Halloween 2011 - Monday

[Murfreesboro]

The only problem with making Halloween an "official" holiday here is that then they would, for sure, push it to the nearest Monday. That's what they've done with Lincoln's birthday, Washington's birthday, Columbus Day, etc. How many kids today actually know when Lincoln's & Washington's birthdays are? All they know is that they get one day off from school. (When I was a kid in Mississippi, we never got either day off, but we did know when they were). I even recall seeing some TV special on one recent Presidents' Day that was all about John Kennedy. Clearly the programmers thought that "Presidents' Day" was meant to honor all the presidents. Heck, maybe that is the way they teach it now. I'm pretty sure that Veteran's Day and Memorial Day also used to be particular days, not just "Monday holidays" (Veterans' Day was November 11, formerly Armistice Day from WWI).

I am very, very attached to celebrating Halloween on Oct. 31rst, no matter what day of the week it falls on. Of course, I do celebrate throughout October, going to various haunted attractions when I can afford it, seeking out "spooky" theatrical events, watching scary movies, etc. But I want TOT, the big street masquerade, always to be on the 31rst.

[killem2]

Around here, Missouri, the kids only Trick or Treat on Halloween day, what ever day that may land on, some times the churches do a Trick or Trunking thing, and that is on Sunday sometimes. Hope this helps!!

Yup I am from missouri as well and growing up we only trick or treated on halloween. If halloween was on a weekend, we would hit stores and such up after school but that was it.

[Pumpkin56]

The only problem with making Halloween an "official" holiday here is that then they would, for sure, push it to the nearest Monday. That's what they've done with Lincoln's birthday, Washington's birthday, Columbus Day, etc. How many kids today actually know when Lincoln's & Washington's birthdays are? All they know is that they get one day off from school. (When I was a kid in Mississippi, we never got either day off, but we did know when they were). I even recall seeing some TV special on one recent Presidents' Day that was all about John Kennedy. Clearly the programmers thought that "Presidents' Day" was meant to honor all the presidents. Heck, maybe that is the way they teach it now. I'm pretty sure that Veteran's Day and Memorial Day also used to be particular days, not just "Monday holidays" (Veterans' Day was November 11, formerly Armistice Day from WWI).

I am very, very attached to celebrating Halloween on Oct. 31rst, no matter what day of the week it falls on. Of course, I do celebrate throughout October, going to various haunted attractions when I can afford it, seeking out "spooky" theatrical events, watching scary movies, etc. But I want TOT, the big street masquerade, always to be on the 31rst.

I would love nothing more than for Halloween to become a national holiday, but I think you make a good point--it probably would get pushed to a Monday or there would be resisitance and outrage from the loons who think it's a satanic day.

[Pumpkin_Man]

There are a few holidays that are not 'movable.' Veterans day, for instance is allways on Nov 11th. Independence Day is allways on July 4th, so I see no reason why Halloween shouldn't allways be on the 31st, and why it shouldn't be a national holiday. I think it should be in place of the less traditional holidays like Presidents Day or Columbus Day, but it should be a national holiday never the less.

What often happens at my work place, when a non movable holiday falls on a Saturday is they give us the day off on the Friday before, and if it falls on a Sunday, they give us the Sunday after off. That's probably what they would do if they decided to make Halloween a non movable holiday on the 31st of Oct, and it fell on the weekend.

Speaking of Halloween, it was on a Monday in 2011, and 2012 is a leap year, so this year Halloween will be on a Wednesday. in 13 it will be on a Thursday. In 14 it will be on a Friday, in 15 it will be on a SATURDAY, and in 16, (leap year) it will skip over to Monday again.

Mike

[Murfreesboro]

I think Pumpkin is right that there would be major resistance from the religious right to making Halloween a national holiday. Personally I don't hold with that, but there is a big block of people who would be incensed. Better just to leave things as they are. Those who wish to celebrate, do, and those who don't, don't.

[Li H'Sen Chang]

I like having it on 31 October each year I just take leave early off work that day or use vacation day for sure.

[Pumpkin_Man]

Murf, a lot of the religious right are not Evengelical Protestants. Most of them, in fact, are Catholics, Protestants of numerous demoninations, Jews and even Muslims. The Evengelicals would object, but I don't think the rest of Christianity or the religious right in general would object. It could be a problem for various business who traditionaly allways gave their employees days off for lesser observed holidays liek Columbus Day, Presidents Day or Lincoln's Birthday. But for the most part, I think most people would love to have one more holiday during a time of year when they can still go outside and enjoy being out doors. Presidents Day and Lincolns Birthday really don't have any major traditions attached to them. More over, they both fall in the dead of Winter, so all one can really do to "celebrate" Presidents Day or "Lincolns Birthday is sleep late, maybe take in a movie if it's not snowing and you can get to the theatre, or catch up on tv or reading. Columbus Day is very seldomly even observed any more. In fact, a lot of school districts even have abolished it as a holiday all together, though it's still observed as a national holiday. So it would actualy be easy to replace Columbus Day with Halloween, all though I would like to see Halloween observed by everyone if it did become a national holiday.

By the way, I am in the process of writing my congress man regarding this. Unfortunately it will have to wait until after the election, but I think it's worth a try.

Mike

[Pumpkin_Man]

By the way, Folks, Halloween is going to fall on a Wednesday this year. I'll be taking my usual 2 days off, one for October 31st and one for November 1st.

Mike

[Pumpkin56]

Those are the same two days I take off too, Mike. Look for me at your door

[Murfreesboro]

I guess "religious right" is kind of a slippery term. Several of those groups you mention are probably pretty conservative morally, but maybe not always so conservative politically.

We have Muslims directly across the street from us, and they never observe Halloween at all. I don't know if they refuse to participate because it is against their religion, or because they are merely unfamiliar with the custom (these folks are from Jerusalem). Or maybe I'm wrong, and they take their kids to some place where they celebrate with other Muslims. All I know is, they never put up any decorations or open their door that night.

I am interested to hear you speak of Presidents' Day and Lincoln's Birthday, Mike. I know you live in Illinois. Do they still keep Lincoln's Birthday as a separate holiday there? In the rest of the country, Lincoln's Birthday is folded into Presidents' Day.

I don't want people "regulating" Halloween--telling me when to celebrate it, how to celebrate it, what hours to celebrate it, etc. So far, in the South, there has been very little interference with our enjoyment of the holiday. But I know lots of people who don't much like it, including some at the church I attend,. Some think it is Satanic, but others, I believe, simply think it is a greedy holiday. They (erroneously, IMO) think that the kids are greedy for candy, period. I have heard at least one woman say that she won't give out candy to anyone who isn't "little," whatever that means (some 12-yr-olds are man-sized, so IDK if she would refuse a 6th-grader who looked grown to her).

[Pumpkin56]

There is a muslim family that lives on my parents street too, Murf. I'm inclined to think they may be from Iran just from the the type of head covering that the grandmother wears (chador). There are several children in that family and they've always gone TOTing and the family always passes out candy too.

There's another family on their street--a guy I grew up with-it's his family--but they NEVER turn their light on on Halloween....actually come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen them leave the house when I'm around...I think they must be vampires..or serial killers...they're probably like the Klopeks from that old movie, The 'Burbs. I think I'm onto something here...

Anyhoo, I bet it's just a personal preference with the family you mentioned. My sweetie is from the Middle East and he never celebrated Halloween before he met me, even though he had been here for years. The only time he does pass out candy is if I head over to his house

[Murfreesboro]

I'm sure there is a range of attitudes among Muslims, just as there is among Christians.

[Pumpkin56]

I'm sure there is a range of attitudes among Muslims, just as there is among Christians.

Probably so, but I just prefer to lump everyone who doesn't celebrate Halloween into the category "Grouchy Old Farts"

[Murfreesboro]

[Pumpkin_Man]

Murf, in Illinois, Lincolns Birthday is celebrated seperately. For years, the college where I work observed Lincolns Birthday INSTEAD of Presidents Day, but they recently, only this year, in fact, changed it over to Presidents Day. The point I was making is that as a holiday in and of itself, niether of those holidays have any serious tradition to them. Some veterans groups do have flag raising ceremonies, but for the most part, I don't know of anyone who puts up Presidents Day decorations, or has Lincolns Birthday dinner, and even less people have Columbus Day Parties. Both Lincolns Birthday and Presidents Day are in the February, so the weather is lousy to boot. It's nice to be able to sleep in on a cold Winter day, but I would gladly give up Lincolns Birthday, Presidents Day or Columbus Day if they were to replace it with Halloween.

Mike