Why I don't 'do Hallow 'een'

Whatever you want to call it, I am going to use Halloween because it's simpler. But by this term, I am referring to the pagan festival of samhain, also known for it's similarly dated ancient christian evening, all hallows eve. However, we are not celebrating the evening of All Saints Day (which is a Christian, church date but one that's purely traditional and without any real baring on spiritual matters) , and why would we? A simple look at what we do on Halloween tells us exactly which ancient festival we are in fact celebrating. Halloween is not Christian, and it never has been to the honest reader.

My main, and fully secular reasons for being against modern day Halloween celebrations are as follows:

1. Consumer culture just sells us a whole load of junk we don't need, for another year. Most of it is the cheapest form of fancy dress.

2. Children running the streets. Some of it is harmless but many are unsupervised, which can and sadly has in the past led to children being attacked, mugged, harmed etc.

3. It teaches children that begging for things is good, alright and fun. Whilst this isn't the epitome of evil exactly, in my mind there are better ways to have fun and better lessons to teach kids.

4. Tricks and treats. 'If I don't get what I want, I will do something to you'. Most young kids going round with adults of course, do not do this. But as they grow older, they often see the inconsistancy in what they're doing - they're making a definate threat (Trick or treat, not oh let's walk away) and then not acting on it. When I was a teen, many used to get eggs cheap and drive around in cars or on foot, egging rival groups and houses. They even did this irrespective of any answers given at doors! Usually a giving house would be left alone though, unless hit by a random egging (of which there were plenty). Is this a good message to send out? Trick or treat sends an extremely dubious moral message, to any mindful adult.

5. Elderly and infirm folk have reported to the Police that many of them do feel threatened in their own homes. For many of them, getting to the door is a physical difficulty, and to then be faced with a group of teenagers or kids asking for something for free can be quite frightening, especially if the answer is no. Which is after all, their right. The door-knockers aren't earning their favour, and even if they were, it's not been requested.

6. Which brings me to my sixth point. Trick or treaters have done nothing to earn free stuff. Some of them and I do stress some, dress up. But so what? Did I ask for a fancydress-agram to come to my door? Unless it is a service that I requested, I shouldn't be expected to pay for it. If I want to give to them out of the goodness of my heart, then that's fine but it shouldn't be based around a threat. Once I opened my door and there were three lads about 16 standing there in sweat tops, hands in their pockets, just mummbling 'trick or treat, money or sweet'. I said sorry I do not celebrate halloween (I don't just do this anymore, I do more...) and they went away grumbling. I then heard something strike the door and window. It was a couple of eggs.

The Police and elderly action groups dislike trick or treating and the problems it can cause for crime and street activities, perpetuated by the tricker or treaters themselves and also against them!

Notice how the above have nothing to with any religious belief or philosophical standpoint. I reserve my religious and faith-based reasons for non participation for another post.