We only know about it in our country because of American movies and television.
And that's the funny thing.... the older ones of us, 60+, are more 'Americanised' than the young folks realise.
Off the top of  my head I can name about  half a dozen indigenous Australian tribes.
I can tell you over 30 native American groups. ;D

Our heroes weren't Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth or Burke and Wills...they were Daniel Boone, Davey Crockett, Annie Oakley, Wyatt Earp (brave, courageous and bold), Bat Masterson and Casey Jones (old Redrock and  Fireman Wally too).
We played Cowboys and Indians, and there wasn't many of us who didn't have a toy set of those. (they sometimes came in the Corn Flakes.)
That's TV for you, when for most of our youth the shows came mostly from the States.

And now the Halloween push has been very much taken over and driven by the Woolworths, Coles, K Marts, Big W, and the $2 shops.
There has been Halloween stuff in the stores for over a month now.
Yep..the kids are embracing it and it will continue to grow and prosper...and by the time their kids are grown up it will be entrenched as part of the Australian celebratory season.
And the shops will make a lot of money with the scary stuff.

[Baggers]

It's the Americans that have been the 'influencer' though.
We only know about it in our country because of American movies and television.
And that's funny thing.... the older ones of us, 60+, are more 'Americanised' than the young folks realise.
Off the top of  my head I can name about  half a dozen indigenous Australian tribes.
I can tell you over 30 native American groups. ;D

Our heroes weren't Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth or Burke and Wills...they were Daniel Boone, Davey Crockett, Annie Oakley, Wyatt Earp (brave, courageous and bold), Bat Masterson and Casey Jones (old Redrock and  Fireman Wally too).
We played Cowboys and Indians, and there wasn't many of us who didn't have a toy set of those. (they sometimes came in the Corn Flakes.)
That's TV for you, when for most of our youth the shows came mostly from the States.

And now the Halloween push has been very much taken over and driven by the Woolworths, Coles, K Marts, Big W, and the $2 shops.
There has been Halloween stuff in the stores for over a month now.
Yep..the kids are embracing it and it will continue to grow and prosper...and by the time their kids are grown up it will be entrenched as part of the Australian celebratory season.
And the shops will make a lot of money with the scary stuff.

Marketing to kids is often a big earner, fallow ground for the influencers.

[Lods]

Marketing to kids is often a big earner, fallow ground for the influencers.

I think that's the thing...
I don't mind the kids having fun. My grandkids dressed up as a Skeleton and a Fireman and had a great time at the Wynnum parade.

But we should understand that kids having a good time is mostly due to a push from the marketeers who are increasing the profile of the day with each passing year.
Lot's of money to be made.
It's why it's not going away.

Anyway...it's time to get the turkey fattened up for Thanksgiving. ;D

[Thryleon]

Listen kid, I don’t even do xmas.
As far as I’m concerned if you want to “celebrate” xmas you should need to show a card that you’ve been god bothering at least 20 maybe 30 times a year so if there’s no regular god bothering then there’s no xmas birthday cake !
Same for the ritual nailing some clown to a wooden cross.
I’m happy to respect those who think their invisible sky friend helps to make them better people but I have zero time for those who just want 4 days of paid holidays.

I disagree.

For me a true Christian understands that the Church of God has nothing to do with priests, churches made of bricks and mortar, and showing others how good a Christian you can be.

Its about reconciling your own version of morality.  It also means that Christ being crucified and paying the ultimate price was for all of humanity's salvation irrespective of how they behave on this plane of existence.  The idea of hell and purgatory is a human one and not understanding the aforementioned, and actually causing yourself mental anguish.  That is the proverbial hell on earth.

Whether or not others agree with this viewpoint is up to them.  Christmas irrespective of why the holiday exists, is a time of bringing family and friends together so if it achieves nothing else, it is great for social and mental health.

The ruling powers that be would love nothing more than a society of slaves to the wage with no public holidays.

[DJC]

It's the Americans that have been the 'influencer' though.
We only know about it in our country because of American movies and television.
And that's the funny thing.... the older ones of us, 60+, are more 'Americanised' than the young folks realise.
Off the top of  my head I can name about  half a dozen indigenous Australian tribes.
I can tell you over 30 native American groups. ;D

Our heroes weren't Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth or Burke and Wills...they were Daniel Boone, Davey Crockett, Annie Oakley, Wyatt Earp (brave, courageous and bold), Bat Masterson and Casey Jones (old Redrock and  Fireman Wally too).
We played Cowboys and Indians, and there wasn't many of us who didn't have a toy set of those. (they sometimes came in the Corn Flakes.)
That's TV for you, when for most of our youth the shows came mostly from the States.

And now the Halloween push has been very much taken over and driven by the Woolworths, Coles, K Marts, Big W, and the $2 shops.
There has been Halloween stuff in the stores for over a month now.
Yep..the kids are embracing it and it will continue to grow and prosper...and by the time their kids are grown up it will be entrenched as part of the Australian celebratory season.
And the shops will make a lot of money with the scary stuff.

In our local community, folk of Irish heritage are claiming continuous Halloween observance from Samhain to the present.  Some are even maintaining that it is an exclusively Irish tradition that was introduced to America in the post potato famine migration.  In fact, the Puritans banned Halloween in New England in the 1600s and Samhain/Halloween was and is celebrated across the British Isles.  My northern English ancestors carved turnips into jack-o-lanterns.

Celluloid heroes have certainly shaped popular culture and our understanding of historical (and semi-historical) figures.  However, the English film and television industries played a significant role in that process with Francis Drake, Robin Hood, King Arthur, Captain Bligh, etc.

Of course, Halloween in its current guise presents a commercial opportunity for small and large business.  Without their promotion, Halloween in Australia would have remained a fringe celebration.

Day of the Dead celebrations could also be a factor with Spanish, Italian and Caribbean heritage.