# Is Halloween a holiday?



## debodun (Sep 14, 2019)

I sent my aunt an email and in it I mentioned that the holiday Halloween was coming up. She sent a reply that Halloween wasn't a holiday; it was an observance. I realize it _*isn't a Federal holiday*_, like you would get off work  - sort of like Valentine's Day or St. Patrick's Day. I just wanted to know how other's viewed it - holiday or not?


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## JustBonee (Sep 14, 2019)

The kids sure do!  ... and their  parents deal with it accordingly .. lol


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## Aunt Bea (Sep 14, 2019)

For me, a holiday involves a day off from work or school.

For Hallmark, it's any day that they can make five bucks from a single sheet of paper.

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.


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## Patio Life (Sep 14, 2019)

Ancient Origins of Halloween. Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of …
All Saints Day. On May 13, 609 A.D., Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome in honor …
Halloween Comes to America 10 10 Images. Celebration of Halloween was extremely limited in …
Trick-or-Treat. Borrowing from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in …
https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween


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## Lara (Sep 14, 2019)

I have to go with your aunt on this one because it doesn't speak "holiday" to me at all. It's fun only for some kids who are not scared by evil spirits, blood, and gore and the whole candy and consumerism thing, and knocking on strangers doors, etc. It's so different these days. Plus we don't get off work nor school.


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## RadishRose (Sep 14, 2019)

No, it is the *eve* of a Holy Day (holiday)

All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, Hallowmas, Feast of All Saints, or Solemnity of All Saints, is a Christian festival celebrated in honour of all the saints, known and unknown.

In Western Christianity, it is celebrated on 1 November by the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Methodist Church, the Lutheran Church, and other Protestant churches.Wikipedia

The shenanigans and traditions that go on the night before come from the ancient Celts, as mentioned upthread.


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## Gary O' (Sep 14, 2019)

RadishRose said:


> The shenanigans and traditions that go on the night before come from the ancient Celts


My people


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## Sassycakes (Sep 14, 2019)

RadishRose said:


> No, it is the *eve* of a Holy Day (holiday)
> 
> All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, Hallowmas, Feast of All Saints, or Solemnity of All Saints, is a Christian festival celebrated in honour of all the saints, known and unknown.
> 
> ...



That's how I view Halloween RR. Of course I also think it's a very special day because it is my son's birthday. He was born a few minutes before Midnight.


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## RadishRose (Sep 14, 2019)




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## StarSong (Sep 14, 2019)

Is Halloween a holiday you ask?  Let's see:
1. I get to place pounds of candy into my shopping cart with zero guilt or judgey looks from other shoppers.
2. Then I can congratulate myself on my personal restraint for not opening those bags until October 30th - or the 31st if I'm really disciplined.
3. Enjoy the parade of chaperoning parents with adorably dressed toddlers and children as they come to my door, politely saying Trick or Treat (the littlest ones being prompted), then adding thank you when they leave.
4. Enjoying the leftover candy, bit by bit through November. 

Honey, if this doesn't qualify as a holiday, I don't know what does!!!


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## RadishRose (Sep 14, 2019)




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## RadishRose (Sep 14, 2019)

StarSong said:


> Is Halloween a holiday you ask?  Let's see:
> 1. Put pounds of candy into my shopping cart with no guilt.
> 2. Feel good about my personal restraint when not opening those bags until October 30 - or the 31st if I'm really disciplined.
> 3. Have parents and adorably dressed toddlers and children come to my door, politely saying Trick or Treat (the littlest ones being prompted), then adding thank you when they leave.


Sounds like fun to me, and always has been.


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## StarSong (Sep 14, 2019)

RadishRose said:


> View attachment 76474


What with this being Halloween themed, let us assume that's a lollipop in her mouth rather than a cigarette.


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## RadishRose (Sep 14, 2019)

Why, sure~


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## Keesha (Sep 14, 2019)

StarSong said:


> Is Halloween a holiday you ask?  Let's see:
> 1. I get to place pounds of candy into my shopping cart with zero guilt or judgey looks from other shoppers.
> 2. Then I can congratulate myself on my personal restraint for not opening those bags until October 30th - or the 31st if I'm really disciplined.
> 3. Enjoy the parade of chaperoning parents with adorably dressed toddlers and children as they come to my door, politely saying Trick or Treat (the littlest ones being prompted), then adding thank you when they leave.
> ...


Haha. I’m with you on this starsong. 
I’ve got it even better. 
I get to purchase all the Halloween candy knowing full well no kids ever show up. Sooooo 
It’s mine! ALL MINE!!! Unfortunately it never lasts all the way through November. 
That’s what happens when you live in a rural area.


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## Geezerette (Sep 14, 2019)

Even tho your aunt might be technically right to call Hal. “an observance”, I thought it was kind of snarky of her to call you on it. Is that the kind of person she is? If someone said something like that to me I’d be tempted to snap back “Well, you KNOW WHAT I MEAN!” Haha.


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## AZ Jim (Sep 14, 2019)

I never thought of Halloween as a holiday.


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## Gary O' (Sep 15, 2019)

AZ Jim said:


> I never thought of Halloween as a holiday.



I did

Up until, oh, the age of twelve

Now?

Bring it


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## Keesha (Sep 15, 2019)

Hahaha Gary! You crack me up all the time and I love to laugh. 
We’d make great ‘real’ friends.


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## Gary O' (Sep 15, 2019)

Keesha said:


> We’d make great ‘real’ friends


Sure would

Let's put our heads together on this


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## debodun (Sep 15, 2019)

Geezerette said:


> Even tho your aunt might be technically right to call Hal. “an observance”, I thought it was kind of snarky of her to call you on it. Is that the kind of person she is?


The same one that when I refer to myself as her niece, she says "You're my *HUSBAND'S* niece."


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## StarSong (Sep 15, 2019)

debodun said:


> The same one that when I refer to myself as her niece, she says "You're my *HUSBAND'S* niece."


Why, she sounds downright charming!  Let's see if we can entice her to join SF.  *NOT! *


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## debodun (Sep 15, 2019)

I just think she is a stickler for accuracy.


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## StarSong (Sep 15, 2019)

debodun said:


> I just think she is a stickler for accuracy.


Yeah, I need people like that in my life roughly as much as I need the flu.


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## GeorgiaXplant (Sep 15, 2019)

debodun said:


> I just think she is a stickler for accuracy.


It's okay, Deb. You can call a spade a spade here because you're among friends. She's not a "stickler for accuracy." She's a nitpicker.


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## Lc jones (Sep 15, 2019)

I just know that the treats better be ready or my house might get trashed, any occasion that brings that out in kids I’m not too keen about. Yeah feel free to call me a party pooper....


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## debodun (Sep 15, 2019)

GeorgiaXplant said:


> She's not a "stickler for accuracy." She's a nitpicker.


The same could be said for me. When I walked into a convenience store and saw a sign "Ate hardrolls for $7.00". When I told the young clerk that "ate" should be "eight", she just gave me the stink eye. What are people learning in school?


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## Keesha (Sep 15, 2019)

GeorgiaXplant said:


> It's okay, Deb. You can call a spade a spade here because you're among friends. She's not a "stickler for accuracy." She's a nitpicker.


I’m a nit picker. It’s annoying


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## GeorgiaXplant (Sep 15, 2019)

Keesha said:


> I’m a nit picker. It’s annoying


Full disclosure: so am I!!!


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## Keesha (Sep 15, 2019)

GeorgiaXplant said:


> Full disclosure: so am I!!!


Thank you.


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## Fyrefox (Sep 16, 2019)

To some degree, a holiday is in the eye of the beholder.  "Columbus Day," for example, closes many government offices and banks in the U.S. but people don't get overly excited about it, and some even find the observance offensive.  To me, Halloween is a minor holiday observance that I personally enjoy, even though it like Thanksgiving are all but eclipsed by the Xmas juggernaut...


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## Ken N Tx (Oct 4, 2019)

__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1668194296584417


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## jujube (Oct 4, 2019)

Halloween is a major holiday for me.  My late husband and I went out BIG for Halloween.  Elaborate costumes to wear to parties, good treats, lots of decorations.  I stopped celebrating much when I lost him, but I'm in the mood to get back in gear this year.


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## PopsnTuff (Oct 4, 2019)

Not a holiday but a fun and kooky time in October if you enjoy that sort of thing....I'm one of em, lol...
Anyone up for posting H'ween pics or funnies?


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## Keesha (Oct 4, 2019)

It’s a holiday for these guys


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## Keesha (Oct 4, 2019)

I got the wrong Halloween thread.


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## PopsnTuff (Oct 7, 2019)




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## PopsnTuff (Oct 7, 2019)




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## PopsnTuff (Oct 7, 2019)




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## PopsnTuff (Oct 7, 2019)




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## PopsnTuff (Oct 9, 2019)




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## PopsnTuff (Oct 9, 2019)




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## PopsnTuff (Oct 9, 2019)




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## PopsnTuff (Oct 9, 2019)




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## PopsnTuff (Oct 9, 2019)




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## debodun (Oct 9, 2019)

People go and buy fake spiders and webs to decorate their porches. They can come and get real ones for free on my porch!


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