The Genealogy & Family History Social Network

Does Your Faith Dictate What You Do At Halloween? All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day?

We have lost what it came from and we are probably lost on where we are going. In the 1950's and later

religion played a much stronger role in the up coming holidays. We were taught Halloween or Holy Evening came to scare away the evil spirits from the graves of our fallen members. We celebrated All Saint's Day the following morning and All Soul's Day the day after that.

Trusting that the costumes and pranks ( innocent ones) were enough to scare away the evil spirits in the area for the souls to make it to heaven.

Wow today the costumes should do it alone, let alone the animals that get costumes and the horrid evil pranks that are played out across this land with massive damage to Cemeteries and Churches and some times to Mosques.

I am glad I was raised before this theory of damage and destruction came about with people. It surely does nothing to scare away an evil spirit ( if there is one). I suspect prayer and a Bible would do more for that than costumes but then at one time it was a harmless event for young people to enjoy and families to share time before the heavy winter season set in and many could not get out to see others.

Hayrides and pumpkin gathering and apple dunking and sack races and making cider was far more fun.

Did you experience any of these things as a youth? Would love to hear back on your experiences.

0 members like this

Comment

You need to be a member of Genealogy Wise to add comments!

Join Genealogy Wise

Comment by Susi (Susan C Jones) Pentico on November 3, 2014 at 6:57pm: Christine M Worthington, I am so glad it gave you a chance to do that. I love to hear family stories and adventures.

Comment by Christine M. Worthington on November 3, 2014 at 6:11pm: I did all the typical Halloween things as a kid and young adult. Then I joined a church that took a dimmer view than I was raised with on Halloween. So I stopped celebrating.

Here's what I think today.   I don't celebrate it for myself--no decorations or parties for me.   However, I do things for my students like dress up and give candy bags because I know it's an important day for them.

As for a childhood memory.   My cousins' grandmother, who we also called Grandma Edie, was a very nice woman. She made donuts for Halloween, yes made them!   She would have trays of them in her dining room and I believe people came especially to her house for them, as she wasn't in a very populated area. She always made special bags for my cousins and my sister and I.   My cousins have unfortunately departed this life way too soon, so there is no one left to remember her except my aunt, her daughter-in-law.

She also handmade--sewed and knitted and crocheted--clothes for my cousin's Barbies.   Nancy had the best dressed Barbies in town. She once made an outfit for my dolls, how I treasured it.   I can still picture it in my mind.

Thanks for letting me share some memories of this loving woman.

Does Your Faith Dictate What You Do At Halloween? All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day?

You need to be a member of Genealogy Wise to add comments!

Members