Halloween - Please think of the children!

[Swoop]

Halloween is with us again.
The night when kiddies of all ages take to the streets to scare us, OR be scared!:eek:
Have some thought for those poor children out there tonight who, against their parents wishes, trick-or-treat in the Auckland area!
Some poor kids will end up in the Mt Albert area, and will knock on Heilen Klerkes door...
F*cking scary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek:

[Mom]

We have a 2 storey house and can see the little suckers coming. Last year I managed to scare a group of 3 kids (who's dad was standing not too far from them) I sneaked downstairs, waited till they were nearly at the door and opened it really fast and shouted BOO! at them....:devil2: :devil2:

The looks on their faces were priceless......:laugh:

[LilSel]

Halloween is with us again.
The night when kiddies of all ages take to the streets to scare us, OR be scared!:eek:
Have some thought for those poor children out there tonight who, against their parents wishes, trick-or-treat in the Auckland area!
Some poor kids will end up in the Mt Albert area, and will knock on Heilen Klerkes door...
F*cking scary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek:

There are kids out in my area trick or treating at the mo... I hope they dont come to our door...

IMHO... Trick or treating is begging...

[Busy]

We have a sign on our door "No Trick or Treating" but seems kids can't read these days.

Neighbour never gives lollies, but apples and stuff, they are never taken though *I wonder if one would take my old toaster*

[Trudes]

There are kids out in my area trick or treating at the mo... I hope they dont come to our door...

IMHO... Trick or treating is begging...

Same on both counts!! Yeah, lets encourage kids to ask complete strangers for lollies and make them more obese.
Already had one knock on the door, and aside from the fact that we don't keep lollies in the house, we're against the whole thing, so we ignored them. Just call us the Grinch-dogs.:blink:

[jrandom]

I have an M14.

[gijoe1313]

I think I should dress up in my Boba Fett costume and give them a scare! :devil2:

Hmmm ... think I should buy some lollies so I can say "Remember, Bounty Hunters always get paid first!" :devil2:

[Hitcher]

I have carefully placed punga fronds over the bear trap in front of our front door, and have a trigger-pack with acid ready to douse any residual wee dears that manage to push the doorbell that is wired into the mains.

[The Pastor]

I just have a hose, and my sister has a large bag of flour on the deck above the door :D

[The Stranger]

We have a 2 storey house and can see the little suckers coming. Last year I managed to scare a group of 3 kids (who's dad was standing not too far from them) I sneaked downstairs, waited till they were nearly at the door and opened it really fast and shouted BOO! at them....:devil2: :devil2:

The looks on their faces were priceless......:laugh:

No wonder you scored so high on that "how evil are you" test.

[Mrs Busa Pete]

I have 6 bags of lollies and chocolates and i havn't had 1 knock on the door yet. Looks like pete will have to do the trick or treat tonight.

My grand kids are out west with there friends door knocking so be nice.

[The Stranger]

I have 6 bags of lollies and chocolates and i havn't had 1 knock on the door yet. Looks like pete will have to do the trick or treat tonight.
.

And here I thought your days of turning tricks were over.

[Mrs Busa Pete]

And here I thought your days of turning tricks were over.



Mine have but petes hasn't:clap:

[Flatcap]

The gate is locked and the dog is in the yard....

[fireball]

there is a big christain party up the road hope they dont come a knocking on my door already had a bunch of undesirebles turn up to a hose from me

[Skyryder]

Another American tradition we don't need. Bit like lights on trees............crass and lacking any imagination.

This year I'm gonna ask any who come to my door if they know who Guy Fawkes is. If they can answer correctly they get lols if not I got a bag of of those awfull black jelly beans and a history lesson to boot..............but hey on second thoughts telling children about a guy who failed to blow up Parliment might land me a cell next to Iti.:spanking: :(:(

Skyryder

[Flatcap]

Another American tradition we don't need. Bit like lights on trees............crass and lacking any imagination.

This year I'm gonna ask any who come to my door if they know who Guy Fawkes is. If they can answer correctly they get lols if not I got a bag of of those awfull black jelly beans and a history lesson to boot..............but hey on second thoughts telling children about a guy who failed to blow up Parliment might land me a cell next to Iti.:spanking: :(:(

Skyryder

Carrot sticks - kids LOVE carrot sticks

[Nasty]

Where we live they throw a type of party at the lake for the kids ... free sausages ... lolly scrambles and stuff .. the local churches put it on ... means no nasty little things come near my door and I appreciate that.

[caesius]

When we were twelve we went trick or treating and turned up to what (I understand now) was a large teenage Halloween piss-up, they gave us a bottle of cider. No joking.

[Luckylegs]

We've had two thus far... I wouldnt want to be the 3rd.

...Im just off out to replace the "beware of the dog" and "no trick or treating" signs to somthing more apt.

"WIFE SICK OF HALLOWEEN... ENTER AT OWN RISK"

:mad:

[klingon]

I have 6 bags of lollies and chocolates and i havn't had 1 knock on the door yet. Looks like pete will have to do the trick or treat tonight...

So what's your address then? And does dressing up like a scary biker count as a halloween costume?

[gijoe1313]

Got some aeroplanes and sour fish for the kiddies, and dolled up in my Boba Fett costume.

The looks I got from some of the little'uns was priceless! :laugh: Some took a physical step backwards and eyes wide as saucers!

Little girls in princess outfits and fairies said "ooh! look! a knight!" :lol:

And the parents were like :eek5: You could hear their thoughts "Thank god we came with our kids!" :rofl:

And of course, a pic to show that I am ... BobaJoeFett! :devil2::ar15::spudbn::weird::psst:

[trump-lady]

I just went and bought some candy for the critters.......after 10 years in the states I didnt think they did it here as theres really no hype.... not like over there.

But one kid came so off I went to the supermarket to get candy

No bastards been since

like I need the candy temptation in my house

or on my voluptuous thighs

sighhhhhhhhh

[Mom]

Just call us the Grinch-dogs.:blink:

Can I borrow that expression?


I have carefully placed punga fronds over the bear trap in front of our front door, and have a trigger-pack with acid ready to douse any residual wee dears that manage to push the doorbell that is wired into the mains.

Mean and horrible man you are!


No wonder you scored so high on that "how evil are you" test.

Who meeeee :innocent: NO mate you have me all wrong I am sweetness personified!


"WIFE SICK OF HALLOWEEN... ENTER AT OWN RISK"

:mad:

Yep and guess what we decided to have to eat tonight?.........stir fry, yum and time sensitive to boot. Turned it off the first time to go downstairs and the little *&%$@s had gone next door! Back upstairs muttering, wok back on happily stirring (as you do) another visit sees me stomping and muttering down the stairs, got to the door, 6 or so friends of my daughter dressed as they thought I did back in some age that they imagined.......LOL..told them to go annoy the rest of the neighbourhood :pinch:


I come from Canada and Halloween is a big deal there, but not here. Mind you i think that we will have to adapt, it will not go away........... now what was that about mains supply to the door bell?

[Wolf]

Happy Beltane, everyone.

No kids have knocked on our door tonight.

[jonbuoy]

Ya miserable fuckers its one day a year!

[98tls]

I just let the dog go nuts behind the front door until they piss off,then we eat the lollies :rolleyes:Border collies love chocolate fish for what its worth.:devil2:

[98tls]

Ya miserable fuckers its one day a year! Dead right........thats why me and the dog aint sharin with rugrats.:devil2:

[Mikkel]

Saw a few kids while we were riding along the road through Govenor's bay. They really seemed to like the bikes... They never managed to say trick or treat though.

[Meekey_Mouse]

Gah, don't get me started... Stupidest thing ever...

[phaedrus]

no kids this year.... I suppose i shouldn't have eaten them all last time

[nodrog]

i didnt have any lollies, was it wrong to give them a Bourbon? :apint:

[Lissa]

My kids wanted to go trick or treating so I took them around to their grandparents in the afternoon to get some lollies. Would never let my children knock on a strangers door and beg for food.

[Maha]

This little man came to my door, i had run out lollies so i gave him the last of my Tobacco, i think he let down my tyres.

[98tls]

This little man came to my door, i had run out lollies so i gave him the last of my Tobacco :eek5:Wasnt he on Police watch or whatever its called.Dropped his pants in a retirement home......disgusting

[Lteejay]

There are kids out in my area trick or treating at the mo... I hope they dont come to our door...

IMHO... Trick or treating is begging...

A bit harsh. Kids just having a bit of fun

[nodrog]

This little man came to my door, i had run out lollies so i gave him the last of my Tobacco, i think he let down my tyres.

of course i let down your tyres, you didnt even give me a lighter!


:eek5:Wasnt he on Police watch or whatever its called.Dropped his pants in a retirement home......disgusting

lol, i didnt dropped my pants, they were ripped off, and it wasnt a retirement home, it was Busa Petes house :shit:

[MisterD]

Well I hope you miserable old codgers survived last night without overdosing on bile and spleen...:Pokey:

MasterD (20 months old) enjoyed the costumes coming to the door immensely. Hey, and what's with these polite NZ kids? Hold out a big tub of sweets and they take two or three? Grab a handful, go on!

[Flatcap]

Well I hope you miserable old codgers survived last night without overdosing on bile and spleen...:Pokey:


Are you going soft on us?

I enjoy being miserable, it's what I do best....

[judecatmad]

Ah ya miserable bunch of buggers - kids find magic in this sort of stuff for such a short period of time in their lives, where's the harm? Next you'll be telling them all that the tooth fairy doesn't exist and that Santa died in a sleigh crash.....

We had heaps of kids turn up last night - all really well made up in Hallowe'en gore! - and they all got a handful of lollies each :) Still lots left over tho - am trying to resist!!

Good job it wasn't me coming to your doors - when I was a kid, 'trick or treat' really did mean 'trick' or 'treat' - send me away empty handed, get a trick played on you (the fave was a bar of soap rubbed onto the windscreen of the car in the driveway - a bastard to get off, but no harm done....)! :devil2:

[MisterD]

Are you going soft on us?



Just saving my ire for those that really deserve it...cabinet re-shuffle? :2guns:

[LilSel]

Same on both counts!! Yeah, lets encourage kids to ask complete strangers for lollies and make them more obese.
Already had one knock on the door, and aside from the fact that we don't keep lollies in the house, we're against the whole thing, so we ignored them. Just call us the Grinch-dogs.:blink:

LOL... im glad im not the only one that see's the other side of it !!...

Same person (stranger) that gave lollies last night see's same trick or treater kid... slows down in car 'hey do you want to come for a ride? I have more lollies for you'...

[RC1]

Next you'll be telling them all that the tooth fairy doesn't exist and that Santa died in a sleigh crash.....

NOOOOO its not true, take it back :crybaby:

[Her_C4]

Ah ya miserable bunch of buggers - kids find magic in this sort of stuff for such a short period of time in their lives, where's the harm? Next you'll be telling them all that the tooth fairy doesn't exist and that Santa died in a sleigh crash.....

We had heaps of kids turn up last night - all really well made up in Hallowe'en gore! - and they all got a handful of lollies each :) Still lots left over tho - am trying to resist!!

Good job it wasn't me coming to your doors - when I was a kid, 'trick or treat' really did mean 'trick' or 'treat' - send me away empty handed, get a trick played on you (the fave was a bar of soap rubbed onto the windscreen of the car in the driveway - a bastard to get off, but no harm done....)! :devil2:

Bollocks :mellow: :bleh:

It is an american tradition that has been commercialised here in good ole NZ -next we will be expected to celebrate thanksgiving as well.

By all means dress your wee ones up and have a bit of fun ..... in your own back yard... don't bring 'em into mine and expect to get sweets for it. bah humbug :oi-grr:

Notices on both the letterbox and the front door are ignored and parents are often abusive if you open the door to turn them away politely. :doh:

My youngest had the right idea when he was living at home and used to keep weetbix and apples by the door and hand them out randomly. The nasty responses that he got from both the adults and the children were eyeopeners into the expectations that had been obviously been set. :pinch:

[vifferman]

Halloween?!?:mad:
I really fucking hate it!
Not only do we have hordes of kids begging at our door, but invariably my son's car gets pelted with eggs, just because there's nowhere to park it except on the street. The paint's kinda rooted now, with nice egg-shaped scratches and bits peeled off, and it made me late this morning helping him to clean it. At least this time we didn't have the house and/or gargre egged, or the fishpond filled with crap.

It's like Guy Fawkes - of no relevance to Noo Zilund and just an excuse for purveyors of cheap crap to foist it off on brain-dead consumers.

[Dilligaf]

10 characters....

[judecatmad]

Bollocks :mellow: :bleh:

It is an american tradition that has been commercialised here in good ole NZ -next we will be expected to celebrate thanksgiving as well.

By all means dress your wee ones up and have a bit of fun ..... in your own back yard... don't bring 'em into mine and expect to get sweets for it. bah humbug :oi-grr:

Notices on both the letterbox and the front door are ignored and parents are often abusive if you open the door to turn them away politely. :doh:

My youngest had the right idea when he was living at home and used to keep weetbix and apples by the door and hand them out randomly. The nasty responses that he got from both the adults and the children were eyeopeners into the expectations that had been obviously been set. :pinch:

So is Christmas but I bet you still have a Xmas tree decorated with lights, and presents wrapped in bright paper. And I'll bet there is a clear expectation from the family that presents will be given and that they will be good ones. Try giving your kids a stocking filled with oranges, nuts and a home-made wooden toy and see the response you get.

And the modern Mother's Day - that's a commercialised bastardisation of a once a year pilgrimage that working children used to make home to see their mothers. Oh, and Father's Day was invented by the card companies so that dads didn't 'feel left out'.

And why should you get money for your teeth falling out? It's just a natural process on the road to getting your adult teeth, after all.... The fact that it's your parents who put the money there (or in my case, my dead grandfather who used to put the money under the carpet...long story, LOL) is awful cos parents are so cash-strapped these days without all that extra nonsense.

How would carol singing be viewed? That's an age-old tradition. Granted that those kids that come along and sing one line of 'we wish you a merry xmas' are not greeted very favourably, but those that make an effort are duly rewarded (as are those kids who dress up well for Hallowe'en - I don't just hand sweets out indiscriminately to any old kid who turns up on the doorstep)

Totally agree that the response some kids (and adults) have when they don't get what they were expecting is shocking - as was proven when I offered (fruit) mince pies one year to some carol singers cos it was all I had in the house. But hey, their choice.

At the end of the day, there's a big difference between kids taking sweets from strangers in cars (as was one scenario offered in this thread), and kids begging on doorsteps on non-festive occasions, to kids making an effort, getting into the sprit of the night (the night as it is NOW, not how it used to be years ago - cos lets face it, times change...or they do for some people at least).

I just love the fact that NZ is safe enough for kids to go out trick or treating without fear of paedophiles taking advantage and for their spoils to not have to be vetted for ground-up glass, as is the case in so many places around the world.

Kids are kids for so short a time, it's a bit of magic in an otherwise dull week. And so it's an Americanisation - give me something these days that hasn't been bastardised in some way by the Yanks.

And no, I wouldn't expect anyone to celebrate Thanksgiving who didn't have a link to the USA - but if someone wished me Happy Thanksgiving I wouldn't run at them with a pitch-fork and tell them to go to hell. Will you be going to a firework display this year? God forbid that one of those might disturb your night on the 5th November because that's an English tradition.....

Take away what each and every culture and religion has brought to this country (Diwali, Chinese New Year, Guy Fawkes night, Christmas, Hallowe'en, Easter etc etc) and you'd be left with a pretty boring year.

But hey, you don't like the traditions that have evolved around Hallowe'en, I don't mind them. Who's to say who is right and who is wrong? Being held to ransom on Hallowe'en is wrong, I agree - especially by parents. If you don't want to give lollies, you shouldn't have to and you shouldn't be viewed as mean - just don't answer the door for goodness' sake if the response bothers you that much. But to begrudge the kids a bit of fun running around the neighbourhood dressed up as ghouls and ghosts (the fairies I don't quite understand....!), is a bit grinchy.

Anyway, I'm just off to do some street begging for the Wellington Free Ambulance. Here's hoping for a more favourable response than many kids will have got last night.

:D

(don't take any of this to heart btw - I'm tired and grumpy and fed up of having this constantly kicking beach ball stuffed up my t-shirt. I'm just trying to keep some semblance of sanity by getting into the spirit of things!)

[ninjac]

The kids bang on the door.
I open it up just enough for them to say 'trick or treat' and have a squiz at their costumes. I then let the dog (Bull Mastiff) stick her head out and watch as the kids jump out of their skin. :lol:

[Trudes]

We don't tend to get many here, only the neighbours kids cause we live at the top of a hill and the rest of the lazy overweight kids and parents can't be arsed walking up the hill to get more sweets to stuff in their fat little mouths. The grinch strikes again!!:pinch:

[Swoop]

A mate was telling me last night, about someone who moved into a high-rise apartment in town and thought he would be immune to ToT visitors knocking on his door.
Alas, he forgot that other families in the building had young kids...:doh:

[Her_C4]

So is Christmas but I bet you still have a Xmas tree decorated with lights, and presents wrapped in bright paper. And I'll bet there is a clear expectation from the family that presents will be given and that they will be good ones. Try giving your kids a stocking filled with oranges, nuts and a home-made wooden toy and see the response you get. etc etc

......(don't take any of this to heart btw - I'm tired and grumpy and fed up of having this constantly kicking beach ball stuffed up my t-shirt. I'm just trying to keep some semblance of sanity by getting into the spirit of things!)

Hmmm, interesting response.... I didn't click re: the 9 months bit (a bit slow these days - sorry:( ) Amazing how it can feel like a year long isn't it??? Hope yu don't have too long to go?? :hug:

FWIW, :whistle: there was a time when my children did indeed recieve presents for xmas very much as you have outlined above. They had no expectations other than what I could or could not afford at the time. I also had a couple of friends at school (admittedly maaaaany years ago now), who never even got the home made toy, but were still made to feel treasured and special with simple family parties and outings.:yes:

I believe (and happy to be corrected if I am wrong) but Mothers Day has its origins in ancient Greece, Christmas in Ancient Rome, the tooth fairy has its origins in 18th century Europe, and in fact even Halloween comes from the Celts in Ireland / UK… :girlfight:

My issue I guess is with the (IMO) crass commercialism and sensationalism that comes with everything these days and the expectations that are bestowed upon us all to adopt, advocate and indeed ‘buy in’ (literally) to the need to exaggerate everything.:crazy:

I don’t do things just because the person next door does, nor indeed do I bow under peer pressure (unless of course I have a wish to). Why do we teach our children to? Why are we not teaching them and and supporting them to make independent, rational decisions? What happened to simplicity? What is wrong with it? What happened to responsible parents teaching their children to have fun with the basic things in life - and with that an APPRECIATION of the finer things?? :cool:

My other main issue is one of individual privacy and respect.

You want to celebrate these festivals? By all means 'fill your boots' as they say, and please do find likeminded souls to share the experience, but I - as an individual believe in choosing what I celebrate, how I celebrate, who I celebrate with and when. I try really hard to respect other people’s beliefs and wishes whilst I do. It would be cool if others would do the same to be and mine in return. :eek5:

PS: Fathers Day is indeed American – started somewhere in the early 1900’s I believe….:bleh:

[Virago]

Halloween is one of those events that bring out the nastiness and misery in communities. Bah Bloody Humbug.

But what's it all about? Kids in the neighbourhood dressing up and parading around their neighbours, with perhaps the reward of a lolly or two? And this brings out all this anger and resentment?

Come on guys, where the hell is your community spirit?

Neighbours don't get to know each other like they used to. This is the perfect opportunity to reach out to each other, to get to meet others in the community, and yes, get to meet their children. Remember the good old days when adults and children could interact without fear and mistrust? I do...

Okay, stay inside your castles, with you guard-dogs and "keep-out" signs, and complain about those very neighbours you are rejecting. Tossers...

[Finn]

Last night was brilliant! After eating all the lollies myself, I had a major sugar rush that only some vigorous exercise with a water cannon could fix. It was priceless and taught the little shits the meaning of "Trick", the other part of the equation they didn't seem to understand.

One thing stumped me though - a van load of Samoans turned up again this year. I asked them where they were from. Mangere. No further comment.

[Dilligaf]

Come on the huge difference here between Halloween and Christmas which surprisingly no-one has mentioned is that on Christmas, your next door neighbours do not come knocking on your door with their hands out for a present. Nor when little Johnny loses his first tooth, does he go knocking around the neighbourhood for money.
Halloween makes everyone have to buy into some people's beliefs (whatever). And look what you get called if you are not interested in participating!
So to all of you who talked about bah humbug etc then I'd like to see you fronting up with say, a baptism present for young Nats eh? Doesn't matter if you believe in Christianity or not, it's all about community right???
Hypocrisy much??
:jerry:

[Freakshow]

On the way home from work I saw many kids in the streets and was really disappointed with thier efforts in Newlands. Yet over in Fetherston the lil hick town the kids had really put some effort into thier costumes. Was this noticed that the urban kids were not that dressed up?

[007XX]

(don't take any of this to heart btw - I'm tired and grumpy and fed up of having this constantly kicking beach ball stuffed up my t-shirt. I'm just trying to keep some semblance of sanity by getting into the spirit of things!)

Good post...good to knwo the beach ball is healthy and kicking! ;)

And sanity is highly overrated...:sweatdrop

I personally don't go for the whole Halloween thing, never have. maybe because I wasn't raised with it (noone in New Caledonia used to do it). I don't begrudge it to anyone, but I don't like the constant marketing brain washing that seems to appear with it, as is the case with the other holidays...

I mean, did anyone else notice that Xmas decorations are already out???? :gob: :angry2:

So anyway, back on topic, sorry... I look forward to being in a neighbourhood that does celebrate Halloween so my son and I can take part in it. I'd only do it for his sake, but where we are, no one does it...:(

[HTFU]

Americanisation or is that Americanization is here to stay thanks to good old T.V and especially if there's money to be made. Maybe those who have treats to give should put a little American flag on there mailbox so the kids know who to harass http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/travesmilies/flaggen1/smilie_flagge13.gif. Would be cool if they then showed these flags on T.V so Muslim Terrorists could see we really are just in the process of becoming a mini america that drives on the wrong side of the road.

[Flatcap]

Okay, stay inside your castles, with you guard-dogs and "keep-out" signs, and complain about those very neighbours you are rejecting. Tossers...

I don't mind my neighbours kids, as Finn mentions above it's the random vanloads that seem to appear from outside the neighbourhood that piss me off.

[Mikkel]

Back home we had another tradition instead of Halloween. It was originally a feast to celebrate the end of the fast (as in adhering to a strict diet for a certain time - not as going down the road at great speed).
We children would dress up and we would have a party were we knocked a wooden barrel down with clubs, called "to hit the cat of the barrel". (In the good old days they would put a living cat into the barrel and it would usually not be alive anymore when the barrel broke) Inside the barrel was lollies and fruit. Good fun all around and we didn't go bother anyone besides the ones that showed up for the event. In my teens when I did taekwon-do we had our own variation - same deal except for the costumes and the clubs. That did cause me a few broken and and swolen knuckles and shins.

As for christmas - it's just a clever adaptation of a pagan ritual to usher in christianity without too much fuss. The original pagan ritual was of course the mid-winter solstice - the shortest day of the year - and was celebrated properly with mead, meat and orgies... good times all around. No wonder christianity needed something to fill that gap if they had any hopes for it's success.

[Wolf]

I spent last night at home quietly celebrating the beginning of Beltane. (Hallowe'en is a Christianised (and later commercialised) version of Samhain, the beginning of Winter, which is what's happening in the Northern Hemisphere around now. "Downunder" where the seasons are reversed, Beltane is more appropriate for us Celtic Pagans to celebrate.)

Still Beltane until nightfall tonight, so Happy Beltane, all.

[Mikkel]

Hmmm hadn't seen the definition of these holidays before. Would have thought that the celts would have celebrated the four special days of the years:

Mid-summer solstice (21st-22nd of June) - the longest day of the year.
Fall equinox (21st-22nd of September) - equal length night and day.
Mid-winder solstice (21st-22nd of December) - shortest day.
Spring equinox (21st-22nd of March) - again equal night and day.

Obviously these are the dates for the northern hemisphere... I always understood that these were special days celebrated by most pagan religions and used as markers to time farming, supply storage, hunting and gathering.

[Wolf]

Hmmm hadn't seen the definition of these holidays before. Would have thought that the celts would have celebrated the four special days of the years:

Mid-summer solstice (21st-22nd of June) - the longest day of the year.
Fall equinox (21st-22nd of September) - equal length night and day.
Mid-winder solstice (21st-22nd of December) - shortest day.
Spring equinox (21st-22nd of March) - again equal night and day.

Obviously these are the dates for the northern hemisphere... I always understood that these were special days celebrated by most pagan religions and used as markers to time farming, supply storage, hunting and gathering.
The celebrated the "liminal" days - beginning of Winter (Samhain - Ancestor Night, their New Year's day), Spring (Imbolc), Summer (Beltane) and Autumn (Lughnassadh). In the Northern Hemisphere: on or around Oct 31/Nov1, Feb 1/2, Apr 31/May 1, and July 30/Aug 1 respectively.

Modern Witches/Wiccans, celebrate the ones you mentioned (evidence suggests the Norse celebrated at least one of those - Yule/Midwinter) as well as the 4 Celtic festivals.

Celtic Pagans don't celebrate the Solstices and Equinoxes, and in the Southern Hemisphere we reverse the seasons - Beltane when the Northerners celebrate Samhain etc.

Edit: The Oct 31/Nov1 etc is modern designation. In Celtic reckoning (and in Jewish, I understand) the "day" begins at nightfall, not midnight, so the day of Samhain begins at nightfall of what is now 31 Oct and finishes at nightfall of what is now 1 November. The celebration of Samhain, Beltane etc was reported to have lasted around a week and it is believed that Guy Fawkes night, with its bonfires, is just a modern dressing up of the tail end of Samhain in the Northern Hemisphere - wth a convenient modern personage assigned to it. As Guy Fawkes was hanged, not burned, the bonfire aspect sounds more "Celtic Fire Festival" than "Treason Attempt".

The Jews still reckon their days by nightfall, especially with the likes of Passover and other festivals.

[Mikkel]

That's a bit funny actually. There's a celtic construction (don't know the right term for it sorry) somewhere in Ireland (surprise surprise) which has been made in such an ingenious way that at the back of a roofed corridor is a wall upon which the light only shines 1 day of the year... And I believe that day is the mid-winter solstice - and no it's not a coincidence according to all sources.

But the Vikings certainly celebrated mid-winter - or Yule as you correctly state. In Denmark christmas is still called "Jul" actually.

[lb99]

all we had was a couple of barefoot maori kids in no cosumes turn up, I offered then half a carrot each.... scared em away good that did.

it was only a couple of hours later that I thought "maybe they were dressed as the kids from brotown"



I mean, did anyone else notice that Xmas decorations are already out???? :gob: :angry2:

(

I work part time in the back store at the local new world at night and the xmas display went out on oct 16, last year it was oct 22 I think, and when it gets taken away in early jan the easter eggs will take its place immediatley.

"happy retail day folks!":niceone:

[Wolf]

That's a bit funny actually. There's a celtic construction (don't know the right term for it sorry) somewhere in Ireland (surprise surprise) which has been made in such an ingenious way that at the back of a roofed corridor is a wall upon which the light only shines 1 day of the year... And I believe that day is the mid-winter solstice - and no it's not a coincidence according to all sources.
Quite possible. Can you remember the name of it? The history of those tribes known as Keltoi underwent a number of changes over time - burial practices changed, as did technology. They also were quite prone to adopt things from other cultures (like their artwork shows (at various times) Etruscan, Roman and Scandinavian influences) or change things of their own.

However, based on the Coligny calendar and the writings of the Romans and Early Christians, their festivals were predominantly as I described above. That does not preclude, however, other days being revered in some locations or at some stage in the couple of thousand years of preChristian tribalism.

There were also earlier peoples in what is now the UK - like the builders of Stonehenge (currently believed to be the mysterious "Beaker Folk" of which little is known other than their burial practices). Stonehenge itself marks the Solstices and Equinoxes and pre-dates "Celtic" habitation of that area by a couple of thousand years at least.

I personally look forward to the Winter Solstice every year from Samhain (around 1 May) onwards and am quite rapt when it finally arrives - because it means the days are going to get longer again and the days of going to and from work in the dark are numbered. The Winter Solstice is the "worst" it can get, after that, things start improving.