Halloween may have a long and complex history, but today it’s more a creature of the marketplace than anything else. Last year, Americans spent over $10 billion on Halloween — over $3 billion on candy alone. Dentists must love Halloween. Here’s an interesting feature of Halloween: we may get dressed up scary — but we Read more
Posts Tagged ‘halloween’
Stratford church’s Dr Seuss light party draws a large crowd
Thursday, November 7th, 2019There were cats in the hats, Whos from Whoville and maybe even some green eggs and ham at the Dr Seuss-themed Light Party at the War Memorial Centre on Thursday night. The light party was organised by Stratford’s MountainView Vineyard Church as a family-friendly alternative to Halloween. Continue reading
Church holds Light Party to replace Halloween
Tuesday, November 8th, 2016There were no scary costumes, bloody face paintings, or trick-or-treating, at St Columba Presbyterian Church’s Light Party – an alternative to Halloween. People are encouraged to “dress as something funny, friendly or fantastic” and have a happy time with family, friends and their community next Monday, from 5-8pm. Alex Tracey, the Botany church’s children and family ministry leader, says: “We Read more
Russian region bans Halloween as harmful to kids
Friday, October 30th, 2015
Officials in the Russian region of Arkhangelsk have banned Halloween being celebrated at local schools. The Education Ministry in the region in north-western Russia stated that Halloween is “incoherent to basic traditional values and causes a negative influence on fragile minds”. Russians began – unofficially – celebrating Halloween after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Read more
Church proposes ‘Holyween’ celebration instead of Halloween
Friday, October 31st, 2014
The Church in Italy has called for Halloween to be scrapped and replaced with “Holyween”, a night in which children would go to prayer vigils and Masses. A conference of exorcists in Rome last weekend warned of the danger to young people at Halloween. This is a time when there is an increase in occult Read more
Why I hate Halloween
Friday, October 31st, 2014
As a country we’ve been slowly becoming more Americanised over the years – it’s aways been something of a cultural bogeyman that threatens the Kiwi way of life, right from the time American TV shows first started airing here. Some of these changes are small and understandable – we are becoming a much smaller world, Read more
Halloween’s Catholic roots
Friday, November 1st, 2013
We’ve all heard the allegations: Halloween is a pagan rite dating back to some pre-Christian festival among the Celtic Druids that escaped church suppression. Even today modern pagans and witches continue to celebrate this ancient festival. If you let your kids go trick-or-treating, they will be worshiping the devil and pagan gods. Nothing could be Read more
A non scary alternative to Halloween
Friday, November 1st, 2013
Halloween’s popularity had grown in the 10 years since he moved from the United States says Canterbury University Professor Peter Field. “There are some who object because they think Halloween is Pagan, but for most people candy is a pretty big drawcard for the holiday. We’re a child-orientated society and the kids do love it,” he Read more