Just a kid's holiday!? D=

[DemonSlayerMau]

So my dad and I were talking the other day, the subject was about those pumpkins that I'm growing this year. I'm hoping they'll turn out, I didn't get to have one last year, I just ran out of time! I mentioned I'd carve a green one if I had to!
But then he said it was childish. Granted, my dad isn't necessarily against halloween as bad as my grandma is, but gee whiz. Talk about spoiling one's fun. He seems to have this idea that it's a kid's holiday and a pagan one.
Well, what about Christmas then? Christmas has pagan traditions too! But he said the whole reason behind why we celebrate Christmas makes it so it doesn't matter that Christmas has pagan traditions. Well, I suppose I can see his point. Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of the birth of our savior, but technically I think the real birth of Christ was actually in the spring time historically. I don't think anyone knows for sure.
Still just because I'm 24 doesn't mean I can't enjoy halloween. Plenty of adults love the holiday. I say who cares if it has pagan roots as long as it isn't harming anyone or anything!
There are even religious aspects to Halloween, and besides what's the harm in dressing in costumes and handing out candy? Absolutely none! In fact, I think it helps create bonds within the community! It can be used for charities. Kids too poor to afford candy on a regular basis can get some for free! C'mon people, how is Halloween Childish? Sure, there's silly things that are aimed at kids, but so is santa claus and the easter bunny!
Can anyone talk about some grown up aspects to Halloween? I'm not talking about stuff that's inappropriate here, but things like handing out candy I think is a more grown up aspect and way of contributing to the holiday. Hosting a charity is another one, like having a haunted house that raises money for children in hospitals, I think that's a very grown up thing to do!
What do you guys think? I think it's a fun holiday that can be enjoyed by anyone. Wearing a costume to work I think is another grown up aspect, it shows you can still do your job but still honor the holiday at the same time.

(Whoops, this was meant to go into Halloween General Discussion, would a mod be so kind as to move this please? Thank you!)

[ThackeryBinxs]

FIRST i'm growing pumpkins this year too unfortunately i planted them a little too late and they may not ripen until after halloween i've had some trouble with my patch they need alot of water and they don't like the texas heat much but they grow fast and i saw some pods the other day so i'm hopeful But back to the topic If halloween was just for kids they wouldnt make adult costumes i dont understand these people who say halloween is the Devils birthday and they don't celebrate it because of their religous beliefs i think that stuff is silly and isnt it closely related to a catholic holiday called All Saints Day and the day before is all hallow's eve meaning holy evening which would later become the halloween we know today Adults enjoy it just as much as kids just in different ways Halloween is all about having fun and you can't put a age limit on fun

Rodney

[MyersFan1]

(Whoops, this was meant to go into Halloween General Discussion, would a mod be so kind as to move this please? Thank you!)

Done.

Myersfan

[MyersFan1]

Halloween is for people of all ages. Although it does have many traditions that are for children, that doesn't mean that adults can't enjoy them too! The spirit of Halloween is something that is instilled in you when you are a child and most of the time it never leaves. Keep growing those pumpkins and enjoy Halloween with everything in you for as long as you can and don't let anyone prevent you from having that joy!

Myersfan

[Samhain]

Some people do celebrate Halloween as a religious holiday, but not very many. For most of us it's just a fun day to watch scary movies, pass out candy, and possibly enjoy a few adult beverages. It's obviously not just for kids, either. A lot of my family and friends don't understand why I'm so into Halloween, but that's okay. I don't get a lot of things they are interested in, either.

[Pumpkin_Man]

I'll tell you one thing for sure. Halloween is 2nd ONLY TO Christmas for the money people spend on celebrating it. Some of the Halloween displays I've seen put up by houses that have only adults living in them could easily rival many of the Christmas displays I've seen. I'm almost 50, and I am going to be carving Jack O'Lanterns through out the entire month of October.

A lot of people my age and up carve jack o'lanterns. put up decorations, put on costumes and even watch "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" tv special, which I do umteen times. Now I don't know your fathers' exact age, DemonSlayer, but I'm guessing he's around the same age as I am.

Incidently, don't feel too bad, DemonSlayer, because my parents were the same way about some of the things that I loved. My mom though the tv show "Dark Shadows" was geared towards "adilpated children" with limited intelligence. What she didn't know was that Johnithan Frid (Barnabas Collins) was a shakespearign actor, educated at a very prestigious university. The same producer, Dan Curtis also produced "The Winds of War" and "War and Rememberancfe," which was one of the greatest mini series ever to air on tv. Both my parents were GLUED to the tv when it originaly aired back in the 80s. When I told them that Dan Curtis Productions was the same guy who did "Dark Shadows," they didn't even believe me.

Mike

Mike

[DemonSlayerMau]

Thanks for moving this Myers Fan!

My parents are both in their late 40s. At least my mom loves Halloween, although Christmas is her favorite holiday, she still likes to participate in good ol' halloween fun. I can't remember my parent's exact age to be honest, but I know my mom's almost a year younger than my dad.
My stepfather loves Halloween. I still remember when I was a kid of about 9 years old and asking what his favorite holiday was, and he said it was Halloween. Back then, I thought Christmas was everyone's favorite holiday! Silly me. But I wasn't old enough yet to really think outside the box. Christmas is indeed a close second for me though.

It's great to know that you guys are so fond of Halloween and bringing up how there are adults who enjoy celebraiting it just as much. Adults can enjoy the scarier movies and drink things like vampire wine and pumpkin ale (unless they're really young adults under 21...unless you live in Europe anyway)

Sounds to me like parties are for adults and trick or treating is more for the kids. Although, I'm tempted to put on a costume and go out just for a fun hoorah and see if anyone can tell I'm 24! I'm short enough, if I had a convincing enough costume they might not know the wiser!

In anycase, like I said before, I'll carve a green pumpkin if I Have to! Although it'll be a shame if the pumpkin isn't ripe yet. If none turn out, well, my mom's pie pumpkins seem to be turning out, and worse case scenario, I'll just buy one either at the local walmart or the local farm market.

[WitchyMama]

I am in my 30's and I have never not celebrated! yes, it is a religious holiday for me but that doesn't mean that everyone else that is running around is celebrating religiously. ALL holidays have a secular aspect to them. Christmas is religious to some, but an atheist celebrating Christmas isn't celebrating religiously. They are celebrating differently. So someone celebrating Halloween doesn't instantly become pagan either. Our actions are defined by our intention. As long as it's positive than it shouldn't be ridiculed.

I have always loved handing out candy to kids. When I worked in the mall I always volunteered to come in and I worked in a costume all day long no matter the stares I got. I started handing out candy to any parents who dressed up because it's rare to see it anymore (well here it is anyway). For those of us who love it, it's not JUST the trick or treating but its every other tradition that is associated with the season.

[Pumpkin_Man]

Halloween has religious overtones for me, too but it's the most fun day of the year for me, and it's my favorite because it's geared more for everyone. Christmas is very sacred to e as a religious holiday, but it's not my favorite holiday for fun and relaxation.

Mike

[DemonSlayerMau]

I do love Christmas, but I don't think I'm as obsessed with it as I am Halloween.
Christmas is very important to me though, I can't imagine not celebrating it.
In any case who is to say Halloween isn't a family holiday too? I still remember when my mom would take me trick or treating, my dad would hand out the candy, and I remember coming to grandma's and she'd give us grandkids candy. I still like to do fun Halloween oriented things with my mom, even if it's not specifically on that day due to things like time constraints and work.

[shanda]

I am 38 and a Jack-o-lantern, cheap costume and TOTing was what Halloween was about when I was kid and it was great!

I have 3 kids of my own and did not have a neighborhood for TOTing for them. I decided to have a party.
That was over 10 years ago and it gets bigger each year!!!
I think Halloween is the MOST fun holiday. I mean really, there is no other purpose for me but fun.
No satanic worship. No conjuring evil spirits. JUST FUN!!!

My mom doesn't decorate for Halloween, but she is the first one now to pick up or tell me about something she knows I would love.

My dad realized he really LOVES scaring little kids in my haunted house. Creepy Right?
(and they are in their 60's!!!)

[Halloweennut08]

I believe if you read some of my posts in the past I rant and rave about Halloween being just a fun and great holiday we don't need to get all hyped up and worried about other people pointing fingers oh look at the satanists that like Halloween and decorate. For some ever reason some people don't like Halloween, and in stead of saying I don't know why I don't like it. They say stuff like oh its a kiddy Holiday or there religion forbids them to do so or they don't believe in spirits and ghost. Hay I am a lawn guy second and a Halloween man first, and really you can't really let other people influence what holidays you like or a job you like. If you think I am scared of people looking at me being 19 years old and still putting up Halloween decorations, your wrong this is coming from a guy who works on his lawn and putting round up on a cotton swab to kill crabgrass. Okay sorry guys to bore you with lawn stuff I know this is a Halloween site not a lawn site. But I'm just saying as long as it isn't against your religion, law, beliefs and you like doing it and you feel conformable doing it just do it and have a blast you only get to live a Halloween night once a year. But in a lot of Cases especially mine it starts last week of this month. I get teased all the time for buying a lot of stuff during Halloween but I see nothing wrong with it And its not just a kid Holiday just in my view I'm sure 99.999% on this site will agree with me on this one.

[Pumpkin_Man]

DemonSlayer, I agree. Christmas is important, and I do have a Tree Trimming party every December, and I do observe a lot of Christmas traditions. Like I said, Christmas is actualy more sacred as a religious holiday to me. Halloween also has religious overtones, but it's more geared for fun.

HalloweenNut08, I've encountered people like that, too. I found a note in my mail box one October that had a whole diatribe about how Halloween was "the devils holiday," and celebrating it was a sin worthy of damnation to hell. It just made me all the more anxious to enjoy Halloween.

Mike

[Halloweennut08]

Wow Pumpkin_Man, You actually had someone put a letter in your mailbox about Halloween being a bad holiday . Man I will be putting a lock on my mailbox this year

[adrian]

i've never really had too many people tell me about had bad halloween is i've had some but not too many