Tired of all this pumpkin and plastic skeleton crap everywhere. Thanks, marketing ghouls rage-cry

What, are we going to start celebrating the 4th of July next? Might as well with the NATO membership I guess

  • thethirdgracchi [he/him, they/them]@hexbear.net
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    73
    ·
    1 year ago

    I’m not sure how to break this to you, but Halloween is European. Halloween was invented in Ireland, from the pagan celebration of Samhain. Even the practice of dressing up in costume and going from door to door asking for food is recorded as of the 16th century at the latest. Pranks, as well as “Mischief Night,” also dates from the 18th century at the latest. This is all pre-Americanisation. It’s not a continental European tradition but it’s certainly European, not American.

      • wildginger
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        8
        ·
        1 year ago

        And now its back, like many religious and non religious celebratory traditions before it.

            • usernamesaredifficul [he/him]@hexbear.net
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              12
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              edit-2
              1 year ago

              nah christmas rocks I get to see all my family and just enjoy the vibes and goodwill to all men

              plus past a certain age christmas presents become books and socks (this is one of the main reasons to keep reading as an adult)

              • wildginger
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                13
                ·
                1 year ago

                How is that any different from halloween? Just that your personal family dont bother to get together for it?

                • usernamesaredifficul [he/him]@hexbear.net
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  9
                  arrow-down
                  1
                  ·
                  1 year ago

                  because halloween isn’t a holiday anyone celebrates with family gatherings, and the themes of goodwill to all men is a very explicit cultural aspect of christmas when it isn’t for halloween.

                  You don’t even get a day off for halloween because it was never a big deal culturally

                  • Wheaties [she/her]@hexbear.net
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    10
                    ·
                    1 year ago

                    I always thought it would be interesting to declare some random dates as paid holidays, and tell people to figure out their own traditions for them.

                  • wildginger
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    4
                    ·
                    1 year ago

                    Thats, again, a personal you thing. Around me halloween is such a family thing that people without good family ties do a friends-giving style celebration to replace it.

                    And goodwill to all is a pretty common harvest celebration theme that halloween carries just as well as christmas, especially with how immensely cynical christmas has become.

                    I dont get a day off for most of my holidays, and christmas is included with that. Not sure why your bosses opinion on holidays matters tho.

                  • mar_k [he/him]@hexbear.net
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    1
                    ·
                    edit-2
                    1 year ago

                    We don’t get a day off so we celebrate the Friday or Saturday we have off before. They only give us shit off if it has supposed religious or historical importance, like Washington’s Birthday or Colombus Day, they’re federal holidays but ain’t no cultural significance behind those

                    It definitely is a big deal culturally, especially for young people. Kids and parents go on haunted hayrides and carve jack o lanterns, teens and 20s dress up and party with each other. Hell plenty of people in their 30s and beyond still dress up and party. It’s an informal holiday but still a ton of people’s favorite holiday

          • wildginger
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            5
            ·
            1 year ago

            But its not fake, or american, and every holiday is used as an excuse to sell plastic crap.