Why do people from outside the US celebrate Halloween?

15 years ago

Originally Posted by bertuseng

Being from South Africa, we never celebrated Halloween, although we know about it. Seems silly suddenly starting to celebrate a hollyday that has no meaning to your country or people.

When I lived in Taiwan for 3 years, I was surprised to see people actually go crazy over halloween there, even celebrating it in the schools and what not.

Why are people so crazy celebrating other people's holdays?

My guess? Because of the free candy!!!!

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ThomM

15 years ago

Originally Posted by bertuseng

Being from South Africa, we never celebrated Halloween, although we know about it. Seems silly suddenly starting to celebrate a hollyday that has no meaning to your country or people.

When I lived in Taiwan for 3 years, I was surprised to see people actually go crazy over halloween there, even celebrating it in the schools and what not.

Why are people so crazy celebrating other people's holdays?

Well to begin with Halloween didn't start in America.
Also it has it's roots in the Christian and Pagan religions.

Halloween (also spelled Hallowe'en) is a holiday celebrated on October 31. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints' Day. It is largely a secular celebration, but some Christians and pagans have expressed strong feelings about its religious overtones. Irish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America during Ireland's Great Famine of 1846. The day is often associated with the colors orange and black, and is strongly associated with symbols such as the jack-o'-lantern. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes, ghost tours, bonfires, costume parties, visiting haunted attractions, carving jack-o'-lanterns, pranking people, reading scary stories, and watching horror movies.

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tommyp 15 years ago

Originally Posted by ThomM

Well to begin with Halloween didn't start in America.
Also it has it's roots in the Christian and Pagan religions.

You should say "christian". The holidays and traditions from which Halloween come from are ALL from paganism. "Christian" holidays do too for that matter. But don't ask me to elaborate because religious discussion isn't allowed here anymore.
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seasoned 15 years ago

Originally Posted by ThomM

Well to begin with Halloween didn't start in America.
Also it has it's roots in the Christian and Pagan religions.

Actually, it is yet ANOTHER PAGAN religion that was downplayed by catholics. Early catholics took some PAGAN traditions, simplified them, and gave them some Christian meaning, when possible. Christmas and Easter were created that way. For Halloween, I guess they just couldn't find a good Christian meaning. The costumes aren't generally so satanic, etc... HECK, NOW they may even be more comedic.

Steve
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Kenster

15 years ago

Yeah, i dont think its american born, but HALLOWEEN is awesome so why not celebrate...

as kids, its free candy

as adults, its scaring the heck outta kids (we set up our house as a haunted house)

happy early halloween

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Audrey Harvey

15 years ago

I used to celebrate halloween when I was a child in Scotland, about 30 years ago. It's only in the last few years that it's started to become popular here in Australia.

I think that's been driven by retailers - if they can create another holiday to celebrate, they can sell more. It's a great opportunity for them to sell lollies and fancy dress costumes.

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Nicola Lane

15 years ago

I think you are confusing holidays - Halloween isn't an American holiday.

Presidents day, July 4th, thnksgiving - they are American holidays!

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derekwong28

15 years ago

Halloween here in Hong Kong is seen as fun, whereas the Chinese version of the "ghost festival" is much more scary and serious for children to take part.

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Kim Davis

15 years ago

It is just harmless fun for kids and adults. You get to raid the kids candy bags. That's the best part.

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tommyp 15 years ago

Originally Posted by Kim Davis

It is just harmless fun for kids and adults. You get to raid the kids candy bags. That's the best part.

This isn't about religion, it's just history, but you think it's harmless however I'll ask you rhetorically what would you think if you knew that trick or treat came from druids who would harm people if they didn't leave food out for them or that bobbing for apples came from druids making people choose between escaping with their lives, at the very least disfigured for the rest of their lives, if they would successfully grab objects from a boiling pot of fat with their teeth or murder them on the spot if they refused.

It would be the same if I walked around with a shirt with a red square and circle and a reverse sun wheel in it (nazi flag) not because I'm pro nazi but because I just think it looks cool.

I guess it depends on one's principles and whether or not they care so do what you like, but there you go
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artwebster

15 years ago

At least get the name right - it is All Hallows Eve or All Saints Day. I believe the USA did trunkate the name.

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myob

15 years ago

Originally Posted by artwebster

At least get the name right - it is All Hallows Eve or All Saints Day. I believe the USA did trunkate the name.

That's truncate the name. :rolleyes:

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ThomM

15 years ago

Originally Posted by myob

That's truncate the name. :rolleyes:

I thought we just shortened it

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myob

15 years ago

Originally Posted by ThomM

I thought we just shortened it

Truncate is just a shorter way of saying shortened. However, we (the US) did not really shorten it at all, but by saying it was "truncated" makes it sound like we did so. Actually, the Irish were the ones who shortened it from the much older and longer "eallra hālgena ǣfen" translated it from the ancient Druid and Celtic religious festival name to "All Hallows' Even" (then to "All Hallows' Eve", "All Saint's Eve") and finally to Hallowe'en when they first brought it to the US with them during the Irish potato famine of 1846. The Irish did all the work, but because of their heavy accent the word "truncate" is not intelligible. So when the US took this religious observance and commercialized it by simply removing the apostrophe out of Hallowe'en then calling it "truncated", makes this appear to have originated in the US. That was one of the first Halloween tricks.

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ThomM

15 years ago

Originally Posted by myob

Truncate is just a shorter way of saying shortened. However, we (the US) did not really shorten it at all, but by saying it was "truncated" makes it sound like we did so. Actually, the Irish were the ones who shortened it from the much older and longer "eallra hālgena ǣfen" translated it from the ancient Druid and Celtic religious festival name to "All Hallows' Even" (then to "All Hallows' Eve", "All Saint's Eve") and finally to Hallowe'en when they first brought it to the US with them during the Irish potato famine of 1846. The Irish did all the work, but because of their heavy accent the word "truncate" is not intelligible. So when the US took this religious observance and commercialized it by simply removing the apostrophe out of Hallowe'en then calling it "truncated", makes this appear to have originated in the US. That was one of the first Halloween tricks.

I knew that Paul

I was just bustin on you guys for using them big $5 words:rolleyes:

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myob

15 years ago

Originally Posted by ThomM

I knew that Paul

I was just bustin on you guys for using them big $5 words:rolleyes:

I am well cognizant of your erudition, Thom, especially in matters etymological, however as your presbyopic prescience preludes, such preciosity is most evocative and precipitates me to prattle in extreta.

Truncated version of the above:
(I know that you know what I'm talking about, Thom, but as you also know, I tend to throw out some sh*t just for the helluva it.)

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ThomM

15 years ago

Originally Posted by myob

I am well cognizant of your erudition, Thom, especially in matters etymological, however as your presbyopic prescience preludes, such preciosity is most evocative and precipitates me to prattle in extreta.

Truncated version of the above:
(I know that you know what I'm talking about, Thom, but as you also know, I tend to throw out some sh*t just for the helluva it.)

There's about $300 in that sentence

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kimvalerio05

15 years ago

* Apart from free candy... I guess they celebrate Halloween because its their way of remembering the person they love who already passes away...

Happy Early Halloween!!!

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Aupcs

15 years ago

Halloween again... Argh, lucky no one in this street celebrates it! I want to keep my candy.

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Why do people from outside the US celebrate Halloween?

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