Many people complain that Halloween is a pointless holiday. These same people gripe about how it's simply an excuse for kids to be spoiled with candy. "It's a dentists' conspiracy!" they cry as children sized ghosts and goblins rove into the neighborhoods. So look into my nephew's eyes and tell him that Halloween is pointless!
However, I have come to appreciate the real meaning of All Hallows Eve or whatever you want to call the original tradition. Speaking or origins, we'll get to that in a moment.
First, its the one time of the year that you can get away with having dust and cobwebs. In that spirit, I added to my collection of spiders and spider webs in hopes of inviting more 8 legged arachnids into my home to decorate. Unfortunately, Tyler spied the open window and closed it. He stepped on my hired help and deported them to their octagonal eternity.
Second, this is the season for dress-up. It's the one time of the year when all non theater productions people get to put on the threads of a character and paint themselves up to look like whatever dream or walking nightmare they deem most appropriate. Sadly, in the case of some people, they select to remain as hideous as nature finds them and thus, they refuse to honor the holiday. Sadly, my sweet Tyler falls into this category. That usually puts him on Candy duty, while I handle all things 'fun and games' in my alter-ego of choice. Of course, my niece didn't mind that most of the grown-ups weren't in full costume. That way, the attention was all hers for the taking.
Lastly, and more importantly, the original basis for this holiday and celebration, be it Pagan, Christian or other general harvest time festivity (if you ask a Christian, they will say it was a Christian holiday and if you ask a Pagan, they tell you it is their tradition) is to honor or give homage to those departed this realm of the living. All I can say is the however this tradition came about, I'm grateful. It seems all Christian holiday traditions are laden with Pagan significance. Be that as it may, some people carve pumpkins to honor or provide a frame or visage for their departed ones to haunt, while others simply dig into genealogy and family history charts as they read stories of Great Grandma so-and-so. I simply carved a pumpkin or two to honor Winnie the Pooh, the Road Runner and Wiley Coyote. Things from my childhood that society has sought to replace with other critters and creatures. Thus, for one night, my candle burned to animate the chase of one runner and one very accident prone coyote!
Oh, and to anyone browsing these pictures and unaware of my favorite TV show, I dressed up as Abby from NCIS. If you get the time and have the inkling, I HIGHLY recommend you catch one of their episodes either online, or just steal a friend's DVD of the back seasons. Grab a Caf Pow and get to it!
Many people complain that Halloween is a pointless holiday. These same people gripe about how it's simply an excuse for kids to be spoiled with candy. "It's a dentists' conspiracy!" they cry as children sized ghosts and goblins rove into the neighborhoods. So look into my nephew's eyes and tell him that Halloween is pointless!
However, I have come to appreciate the real meaning of All Hallows Eve or whatever you want to call the original tradition. Speaking or origins, we'll get to that in a moment.
First, its the one time of the year that you can get away with having dust and cobwebs. In that spirit, I added to my collection of spiders and spider webs in hopes of inviting more 8 legged arachnids into my home to decorate. Unfortunately, Tyler spied the open window and closed it. He stepped on my hired help and deported them to their octagonal eternity.
Second, this is the season for dress-up. It's the one time of the year when all non theater productions people get to put on the threads of a character and paint themselves up to look like whatever dream or walking nightmare they deem most appropriate. Sadly, in the case of some people, they select to remain as hideous as nature finds them and thus, they refuse to honor the holiday. Sadly, my sweet Tyler falls into this category. That usually puts him on Candy duty, while I handle all things 'fun and games' in my alter-ego of choice. Of course, my niece didn't mind that most of the grown-ups weren't in full costume. That way, the attention was all hers for the taking.
Lastly, and more importantly, the original basis for this holiday and celebration, be it Pagan, Christian or other general harvest time festivity (if you ask a Christian, they will say it was a Christian holiday and if you ask a Pagan, they tell you it is their tradition) is to honor or give homage to those departed this realm of the living. All I can say is the however this tradition came about, I'm grateful. It seems all Christian holiday traditions are laden with Pagan significance. Be that as it may, some people carve pumpkins to honor or provide a frame or visage for their departed ones to haunt, while others simply dig into genealogy and family history charts as they read stories of Great Grandma so-and-so. I simply carved a pumpkin or two to honor Winnie the Pooh, the Road Runner and Wiley Coyote. Things from my childhood that society has sought to replace with other critters and creatures. Thus, for one night, my candle burned to animate the chase of one runner and one very accident prone coyote!
Oh, and to anyone browsing these pictures and unaware of my favorite TV show, I dressed up as Abby from NCIS. If you get the time and have the inkling, I HIGHLY recommend you catch one of their episodes either online, or just steal a friend's DVD of the back seasons. Grab a Caf Pow and get to it!
