to think that if you object to Hallowe'en on religious grounds...

[SchrodingersSexKitten]

you just don't accept invitations to Hallowe'en parties?

We had a Hallowe'en party this afternoon (but late, I know, but the kids are little and don't know what is the "right" date!) and DD (aged 5) invited 4 friends from school. Bobbing for apples, colouring in pumpkin print outs, a Hallowe'en pass the parcel, bowl of goo with sweeties in it etc.

One mum came and dropped her daughter off and said, very pointedly, "well, we don't believe in Hallowe'en, we just think it is wrong, we try to focus on redemptionthrough the Lord, rather than dead bodies coming alive again, so we really disagree with Hallowe'en. It's really not our thing, we disagree with it."

I must have looked baffled, because she then went on to say, "but, look, we will make an exception for you, but really, it's not what we do and we find it all very inappropriate, because we want the DCs to understand that there is no such thing as ghosts and that witches are just wrong, but, well, we're here, so...."

I said, "well, it's just a bit of fun, we're really not discussing dead bodies coming alive."

And she said, "I know, I know, and it's a very American thing, isn't it? Not really what we do. We don't know anyone round here who celebrates it. It's really not our thing."

AIBU to think she could have just politely declined the invitation? It was all so pointed and "people like us" do this and "people who do Hallowe'en are not like us."

urm.. all souls and all saints day?? Halloween ok in itself is a bit irreligious as it has been commercialised, but its a bit like christmas - a pagan elements were assimilated into a church festival. So unless they are anti Easter and Christmas then YANBU at all. I mean honestly believe what you like but why does anyone else have to have faith in the same way you do? and why make such a big deal.

Sorry I get pent up over people who go all holier-than-thou over their religion with no understanding, like the evangelicals who protest Narnia. (not an atheist here, far from it but it pisses me off)

Yes Wikipedia says its orgins are from all saints day and celtic influences.

YANBU...she was being incredibly rude.

I also object to the American thing. It's always been heavily celebrated in Scotland (except we don't trick or treat, well, we do now but not in the past) but its a big thing up here.

What a twat that mother sounds, her poor DC. I don't celebrate Diwali or Passover or Eid (because I don't know anything about them, really), but if DS was invited to a party for those or any other cultural occasions that I don't know much about, by a friend and wanted to go, I'd send him and hope he had a good time. If he got invited to something I really rather disapproved of (racks brain, can't think of plausible example) I'd just not send him.

Oh BTW nothing has Christian 'roots'. Christianity is about the most cobbled-together mythology going; every single bit of it is based on older traditions. (Egyptian, Celtic, ROman, Norse and Jewish mythology).

YANBU - it's not obligatory to accept an invitation, bit if you do, it should be in good grace

Mind you, there is quite a lot of ignorance about Halloween: I overheard a conversation recently that went along the lines of "they do Halloween differently over there, with lots of nice dressing up and parties. Over here, everyone wants to be dressed as a witch or ghost with fake blood, and that's just nasty and unnecessary"....!

Jesus = zombie

Lazarus = zombie

That's 2 zombies off the top of my head...

If the parents really felt it was inappropriate they should've said "thanks, but we don't celebrate halloween", and no harm done. Am sure they're able to think of a nice alternative for their DC to take any sting away. Downright rude to accept an invitation and then say "tsk tsk, how inappropriate" as they drop child off.
If mine has halloweed party will keep bottles of blood and marshmallow zombies om hand for party-bags afterwards....

Ha. Yanbu..reminds me of the time I went trick or treating as a kid with my dad and a middle aged couple opened the door and practically gave the exact speech before saying 'but I do give a lolly to the young 'uns'.. I mean why answer your door???

And what are these people doing at Easter then? Yep - celebrating "bodies coming back to life" - or one at least.

The hypocrisy of some people never ceases to amaze me.

You are right. She shouldn't have come if it bothered her.i

"Dead bodies coming alive"? Isn't that what Easter is all about?