Several years back, I remember hearing that, Halloween had surpassed Easter for the second-most consumerist holiday. Winter Solstice (X-mas) remains firmly ensconced as the top holy day, but number two with a bullet is pretty good for this pagan fiesta. I have not heard much over the years from people who feel threatened by this, but the past few years have seen an even larger ramping up of Halloween decorating, costuming and high end paraphernalia associated with this time of year. Having walked and biked hundreds of miles over the past two moons, I can say confidently that the value of decorations for this harvest season seem to out strip previous years. There are so many more coffins, ghouls and ghosts, mummies, witches and spooks, so many more cauldrons and lighting effects, smoke machines and haunted houses that the Halloween spending could actually surpass Christmas spending. I am not going to make a guess at when, but it seems to me that many have been going all out this year to frighten and spook the neighborhood children.
It has been interesting to me to watch and listen to things that are being said both in the media and by individuals about their penchant for this holiday time. The Day of the Dead, which very nearly coincides with our Halloween is not coincidentally one of the most popular holidays for travel to Mexico. In addition to the ghoulish pageantry, the weather is nicer than we experience here in the Upper Midwest. Perhaps the ideas of honoring the dead and singing their praises will help in other areas of our culture. For instance, if we truly respected those who gave their lives for our nation, we would not let a handful of very rich men determine the course of history, if we took seriously the act of ancestor appreciation, we would not squander the efforts they had made to enrich the lives of others.
Over the course of the last moon, I have heard from several discreet individuals that "No one cares about you", but this holiday proves otherwise.
The lights and scary audio that people decorate with, the tableaus of hideousness are designed with others in mind. All this work and expense is not for our own enjoyment but to enrich the experience of others. These motivations could really stand to influence us throughout the year, perhaps not the giving of candy so much, but the industriousness that leads to a memorable experience for all. This is the beginning of the Native American storytelling season, perhaps we all need to take heart and participate more fully in the give back. Lord and Lady both know we sure do need it!
It has been interesting to me to watch and listen to things that are being said both in the media and by individuals about their penchant for this holiday time. The Day of the Dead, which very nearly coincides with our Halloween is not coincidentally one of the most popular holidays for travel to Mexico. In addition to the ghoulish pageantry, the weather is nicer than we experience here in the Upper Midwest. Perhaps the ideas of honoring the dead and singing their praises will help in other areas of our culture. For instance, if we truly respected those who gave their lives for our nation, we would not let a handful of very rich men determine the course of history, if we took seriously the act of ancestor appreciation, we would not squander the efforts they had made to enrich the lives of others.
Over the course of the last moon, I have heard from several discreet individuals that "No one cares about you", but this holiday proves otherwise.
The lights and scary audio that people decorate with, the tableaus of hideousness are designed with others in mind. All this work and expense is not for our own enjoyment but to enrich the experience of others. These motivations could really stand to influence us throughout the year, perhaps not the giving of candy so much, but the industriousness that leads to a memorable experience for all. This is the beginning of the Native American storytelling season, perhaps we all need to take heart and participate more fully in the give back. Lord and Lady both know we sure do need it!
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