We have survived another Halloween. I noticed a lot more lights around the neighborhood. It almost felt like Christmas except the colors were different. I vaguely remember reading about how the spending on Halloween is growing exponentially. It is becoming one of the most expensive holidays on the calendar. I overheard a conversation in the store about how more adults seem to be getting involved.
I think it is appropriate that Halloween take on the trappings associated with Christmas and assume the lead in our holiday celebrations. We have embraced paganism as a nation and a culture. It is only appropriate that the peak pagan pageantry become what we look forward to.
Brace yourselves as the pagan values continue to work their way through our daily lives. Both Christmas and Halloween have the appeal of children and parties. Both are celebrated by people who believe and understand and by those who enjoy the fun and games. The similarities stop there. Christmas for believers involves the incarnation and the beginning of the salvation process. It’s key words would be joy and hope. Halloween for believers involves death and fear. One if staffed by angels and lambs. The other is full of demons and ghosts. In one you put out cookies and milk as a gift in the other you offer blood and zombies.
Halloween this year fell on the day we put out our trash for collection. I had it on the street before I was reminded of the day. I removed it from the path of temptation. If the holiday was Christmas I would have put it out a day late because the trash men had spent the day with their families. On Halloween I hide it because the celebrants were spending the day with their wannabe families.
The zombies are a growth industry. Welcome to the future. I have no fear of the long view of history but I am concerned about what the ignorant of our society are molding.
Happy All Saints Day. Advent is coming.
homo unius libri
Ironically, even Christmas and Easter are not truly Christian holidays, but are merely pagan holidays dressed up to look presentable.
ReplyDeleteI would agree on Christmas. We have not date. Although the name for Easter may have pagan roots the resurrection date is tied in with Pentecost and I believe could be called historical. I prefer to call it Resurrection Sunday though.
ReplyDeleteGrace and peace.