tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post6255100940292149785..comments2009-11-08T09:51:25.867-08:00Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-72141727190512349672009-11-08T09:51:25.867-08:002009-11-08T09:51:25.867-08:00No I didn&#39;t go to Folsom, but I am pretty sure this song has been used all over the country for decades. I was in elementary school in the 1970&#39;s.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-19964977574734491872009-11-07T20:09:47.126-08:002009-11-07T20:09:47.126-08:00did you happen to go to folsom elementary school?Ananoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-7785987350028049922009-08-05T12:54:12.291-07:002009-08-05T12:54:12.291-07:00Oh My God, I haven&#39;t heard this song since 1988, when I was in Kindergarten, I feel like a kid all over. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-81156421576051910422007-10-27T22:15:00.000-07:002007-10-27T22:15:00.000-07:00Hi Steve - I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed your response here. <BR/><BR/>I don't really profess to know anything about Samhain...I have read one or two books on Wicca and Druidry, but I know that Neo-paganism is about as varied as Christianity, so I realize each perspective is just that, one perspective.<BR/><BR/>I'm going to go look at your October and November archives from past years to see what you've written on the subject.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-16399271441037037432007-10-27T21:50:00.000-07:002007-10-27T21:50:00.000-07:00Erin - I must say that your blog is rapidly becoming my favorite read. I love this post of yours as well as the many insightful responses. Although it leaves me little room to maneuver, as once more my intended responses have pretty much been taken.<BR/><BR/>I thought I had one left but Yvonne got to it first. I was thoroughly amused by the harvest festival being done by a church to separate it from halloween, as Yvonne is correct that this is precisely what Samhain is. We are big on harvest festivals, we have several of them. In fact, that terminology would touch closer to us than "All Hallows Eve."<BR/><BR/>Research will show, contrary to a couple of the claims made or relayed, that Samhain wasn't nicked by neopagans. Quite the opposite. Halloween was one of the early attempts to "clean it up". <BR/><BR/>It will also show that few traditions believe in the existence of a "God of death" let alone revere the figure. There was no such god named Samhain recorded in any reliable document I have seen.<BR/><BR/>I agree with Pam that stating that trick or treating is what our rites are on this holiday is insulting, or would be if I actually concerned myself with what people who only got their information spoon fed to them thought of me.<BR/><BR/>As for myself, I don't even join my daughter when she goes trick or treating with my wife. I would love to at some point, but there is always so much to prepare, and so much to do. Not that this helps much, as I am frequently interrupted in my own preparations by trick or treaters coming to the door. Perhaps this year I can saddle someone else with the chore of treating all of these innocent young kids who come to our door as the part of one of the fun moments of growing up.<BR/><BR/>(Treating them with candy. No demonic energies are being handed out at my door.)Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07205347723383170605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-35674952458516925892007-10-27T15:47:00.000-07:002007-10-27T15:47:00.000-07:00We don't do Halloween here in Oz, but if we did I would have a hoot carving puking pumpkins.<BR/><BR/>They remind me of the garden gnome my brother used to have sitting in his front yard, with an axe impaled in its skull. (Maybe I have a strange sense of humour).Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01122659239039900398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-28194942360796780922007-10-27T10:39:00.000-07:002007-10-27T10:39:00.000-07:00Sue - LOL the puking pumpkins are some of my very favorite works of art!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-87184099195841052892007-10-27T04:27:00.000-07:002007-10-27T04:27:00.000-07:00http://www.extremepumpkins.com/pukingpumpkin.htmlSuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01122659239039900398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-87675556027308797972007-10-26T09:16:00.000-07:002007-10-26T09:16:00.000-07:00Yvonne - Welcome, I'm glad you stopped to comment.<BR/><BR/>You said Samhain is also about food and love and community...and I suppose I knew that...but since I don't have any first-hand knowledge or experience I didn't want to risk mis-representing it by saying so. <BR/><BR/>Thanks very much for sharing.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-44789573771470804592007-10-26T08:18:00.000-07:002007-10-26T08:18:00.000-07:00Nice post Erin!<BR/><BR/><EM>Our pagan friends will celebrate Samhain this night; we will be celebrating food, community, and in the end, Love.</EM><BR/><BR/>Exactly, which is what Samhain is about, except that our beloved dead & ancestors are invited to the feast. Like some <A HREF="http://fatherstephen.wordpress.com/christianity-in-a-one-storey-universe/" REL="nofollow">Orthodox Christians</A>, many Pagans believe in a one-storey universe, where the dead can drop in to say hi.Yvonnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02028699564003381058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-12688743162945399302007-10-26T06:43:00.000-07:002007-10-26T06:43:00.000-07:00Paul - I agree...we do try to keep it on the cheap because it can easily become another consumer-driven thing like Christmas.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-69022048153501419972007-10-26T06:42:00.000-07:002007-10-26T06:42:00.000-07:00Martin - I found it <A HREF="http://scarstuff.blogspot.com/2006/03/wade-denning-kay-lande-halloween-games.html" REL="nofollow">HERE</A>. If you click the album cover you can download the whole thing. If for some reason it doesn't work when you're there, keep trying, because I think they might have been having bandwidth issues. It's not the greatest quality, but it does the trick.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-28514791805474410372007-10-26T04:29:00.000-07:002007-10-26T04:29:00.000-07:00great post :)<BR/><BR/>yep not really that demonic is it - altho i guess i can understand why some people get the heebies.<BR/><BR/>Where i start to scratch my head is on the sheer size of the consumer machine that swings into play - all well and good to share candy and meet your neighbour's but the sheer cost is scary - and lets me wonder what our response as a christian can be to the glut?<BR/><BR/>I wrote something on this last yr:<BR/>http://jasonclark.ws/2006/10/31/halloween-this-is-a-festival-that-consumer-culture-has-subverted-from-christianity-were-subverting-it-back-with-apologies-to-pagans/paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15933987855938734565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-81302382778129364892007-10-25T21:12:00.000-07:002007-10-25T21:12:00.000-07:00Thanks for the awesome post. Can you PLEASE tell me where you downloaded that song or send it too me? I've been looking to download it to play for my kids for halloween, just as when I was a little boy. Thanks!!!!<BR/><BR/>MartinMartinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15481049969523310278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-18901980931323430152007-10-25T17:57:00.000-07:002007-10-25T17:57:00.000-07:00Thanks David. It's sad how we try to "clean" secular things up and then call them "good". The origins are still the same.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-30866425328448511542007-10-25T16:44:00.000-07:002007-10-25T16:44:00.000-07:00Great post.<BR/>I echo your comments about being a 'good charismatic...and all that jazz."<BR/>And I too have seen the hypocrisy.<BR/>After all, Easter is originally a pagan holiday!Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14670609970252209273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-49635655477153940622007-10-25T08:37:00.000-07:002007-10-25T08:37:00.000-07:00Brian - I love the way you put that. Thanks for commenting!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-23391882487359749412007-10-25T08:36:00.000-07:002007-10-25T08:36:00.000-07:00Barb - Until this year we have made the boys dress as "good guys"...they have been firemen, doctors, Spiderman, Batman...oh, we did let one of them be Darth Vader the other year. <BR/><BR/>This year they both wanted to branch out, so we let them go a little further and be a little scary, but still put limits on them,Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-66105278146954001322007-10-25T08:31:00.000-07:002007-10-25T08:31:00.000-07:00Love your conclusion. We always seem to overcomplicate the simple. We make religion out of relationship and fear out of faith and in the end lose sight of what matters.Bryan Rileyhttp://charisshalom.fjministries.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-25025786884837326242007-10-25T06:04:00.000-07:002007-10-25T06:04:00.000-07:00Erin and all, I also don't allow some costumes. I have told the kids that if we are going to pretend to be someone we need to take into consideration who they are. We would not let our child dress as a hooker so why would we allow them to dress as a murderer. I have told my little boys that I want them to choose someone who is a "good guy" or a "hero". I think this allows for a fun night but keeps the perspective of what the Father would want us to stress to our kids. But maybe I'm not entirely 'free' yet ;)Barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04357293290630832549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-60881984614891287532007-10-24T16:25:00.000-07:002007-10-24T16:25:00.000-07:00Julie - So true. I can't believe the trampy things they want the girls to wear. And for some reason this year my boys both wanted to be these horrible gross gory bloody things...scary is OK, but I put down my foot at blood and gore.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-87392970347456024822007-10-24T16:24:00.000-07:002007-10-24T16:24:00.000-07:00Nate - Yup. Costumes and Candy.<BR/><BR/>This used to be my favorite holiday until I was diagnosed with diabetes...hey maybe Halloween IS evil after all!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-36010273803769077002007-10-24T16:22:00.000-07:002007-10-24T16:22:00.000-07:00Adam - Thanks!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-10010355501716316932007-10-24T16:16:00.000-07:002007-10-24T16:16:00.000-07:00Steve - You crack me up. The whole thing is the convoluted mess that Christians are up at arms against when they don't really even know what it's all about.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-47510012539387384472007-10-24T16:14:00.000-07:002007-10-24T16:14:00.000-07:00Pam - I am doing better. Thanks for asking.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.com