Yes, it's that time of year again when retail stores sell all of the cheaply produced shit made in China and other shit manufacturing areas of the world in dire working conditions with exploited labour.
No, I'm not talking about the creation of communion hosts, holy pictures, scapulas and christian statues - that goes on every week. I'm talking about Halloween that ancient celebration that in more recent times was appropriated by American manufacturers and retailers to become yet another shit-fest consumer frenzy 'day' like Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter, Christmas and more.
The helpful internet told me that:
Halloween's origins can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain, which was held on November 1 in contemporary calendars. It was believed that on that day, the souls of the dead returned to their homes, so people dressed in costumes and lit bonfires to ward off spirits.
OK, fair enough or should I say fear enough since ancient people didn't understand things so well in their times and had to invent mystical beings and bizarre rituals to conquer their anxieties and get them through their days ..... kind of like Catholics today I guess.
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Samhain festival on the left and typical Sunday Mass ceremony in Lower Hutt on the right |
Today Halloween is more associated with the American version of 'trick or treating' with a disturbing emphasis on 'candy' which suggests the powerful American sugar lobby has something to do with it.
The 'traditional' costume get-ups and pumpkin sculpture displays have morphed into diabolical (and not in the devilish way) and cheaply made (but hugely marked-up) plastic and flammable synthetic clothes, costumes and props that are avidly sought after and quickly sent to rubbish dumps afterwards. Consumerism gone mad and invariably supported by people who every other week of the year complain about not having enough readies to support their families. Go figure.
Keep this stupid and unnecessary celebration away from me and, if any parents bring their kids to my house looking for 'treats' they'll get a lecture on proper nutrition, American cultural colonialism and the distortion of history. Sheesh!
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| Yep, and proud of it |
5 comments:
Great post! Well done.
I guess you will not be going to Mass on 1st November, all Saints day.
Hayley's aunty gave her three boxes of halloween items, so they are setting up!
I think it a harmless bit of fun like the easter bunny or santa claus.
We do live in a world that has rejected religion and spirituality. The macabar holds an appeal to some. I do wish they would commercialize all saints day. Imagine going into the Warehouse and being confronted with plastic halos, cotton wool clouds, automated St Benedict's that raise and lower rosary beads, strings of glowing solar powered rosary beads...
I shudder to think.
St Benedict? 😮
Yes, a little battery operated brother whose hand goes up and down little boys’ pants. It’ll be very popular and, as Kenny Everett said “ in the best possible taste!”.
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