Is Halloween a dumb, stupid, useless excuse of a 'Holiday'?

[damselgaming]

Spoiler: Reason Why Halloween Is Cool.

It's hard to take a picture of yourself as Pyramid Head.

That might be one of the most epic things.EVER!!!.

Thank you much.

Sadly it was wasted, I went to perhaps the chavviest Halloween party in the world and no one knew who I was. What was worse, every other female was dressed slutty-ly and all the men though that a costume equated to wearing a hat. Oh well, maybe next year.

 

[TheEvilCheese]

yes, halloween is now just an excuse for big buissiness to cash in.

 

[Wayne Insane]

Well, I think in America were the Holiday has a rich and long tradition it's ok, but when I walked the streets of my little German mountain town to get a beer yesterday and the streets were full of badly dressed up children I was pretty confused.

 

[Altorin]

Halloween is mostly just a fun holiday for kids, and honestly, I have NO problem with that whatsoever. It's mostly fun for little kids, and it makes me happy to be able to make them happy.

If you're too much of a scrooge to give out some candy to kids who just want to have some fun, that's your own problem.

As an adult, if you're not in charge of taking care of some kids, then it's a decent excuse to have a couple drinks with some friends and dress up like a dork. Again, I have no problem with that.

And it also gives you an excuse to blow the dust off some old movies that evoke some idea about the holiday, like old horror movies.

There's really nothing wrong with the holiday itself.

 

[Nickolai77]

it was meant as a way to usher in all saints day, a catholic holiday, the day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven, then the next day, All Souls' Day, commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven.
then the candy companies decided that we should dress up as monster and give out/receive candy

Actually, Halloween was orginally was a celtic celberation called Samhain, it heralded the end of the harvest, the end of summer and the beginning of the winter half of the year. Since October 31st was the transition stage between summer and winter, they belived that October 31st was the night when the veil between this world and the spirit world was at it's thinest, so spirits could cross from the afterlife into this life. So the Celt's honoured the departed, took caution to repell evil spirits and partied.

Later on in the Middle Ages Pope Gregory (carnt remember which one) grew concerned about this Pagan festival which was still going on, and so he appointed All Saints day to be on November 1st, in an attempt to signify a sort of Christian triumph over the Pagan darkness. At any rate, Halloween predates All Saints day by at least a thounsand years.

You mean like Easter is celebrating the supposed resurrection of some Jewish guy by eating a bunch of chocolate eggs?

Or how we roast Turkey (UNT ONLY TURKEY!) for Christmas, put up a pine tree with tinsel and eat brussel sprouts to celebrate some Jewish guy's birth - even though he was more likely born in the Summer than in Midwinter [http://www.hcna.us/columns/x-birth.html].

So stop being a bore, dress up in a silly costume, go out and get chocolate/booze and enjoy yourself.

Because - frankly - life is too short to not do so.

Thank you for the good point Amnestic.
Really, humans party for the sake of partying. The reason why Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25th was so it coincided with the day of Mithras and Saturnalia. Even back then the Roman's exchanged presents with one another. It is probable that the Celt's celebrated it as well, after all the 22nd of December marks the date when the day's stop getting shorter and start getting longer. Kissing under mistletoe is a celtic tradition, the chistmas tree is probably also pagan. Today, festivals such as these rarely come in their orginal pure form, and are usually mixed with modern culture, and of the various cultures and beliefs of those in the past.

 

[ThreeWords]

A stupid excuse for a party?

Dude, these two ideas cancel each other out!

 

[BonsaiK]

Personally, I think Halloween is really silly because of comemrcialis... hey wait... you Americans get Halloween as a HOLIDAY?

Fuck it, I've spent at least ten posts bashing Halloween on these forums, but I take it all back now. Free holidays please thank you Mr. Rudd.

 

[CK76]

Personally, I think Halloween is really silly because of comemrcialis... hey wait... you Americans get Halloween as a HOLIDAY?

Private sector does not have to give any holiday. I will work on Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Government is different story.

 

[z121231211]

Personally, I think Halloween is really silly because of comemrcialis... hey wait... you Americans get Halloween as a HOLIDAY?

Fuck it, I've spent at least ten posts bashing Halloween on these forums, but I take it all back now. Free holidays please thank you Mr. Rudd.

It's not a "get out of school/work" holiday if that's what you think it is over here.

 

[BonsaiK]

Personally, I think Halloween is really silly because of comemrcialis... hey wait... you Americans get Halloween as a HOLIDAY?

Fuck it, I've spent at least ten posts bashing Halloween on these forums, but I take it all back now. Free holidays please thank you Mr. Rudd.

It's not a "get out of school/work" holiday if that's what you think it is over here.

Oh well it's not a holiday at all then. Back to my original plan - screw Halloween. Why are people calling it a holiday when it isn't one?

 

[lockeslylcrit]

Halloween is fun, and that's what's important to me.

 

[Phoenix Arrow]

It's just a bit of fun. Don't buy stuff from big companies that market it and you're golden.

 

[userwhoquitthesite]

OP could use a history class.

And anti-gripe medication.


On topic, Halloween is a terrible/awesome time for an anime convention. Lots of bad costumes, but tons of candy!

 

[SeanTheSheep]

It was originally founded on the basis of you going to your dead loved ones and praying.

Then kids screwed it up.

That would be the day after Halloween.

Could you mean All Hallows Day?
Or is it All Saints Day? I can never remember...
But All Hallows Eve was originally a chance for the spirits etc to come out before something or other (My memory of my schooling is fuzzy)

 

[Tolerant Fanboy]

Free candy.
A chance to see people dress up in awesome, hideously uncomfortable costumes.
Free candy.
Adorable children in pumpkin costumes, and the opportunity to mentally scar said adorable children in pumpkin costumes.
FREE. CANDY.

What part of this was stupis again?

 

[FinalGamer]

Yes.

But it's a fun holiday if you got the right people. What part of Halloween ISN'T dumb and stupid and useless? Don't mean it's not fun either.

 

[Lost In The Void]

Alright, yes maybe Halloween is silly, maybe pointless, but I could not think of a better time then going to the bar in a toga last night (which was extremely cold in -5C) got drunk with some friends, met some chicks wearing less then me, and had a good time. What is wrong with that

 

[StonkThis]

I hate halloween, I have to agree with you on the above points. I just love where it comes from though, and what it is now. It was originally a festival of the dead sort of, before that, it was the night Sam Hain rose up, and murdered peeps. They wore masks in order to disguise themselves. Hence, Samhainophobia is the fear of halloween. Now it's a bunch of kids getting candy and dressing like tards. Oh christianity...

 

[Nihilism_Is_Bliss]

well, being Australian and looking at american halloween (that's right american) from an external perspective as we don't celebrate halloween here (and i'm trying to keep it that way). I'd say halloween is the biggest commercial excuse for a holiday ever, ripping off poor all saints day and turning into a "go buy as many ridiculously expensive clothes and lollies (or candy if you prefer) as your wallet can't possibly allow, and then go piss the hell out of your neighbors" day.

 

[Soxafloppin]

Its a good excuse to party, so i like it.