Is Halloween a very important event for you?
By Bebs08
@Bebs08 (10681)
United States
September 11, 2008 1:18pm CST
I just wonder if many people consider Halloween as very important event in their lives. I just remember when I was in my country that almost all people are getting ready for Halloween not to have a party but to visit their loved ones in the cemetery.
They consider this a big event 2-3 days off from office and school because some of them would travel far to spend time with their loved ones. Some of them made tents in the cemetery and sleep there. They will prepare food and have a feast in there.
what about you? what you usually do during Halloween?
It might be interesting to know how other people celebrate Halloween too.
1 person likes this
15 responses
@dheal888 (283)
• Indonesia
12 Sep 08
For me Halloween has been a favorite holiday for all ages. When Halloween party's we has turned into one filled with creative, costumes, and home decorations. This is place greater for us to emphasis on the treat rather than the trick and above all. Let’s all have the fun and have a Happy Halloween. Cheers!
1 person likes this
@dheal888 (283)
• Indonesia
15 Sep 08
Hi beb08, first time thank you very much. I just added to say tank you and comment, each countries have another way and another expression to celebrate it. But I remember that Halloween since 2,000 years ago has been celebration. In USA only, in 2006 an estimated 36.1 million children hit the streets. They are looking for their costumes for Halloween. Have a nice day!
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
11 Sep 08
[i]Hi Bebs,
it will be my first year here and I know it will be different! I am looking forward to learn and observe how they will commemorate this day!
We have no plan yet but maybe just spending time with other friends who have kids, i do know yet! [/i]
1 person likes this
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
12 Sep 08
[i]Yea, I asked my hubby about it and they are not visiting cemetery! ANyway, I do know but I will just go with the flow..LOL!
I haven't experience thanksgiving and Christmas here too, I know I will adjust with the difference, oh well...this is the life we chose! LOL! I am sure I will miss " simbang gabi"[/i]
1 person likes this
@Bebs08 (10681)
• United States
12 Sep 08
Hi Che,
We have no plan also about Halloween. We have no little kids and I think people here are not visiting to the cemetery as what people in our country are doing.
My hubby is not fond of celebrating whatsoever. Even thanks giving or Christmas? it is just like normal days to him. hahaha!!! well, I just go with it. As if nothing happens.
My hubby is not fond of celebrating whatsoever. Even thanks giving or Christmas? it is just like normal days to him. hahaha!!! well, I just go with it. As if nothing happens.1 person likes this
@indiandevil (2410)
• Canada
12 Sep 08
Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, except I have never, even as a child cared for the trick or treating part of it. I really would pefer going to a costume party at the local center, or staying at home watching scary movies and handing out the treats.
Now of course the last couple years I have had to dress up my son and take him door to door as much as I hate it, but hey thats life right.
Though as much as I love the holiday, its just really another day. Its not too much a big deal.
1 person likes this
@walijo2008 (4644)
• United States
13 Sep 08
I don't celebrate Halloween like I used to when I was younger. We used to dress up in costumes and go trick or treating, and get a sack full of candy when we were kids. Around where I live, they all have spook houses or haunted houses that you walk through and they scare the pi** out of you..lol. Its fun I guess, but I don't like going thru those, too scarey.
1 person likes this
@rbailey83 (1428)
• Canada
12 Sep 08
when i was younger i always looked forward to halloween, but once i grew out of that stage it was just another day, at first it was just a good excuse to go out and party with friends. Now it's just another day of the year, but i do like to see the kids all dressed up.
1 person likes this
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
11 Sep 08
Halloween/Samhain is VERY important in this house for the kids and I...its the time of yr that we do special celebrations for our loved ones that have passed on..My husband sort of gets involved but with him being a nonPagan its not as big of a deal as it is for me and the kids
1 person likes this
@darkangel079 (1488)
• United States
11 Sep 08
In my younger years Halloween was the usual tradition of dressing up, go out at night to get candy and then come home. But in this day and age we don't tend to dress up much, sometimes we do, but we end up going out to clubs to dance where they do have halloween parties. Of course parties such as those can get carried away, have a few drinks, get drunk or whatever happens at that night. I just look at it as a fun activity, but something not really important to me in my life.
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
11 Sep 08
What country are you from? I'm guessing Mexico because of El Día de los Muertos and spending time in a cemetary, I could be wrong though. Halloween for me is just getting candy for the kids and having one night where strangers are good people.
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@Bebs08 (10681)
• United States
12 Sep 08
Nope!! I'm from the Philippines. hahaha!!! I think this tradition were gotten from Spain because Philippines were under Spaniards for over 300 years before. We have lots of Spanish language in our dialect. I am not sure if Mexicans and Spanish people have the same language? or are they similar? Well, anyway...Filipino traditions mostly are handed down from their Spanish ancestors.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
Well, it used to be like that to us. It was more of a family reunion when we go to the cemetery to visit the tomb of my Father. Lots of food really and almost like a feast as you said. But times have changed. The cemetery is so crowded and they would not even allow the car to go inside so we all have to walk a lot in order to reach the place. So we can no longer bring foods and water as much as as before. So the length of our stay there has to be cut short. We now stay the longest 3 hours then we just continue the fun at home.
@Bebs08 (10681)
• United States
15 Sep 08
oh !! really?? well, I heard that some are still staying there for long. They are bringing tents and spend the night in there. But it seems not safe today. There are lots of bad people who are joining waiting for a chance to do foolishness that is why police are deployed in the cemetery area when this time comes.
@monkeysay (228)
• Singapore
12 Sep 08
Nope here in my country Halloween isn't big at all. I'm sure everything has heard of it before, but to us it really belongs more to the West. I think some of us here don't even know when Halloween is!
However here we have a traditional Chinese festival called "Hungry Ghost Festival". This lasts for the whole of the lunar July, which to most of us here is August. In Chinese tradition, it is said that in the seventh month of the lunar calendar, ghost and spirits, especially that of the deceased ancestors, come out from the lower realm. This is sometimes known as the Chinese Halloween.
@Bebs08 (10681)
• United States
15 Sep 08
oh!! yes that is maybe your Chinese tradition. It doesn't fall the same date as most people in the world are celebrating. Like the Chinese New year. It is not the same time celebration with what all people in the world are celebrating.. what I mean is the date is different.
@hiphopburiki (283)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
Are you in the philippines because we too have that kind of celebration in holloween where we would just visit our loved ones in the cemetery and stay with them until the other day,It is supposed to be the time when the souls wonder the earth and visit their tomb so family members visit their tombs too to see their loved ones who are deceased.
1 person likes this
@Bebs08 (10681)
• United States
15 Sep 08
Well, I am no longer in the Philippines right now. But yes, that is the tradition in the Philippines. People will go to the grave of their loved ones with that belief that their souls are there. I don't believe anyway, that the souls are there. For me, it is just a matter of commemorating with loved ones. @ProudMommy22 (705)
• United States
11 Sep 08
Well I wouldnt say it was a very important event or well it never was until i had my oldest so now it is that i have 2 boys .. On halloween we usually do the door to door thing...My cuzions and there kids and all meet up and go out and get candy for the kids and then come home check the candy before i give it to them and then they eat it and go to bed so thats pretty much either.
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@Bebs08 (10681)
• United States
11 Sep 08
Oh!! here's the answer now of my question in that first response. Yes, I remember once during Halloween here that kids wear costumes and go door to door giving candies to people and am not sure what else? are they also collecting something from people they visited? Just curious because I am not here for a long time and I just saw once.
Our house is in a secluded place and there are no kids in the neighboring area. It just happen one time that me and my husband visited a friend for business transaction and we saw this kids going around. what do that means? Just curious!!!
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
11 Sep 08
Halloween is my favorite holiday. It gives us all a chance to use our imagination. I am having a problem finding a costume. I am very pregnant. I want to try and find something unique. We usually eat some fun foods. My brother in law has made eyeball soup 2 years in a row. It is just a fun time!
@Bebs08 (10681)
• United States
11 Sep 08
Oh really? here in the US as I observed, I have been here not so long... people specially kids wear costumes and go door to door, I am not really sure what they are doing in the house of people? I have seen once they are bringing baskets and giving candies? I am not really sure. Why you have costumes? we don't do that in my country. Just curious about it. Ours is different way of celebrating it.
