Not celebrating Halloween (was: Healthful Halloween Treats)

[Guest guest]

, Joann Toth <postfem> wrote:

> Thank you for responding and Happy Yom Kippur.

 

Thanks!

 

I

> didn't think about the Kosher aspect of the food.

 

No reason why you should. You don't have to be au fait of everybody

else's preoccupations 8-). But you asked, we answered 8-).

 

Many

> of the Jewish people I know, including my

> sister-in-law celebrate holidays that are

> christian/pagan in origin so it didn't cross my mind

> to think about that in my question of why not

> celebrate.

 

There is a great deal of assimilation in North America, particularly

among Jews who are not very knowledgeable about their own background

and holidays. Ah well. This isn't the forum to go into a diatribe

about that ...

 

 

I know many whose religious beliefs don't

> align with holidays but celebrate them because they

> consider it to be " part of american culture " and

> celebrate the holiday anyway.

 

They obviously don't attribute any religious significance to the

*holiday*.

 

 

All of this makes

> perfect sense to me now. I hope I didn't offend you.

 

Not at all - an honest question deserves an honest answer. No offence

taken nor, I hope, given.

 

I

> am always looking for answers to why not celebrate or

> how to change a tradition. Our biggest pet peave in

> Dec is when cashiers in stores with us merry

> christmas. How do you know if I celebrate that holiday

> or not?

 

They don't. But the majority does. I now smile sweetly and say " Thank

you " , appreciating the good intentions.

 

 

My partner and I are trying to work out the

> details now of how to explain and keep santa out of

> our 2 year olds celebration of the winter

> solstice/christmas celebrations.

 

Ha! Good luck. If you want to find fellow spirits in angsting over

this, go visit some Jewish parenting groups. They have the same

discussion every year.

 

>

> I also understand what you mean by all the hoopla

> about the holiday(s). Quinn is just dying to have

> candy. When we have gone to the store that is all she

> sees and asks for. She loves chocolate but we rarely

> have it. I think she's had it two or three times.

> Anyway, I understand.

 

Not to mention being told by all the media that Santa only comes to

good children (the implication being that if Santa doesn't come to

you, you must be bad).

 

Be well, Hadass in Winnipeg.