Not celebrating Halloween (was: Healthful Halloween Treats)

[Guest guest]

Joann asked:

>

> Also, I am curious why one doesn't celebrate

> Halloween.

 

I'm not Sandra, but we don't celebrate Halloween either, so I'll

answer this, and I'm sure Sandra will supplement as required.

 

While I don't appreciate all the bloody

> characters that many teens and adults dress up as, the

> holiday has its origins as a celebration of the dead.

 

Well, you see, we Jews do not celebrate the dead. We remember them, we

mourn them, but we do not celebrate them. Neither do we celebrate any

of the other Christian/pagan holidays - for me, celebrating Halloween

or Valentine's Day is no different from celebrating Christmas. My

children, of course, are highly attracted by all the hoopla (and this

brings us back to the TV thread - at this time of year I wish I didn't

let them watch it!), but we try to make our own holidays as attractive

as possible, and explain why the others are not ours.

 

I would not let my children eat the treat described, but not because

of health or poisoning concerns, but because I do not want them

bringing non-kosher stuff into the house. This will clearly be a point

of contention with my 7 y/o this year, as he is dying to go

trick-or-treating. I have dealt with the candy issue in past years, as

well as not wanting to seem unneighbourly, by buying lots of kosher

candy (and boxes of raisins - I'm sure the parents appreciate that!)

and having my kids hand it out at the door, wolfing down considerable

amounts themselves so they don't feel deprived.

 

Wishing all who are celebrating my holidays an easy fast on Monday,

and have a blast on Sukkot! Now *that* is an autumn holiday I love to

celebrate!

 

Hope this helps!

 

Be well, Hadass in Winnipeg, Ima to Rafi, 7.5 y/o, Ari, 4.25 y/o, and

Shira, 10.5 months.

[Guest guest]

My almost-five-year-old makes me laugh! " Mommy, Mimom (her paternal

grandmother, not Jewish) celebrates Halloweeno, doesn't she? " Nothing I can do

will get her to drop the final " o " from the end of the holiday's name. Anyway,

I digress. " I think we should buy her a LOT of candy. She would like that,

don't you think? "

 

Then there's Christmas, where she wants to buy Mimom the Beauty and the Beast

Christmas video. Mimom would like to watch that, she thinks. LOL!

 

Sandra

 

>Wishing all who are celebrating my holidays an easy fast on Monday,

>and have a blast on Sukkot! Now *that* is an autumn holiday I love to

>celebrate!

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Thank you for responding and Happy Yom Kippur. I

didn't think about the Kosher aspect of the food. Many

of the Jewish people I know, including my

sister-in-law celebrate holidays that are

christian/pagan in origin so it didn't cross my mind

to think about that in my question of why not

celebrate. I know many whose religious beliefs don't

align with holidays but celebrate them because they

consider it to be " part of american culture " and

celebrate the holiday anyway. All of this makes

perfect sense to me now. I hope I didn't offend you. I

am always looking for answers to why not celebrate or

how to change a tradition. Our biggest pet peave in

Dec is when cashiers in stores with us merry

christmas. How do you know if I celebrate that holiday

or not? My partner and I are trying to work out the

details now of how to explain and keep santa out of

our 2 year olds celebration of the winter

solstice/christmas celebrations.

 

I also understand what you mean by all the hoopla

about the holiday(s). Quinn is just dying to have

candy. When we have gone to the store that is all she

sees and asks for. She loves chocolate but we rarely

have it. I think she's had it two or three times.

Anyway, I understand.

 

Thanks! Peace,

 

Joann

 

 

--- Lion's Ima <heviatar wrote:

> Joann asked:

> >

> > Also, I am curious why one doesn't celebrate

> > Halloween.

>

> I'm not Sandra, but we don't celebrate Halloween

> either, so I'll

> answer this, and I'm sure Sandra will supplement as

> required.

>

> While I don't appreciate all the bloody

> > characters that many teens and adults dress up as,

> the

> > holiday has its origins as a celebration of the

> dead.

>

> Well, you see, we Jews do not celebrate the dead. We

> remember them, we

> mourn them, but we do not celebrate them. Neither do

> we celebrate any

> of the other Christian/pagan holidays - for me,

> celebrating Halloween

> or Valentine's Day is no different from celebrating

> Christmas. My

> children, of course, are highly attracted by all the

> hoopla (and this

> brings us back to the TV thread - at this time of

> year I wish I didn't

> let them watch it!), but we try to make our own

> holidays as attractive

> as possible, and explain why the others are not

> ours.

>

> I would not let my children eat the treat described,

> but not because

> of health or poisoning concerns, but because I do

> not want them

> bringing non-kosher stuff into the house. This will

> clearly be a point

> of contention with my 7 y/o this year, as he is

> dying to go

> trick-or-treating. I have dealt with the candy issue

> in past years, as

> well as not wanting to seem unneighbourly, by buying

> lots of kosher

> candy (and boxes of raisins - I'm sure the parents

> appreciate that!)

> and having my kids hand it out at the door, wolfing

> down considerable

> amounts themselves so they don't feel deprived.

>

> Wishing all who are celebrating my holidays an easy

> fast on Monday,

> and have a blast on Sukkot! Now *that* is an autumn

> holiday I love to

> celebrate!

>

> Hope this helps!

>

> Be well, Hadass in Winnipeg, Ima to Rafi, 7.5 y/o,

> Ari, 4.25 y/o, and

> Shira, 10.5 months.

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

The New with improved product search

 

[Guest guest]

>Well, you see, we Jews do not celebrate the dead. We remember them, we

>mourn them, but we do not celebrate them. Neither do we celebrate any

>of the other Christian/pagan holidays - for me, celebrating Halloween

>or Valentine's Day is no different from celebrating Christmas.

 

This is so interesting to me. We aren't Hindu but it never crossed my mind

to not celebrate Divali with my Indian friends. But perhaps I am not strong

enough in my personal faith to tell my kids we can't participate in the

celebrations

of our friends and community, since it doesn't in my mind contradict our

beliefs. A Jewish friend of ours just gave us a Rosh Hashana (sorry if I'm

misspelling it) gift and I thought it was so wonderful to be included:-)

I hadn't really thought much about these things before now.

 

Carmen near Zurich