What do you tell your kids about Halloween?

[Mo2]

a)Just that it's a night when you get dressed up and eat loads of sweets
b)Anything to do with it's history and background?
c)Nothing - don't believe in it/ celebrate it....

We're sort of a combination between a+b, but I'm struggling to find 'The Story of Halloween' written at an appropriate level for a 5 & 2 year old... can anyone help?

You'll be suprised to hear that I

didn't (well won't) let my children read Harry Potter

Sorry for being so arsey about it. I know I've just started a "woohoo" thread - but I'm only really "woohoo" about that, everything else is bogging me down atm and it's driving me insane.

Yes the Harry Potter thing is interesting... but maybe that is not okay either.

it is n't just another celebration that has lost all meaning due to commercialisation

Well there you go then.

So I take it all witchy/magic stuff is banned, just in case.

I feel I'm getting a headache from banging my head on a brick wall here.

Halloween as it is 'celebrated' today is a commercialised version of an old Christian holiday - All Hallows (or All Saints) Eve. In the same way that Christmas is now heavily commercialised and celebrated by all and sundry as a holiday and a time to have fun. Nevertheless, it has it's roots in the Christianisation of the original Pagan feasts, although it has distorted some of the customs to suit.

The Christian history of Halloween

Am off to get ready now for our celebration/ traditions - let there be light

I am really looking forward to a time when my children are old enough to discuss the origins of Halloween with them, and take them to pagan and religious sites to see for themselves, learn about other?s beliefs.
My parents have strong Christian views and beliefs but have never pushed them onto their chidlren. Instead they have made a big effort to take us to see pagan sites, Buddhist temples in Thailand, funeral pyres in India, Mosques and Synagogues in Israel as well as a wide range of different "christian" churches - including seeing devils cast out and peopleshaking and writhing around on the floor. Incredible experiences that have made such an impact on my siblings and I. Much more so than just reading a bit in books and sleeping through RE lessons in school.
Avoiding important life issues such as religion, life and death concepts just because it is difficult or the ideas sit uncomfortably with us is doing our children no favours. As a nation I think we are very bad at discussing religious ideas and particularly death. No wonder there is such prejudice and misinformation out there concerning different religions and particularly paganism

NO Samhain was attempted to be Christianised by the RC's. Catholics may well celebrate their "Halloween" today but (as it says in your link)

"The night before the new year, they celebrated the festival of Samhain, Lord of the Dead. During this festival, Celts believed the souls of the dead?including ghosts, goblins and witches?returned to mingle with the living. In order to scare away the evil spirits, people would wear masks and light bonfires."

• therefore the dressing up for Halloween is NOT a Christian tradition - but a pagan one. The pumpkin (or turnip as it used to be) was made to "scare away" evil spirits - hardly something that's particularly Christian!

Oh and FWIW - I don't believe that people have to take part in other religious ceremonies/festivals or visit their places of worship to understand them.

I understand a reasonable amount about several religions, including Ba'hai and Hinduism - but I've never taken part in any of their celebrations.

Oh whatever, I give up.

Can't wait for Easter - REALLY looking forward to that discussion.

Why give up - if you're so certain of your views, then you should be able to counter my arguments rather than just quitting.

And as for Easter - that was done earlier this year.

I'll tell you now - we don't have Easter Eggs, we celebrate the death and resurection of Jesus.....and don't include any of the Pagan traditions in our celebratiosn.

Admittedly we do go a little commercialised (and possibly pagan) at Christmas - but at the heart of it is still celebrating Jesus being born.

I'm giving up because I have to pick my kids up from school and then get ready to go out tonight.

As for Easter - I never mentioned eggs did I? I was referring more to how an annual anniversary manages to be a moveable feast. Nothing to do with moon cycles or anything like that of course - far too pagan.

ARW - there's no actual record of when Jesus died (or was born for that matter) don't think they recorded births and deaths in quite the same way as we do today

Easter dates back 3000yrs to the Jewish Passover - which is why it's a moveable event - it was a 'moveable' event before Christianity was even introduced into this country

Happy Samhain, Halloween, All Hallow's, Harvest Festival or Whatever Makes You Happy, folks!

Peace and light to you all!

'An harm ye none, do what ye will . . .' is a good attitude no matter what your belief system.

Just my 2p.

May all of you share the joys of this delightful Autumn Day - it's a great day to be alive!

well said expat . I have finsihed terrosing neighbourhood (well took ds round ffriends for 5 minutes then off to tescos for spot of shopping (opps looting! jk )whils he was dressed up in his little skeleton outfit which glows in dark. Then I finished burning my sacrfices (sausages) and stirring my cauldron full of goo (well mashed potatoes). Then we worshipped the 21st century god?! (well it is in nearly everyones homes and we all sit mesmerised) telly - scooby doo 2 - lots of evil monsters there! All in all quite a fun evening - ohh and we did crafts.. carving pumpkins and making a huge halloween banner. Did a little of the eduction side - telling him about the chaing seasons and that long ago people celebrated it blah blah.. he got bored

DD just couldn't get over the 'punkin'. I took the day off, so we carved a jack o' lantern, stuck a tea light in it, and I lit all the other candles I have round. On one side of it put a platter of biscuits cut into Halloween shapes and on the other a cuddly toy spider and bat we'd bought her a few weeks ago in IKEA.

Her eyes were like saucers when we brought her into the living room from her nap! She was SO excited!

aww bless ds now 5 so he was a BIG help with all of it and drew the pumpkin faces and got glue EVERYWHERE with the banner (really good one from tescos). We also had painted so glass jars with monster goo (ds's) and spooky night scene with witch & graveyard and church.. (bad mummy). It was a really pleasant evening curled up away from all the rain. Now got LOADS of works to do ..