BS: Halloween decorations

Subject: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 10:10 AM

It is a real big thing here. It is the one time a year where political and social comments are displayed in peoples yards.

Fake Graveyards with the administration's key people on the head stones is standard fare but it gets wierder. Like a 10 ft Schwartzenegger Franeknstein holding a 3 ft george W on his lap with a sign Masters of Disasters with Katrina flood victims and army tanks at their feet.

My neighbor has hung a cardboard black man in Halloween in effigy on the telephone pole with a noose in front of their home. The telephone pole is on city easement property so I bet a controversey could be raised. There is no sign indicating the hanging is intended for anything except Halloween entertainment.

The people who did this of course display their Bush Christmas cards at the entrance to their house and speak in in proud language that Rumsfeld and Cheney are great Americans. I have also heard them use all the code word regarding their embracing the core values of racism.

Of course the vast majority of yard decorations are pumpkins or merely a display of human dismemberment or a scary spider or animal.

This year I have bush stuck in a tolet with the presidential seal on the lid that says Don't pull out till the mission is done. His eyes light and move by motion dectectors.

And then I park an extra car into a tree with Frankenstien at the wheel with a don't drink a drive message.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 11:15 AM

In Maryland the only people not allowed to have Halloween decorations are child sex offenders/predators.

The only decoration they are required to display is a simple sign that says , NO CANDY.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Nickhere
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 11:47 AM

When I was a kid we made our own costumes (mostly) and did all the trick or treat stuff. Of course we were especially happy to get money, but didn't complain if we got fruit etc., These days kids arrive at my door for several days before and on Halloween, not saying "trick or treat" but simply "anything for Halloween?" as if they were common gardener beggars!! We usually try and put on a bit of a show for them, such as putting a few creepy pictures up inside the windows, turning off the light in the front hall and just using a candle, hanging a cardboard skeleton out and so on. If the kids today enjoy it as much as we did, then I'm happy for them. Since countries that have Halloween (a celtic festival that originated in Europe) generally don't have an indigenous carnival (a meditteranean festival) so Halloween is the one chance kids get to dress up and do all the carnival type stuff. I'd like to see it less commercialised though, and a bit more emphasis put into encouraging the kids' own creativity, at school or at home.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: artbrooks
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 12:05 PM

I see this as yet another example of the efforts of the neocon organizations Walmart and Hallmark to commercialize all possible occasions.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 12:24 PM

I simply refuse to participate anymore. It used to be harmless fun for kids....now, I get invitations to grown up parties (put on by the owner of a costume shop who expects us to rent costumes from her AND pay an admission fee!!), the older kids go out and be Vandals for a night, egging and worse, the drunks go to the bar so they can hit the little kiddies on the streets, etc.

I just turn out the porch light and hibernate in the back of the house. Say a few Samhain blessings, keep the animals indoors and go to bed early.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 12:38 PM

Back east hanging ghosts from trees, with their "arms" spread wide, was popular. I see a few around here and will hang one of our own, soon. Morgan is excited to be Darth Vadar this year and has insisted that "Mama and Papa" (my Rog and me) have to wear costumes, too, so I'll probably put on my skirt, loose blouse, scarf and earrings and be a gypsy fortune-teller. Rog might pencil in a moustache and wear a beret as a "Frenchman" which he comes by honestly anyway.:-)

We will also cut out pumpkins and put them out on the front steps; put on the scary music tape and gleefully await ghosties and goblins to knock on our door begging a treat. It's still great fun here and i always look forward to it. It's my fav. holiday.

I agree about the commercialism. Most everythng we put up is homemade. Yesterday I did see a neat blowup decoration, though. It was an almost life size black carriage with black horses rearing up off of the lawn as if taking off into the air. Their eyes were red and the driver, if I remember right, was a skeleton or something like the driver of Death's carriage in Darby O'Gill and the Little People. It was really cool!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 12:59 PM

Gutpseak Warning On:

A ghost in a tree is one thing, but too often I see fake corpses. I'd love to knock on the owners' doors and tell them about friends whose families see their suicided young children swinging there, or their raped and lynched grandmothers, or their about-to-be-lynched dear friends (or their Mudcat pals or pals' spouses). In vivid detail. Not because I think these misguided idiots necessarily WANT people to see those things, but because they DO see them.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 02:13 PM

The sit them in lawn chairs, too, Susan, and I don't like them. They always give me a start; most of them look so lifelike, esp. in spooky Olde New England.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Rapparee
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 02:48 PM

I'm with Sorcha on this. I might dress up for Halloween at work, but that's all. Besides, this year I'm scheduled to go to jail on Halloween.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: gnu
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 03:27 PM

Yup, I am with Sorcah as well. It is just too much. It used to be about small kids, not big corporations... selling Halloween Cards???? WTF?

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: KT
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 04:01 PM

I'm with Susan on this. Although I am all for the use of creativity and imagination, and have always delighted in the dress up, fantasy part of Halloween, and I think that's what it's about for the little ones, I don't like the displays that put a face of terror on them, evoking fear of things everyone will face. For example, one year when I was taking my kids out for their annual Halloween trek through the neighborhood, we were invited into a "haunted house" which was all decked out as a hospital operating room, complete with horrible operations gone bad, body parts here and there and very scary doctors and nurses. Hmmmm.......

Likewise, the use of coffins, graveyards, etc instills a fear of death. Lots of kids lose a loved one to death....why encourage fear of it?

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: open mike
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 06:44 PM

not a "decoration" issue, but my halloween tradition has always included (as a response to the gluttony promoted by the candy industry) a plea
for help fopr those who do not have candy, or even the necessities.

Trick or Treat for UNICEF is a great way to share on halloween.

http://www.unicefusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=hkIXLdMRJtE&b=1706865

if kids go door to door asking people to help with food, shelter, medicine and clean water for those in need, it is a good lesson
for all involved.

I have often had a booth at the school carnival with face painting
with donations going to UNICEF

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 07:51 PM

KT, I know what you mean. We took our kids out one year back East and had to quickly go by one place which was offering the "experience of the horror of abortion" for Halloween. No matter anyone's feelings about the issue, I think that was truly sick, but even sicker were the parents who took their kids to it...wanting to teach them about sins of the flesh and all, tying it into the fear and hatred of paganism. I'll take commercialism over that anyday.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: mg
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 09:42 PM

There is a lynching of a black man for Halloween? How about calling the police and informing them of a hate crime in the neighborhood. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Rapparee
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 09:49 PM

There are times when I wish the spirits of the dead WOULD visit some of those who misuse Hallowe'en.

I've lived with death all my life -- my father first, and then a close relative every few years. Last year it was my father-in-law. I can say that I do not fear death, and my family has tried to teach the children that it's just another stage of living.

Dress up, fine. Trick-or-treat for the little ones, great. Hallowe'en parties for adults, cool. Vandalism, hate, the glorification of gore...no, thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: open mike
Date: 14 Oct 07 - 11:59 PM

I have taken to celebrating the day of the dead at this time of year.
Better to invite the spirits to the table in a friendly way and have
fond memories of your loved ones..
look up Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Oct 07 - 12:19 AM

I am always tempted to put up a sign that says "Little kids only" or "If you're taller than 5 feet you're too big to trick or treat." Sure way to get vandalized. I usually simply tell the big kids they're kind of big for this and they get penny candy. The bigger pieces are for the little guys. But thinking about it, it is the bigger pieces that train the little ones to want to keep trick or treating. It isn't safe to give out fruit. Maybe I need to camp out at the back of the house also. . .

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Donuel
Date: 15 Oct 07 - 07:40 AM

open mike you beat me to it

mg the man is only card board and my wife argues that it could be taken as a dark white person.
A photo for the local paper should be enough.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: HouseCat
Date: 15 Oct 07 - 09:13 AM

I'm with you mg. That's just needless. I don't want ANYONE hanging in effigy. Not funny.
I celebrate Halloween with lots of kid-friendly, non-scary decorations, it's huge in our neighborhood. One of my favorite days of the year! We have never had trouble with vandals either.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: open mike
Date: 15 Oct 07 - 08:16 PM

I found a place where you can get large and small sugar skulls
and decorated them.
sugar skulls here: http://www.mexgrocer.com/10069-3.html
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~rjsalvad/scmfaq/muertos.html
http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/
http://www.dayofthedead.com/
http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/muertos.html
http://www.nacnet.org/assunta/dead.htm
http://www.mexonline.com/daydead.htm
http://www.casamexicanafolkart.com/the_day_of_the_dead.html (6 pages)
http://www.viva-oaxaca.com/Gallery12_day_of_dead.htm

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Oct 07 - 10:08 AM

Purple finger halloween.

Get some purple dye. Go to the bank and get the new golden dollar coins. Ask the kids if they want a trick OR treat. If they say trick dip their finger and give them a coin. If they say treat they get some candy.

Check for purple fingers as the night progresses.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Toobusybee
Date: 16 Oct 07 - 12:34 PM

Living in London, there no longer seems to be a homegrown halloween tradition, it is very much the imported US festival. My best friend, who is a Londoner (not a blow in like myself) does not have a tradition of celebrating halloween; I come from Liverpool and grew up with halloween, it's one of my favourite times of the year, of course we always had to go to mass the next day. Last year my friend at the instigation of her (grown up) daughter decided to celebrate halloween; I took some halloweeny dvds - Company of Wolves; Corpse Bride and Witches of Eastwick; unfortunately the glorification of gore was required with nothing left to the imagination, you could feel the boredom with these tame offerings! One funny part was that she had tried to get food and drink which celebrated the gore and for me she pointed out that she had bought some black pudding - she didn't realise that it had to be cooked! If I stay at home I get a good book of ghost stories and some nice beer. The television used to also celebrate halloween but no longer it seems.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 12:42 AM

Elvira used to host scary movies on television here in the U.S. She was quite a funny host, as I recall.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 03:28 AM

we're going to NJ on Friday, and come back a few days before Haloween - which is unfortunate, as my daughter has loved the American halloweens she's celebrated in the past - often it coincides with Octobet half term, which is when we tend to go home.

In my family's neighbourhood it's like a big street party. Lots of people make the effort and go to real trouble to decorate. Good fun.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Peace
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 02:06 PM

Bah, humbug!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Nickhere
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 07:32 PM

Here's a fun Halloween game you can try with your kids (though I suppose they already know it). We used to have a great laugh over it when I was little. One person volunteers to meet the Ghost of Old Man Halloween (though the PC brigade may accuse me of ageism at this point). They are blindfolded and brought to meet old man halloween. the other kids, who are in on the game, make spooky wwwooooo! noises and maybe blow lightly on the top of the other kid's head etc., like ghost train stuff. The volunteer then sits on a chair and is asked "do you want to meet the ghost of old man...?"

"He is a ghost! You cannot see him, but you can hear him!" (cue heavy footsteps from SFX CD or kids stomping around)
"And you can feel him!" (again, cue sinister laugh from SFX CD)

Then, you take the kids hand and say "feel old man halloween's face" (use a halloween mask, loet them feel it)
"now feel old man halloweens old crinkly skin" (anything old and crinkly will do - a rubber halloween mask, a soft plastic bag etc)
"feel old man halloween's beard" (a coconut, doormat, whatever)
"feel old man halloween's bony fingers!" (some dry chicken bones strung together)
"now feel old man halloween's teeth!" (old set false teeth or plastic vampire teeth)

All the time suspense is built up with the SFX CD or the other kids making ghostly voices etc.,

Then for the finale, "Feel old man halloween's....EYE!"

The last said dramatically as you take one finger and plunge it into a pre-cut hole in an orange! It never fails to raise a shriek! Not for the VERY nervous of disposition, of course!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: ClaireBear
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 08:24 PM

We don't exactly do Halloween where I live, but pumpkins abound (not usually carved; we like to keep them to cook with through the winter), and the intentional community of which I am a part usually has a rather festive ghost story reading/ghost song singing party on or near the end of October.

The party is on the 27th this year. It will start with a stone soup supper at my house to which we will all donate the last of our garden produce. The party will then progress to a neighbor's residence (we're all on the same piece of property, so it's a short stroll) for the performance portion of the evening. Fire jugglers will entertain between houses, assuming there's been enough rain that there's no fire danger.

For that event my favorite song is Tabster's extraordinarily eerie "Song of the Knife" and my favorite ghost story -- not the teensiest bit scary -- is Richard Middleton's "The Ghost Ship." (Here is a Project Gutenberg link to the story.) I may cast about for a new story to read this year, but I find this one so perfectly crafted that I usually don't bother to find a new one. No one ever seems to mind hearing it again!

We don't bother with trick-or-treating in our 10-household community, but because I love the Persephone associations, I always have a pair of pomegranates on hand to give to the two teenagers who live there should they happen to show up. My own 7-year-old can go to a nearby town where the merchants do a trick-or-treat thing, if he wants to show off his costume -- but even he isn't wild about the mob scene and we may not bother with it this year (especially as I'm flying out to the Getaway the next morning). The treats we make at home in the autumn are more satisfying (and WAAAAY more healthful) than the candy bars the merchants give out, anyway.

Claire

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 05:37 AM

We never used to have it in Aus. In the last few years, you could get pinatas in some party shops, and a few masks, witches hats, etc in some cheapie shops.

This year all the Yank commercial crud is in the cheapie chains.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Rowan
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 12:08 AM

Like Foolestroupe, I grew up without Halloween; celebrated All Hallows' Eve and All Saints' Day though, at church. Experienced the US version in SC and was fascinated by the conformity of various neighbourhoods and variability of others in their choices of decoration, displayed at Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thought it had passed me by until I saw this thread and, reading it, realised I've just purchased Poe's Complete Tales and Poems. How appropriate!

Life seems to catch up with one.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Naemanson
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 08:13 AM

My favorite Halloween decoration was in Biddeford, Maine. The road from Fortune's Rocks runs up to a T-intersection with a stop sign. Across the intersection on an open lawn is one gravestone, for a real grave. One year my friend's daughter carefully crafted a scarecrow and leaned it against the gravestone. The scarecrow sat there for the week leading up to Halloween. Then, on Halloween night she pulled it in, dressed in the scarecrow's clothing, and took its place. As cars pulled up to the intersection she carefully timed it so that, as they pulled away, she moved. The look on her face as she told the story was impressive. It was a great Halloween trick.

For myself, last year, I dressed in normal street attire but I wrapped a rag around my head and over one eye. I liberally doused the rag with red food coloring. Then I walked around the neighborhood saying to children in a very reasonable voice, "Excuse me, but, I've lost my eye. Is it in your bag?" It was great fun. The smaller kids would hold out their bag for me to look in and the older kids wanted me to prove that I really had lost my eye.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween decorations
From: Alice
Date: 19 Oct 07 - 02:31 PM

I used to make popcorn balls and dress in an Indian caftan I made and with face makeup to meet the kids at the door. That was years ago.
Now I do the "turn off lights and go to back of house" routine.

Last year I was in Cody, WY, for Halloween. People there kept asking me if I had ever been in Cody for Halloween. It is a rather small town.
There is a main street and parents take their costumed little kids up and down main to the businesses, and that is where they trick or treat.

Lynching symbols of any kind are a hate crime. Some people are ignorant of why, but they need to be educated why a noose is not a decoration, even at Halloween.