A season of wonder...

Second only to Christmas in retail.

It's Halloween. Having worked late tonight, I drove home in the dark, the wind blowing autumn leaves around in little tornadoes. I noticed houses all alight with orange jack-o-lanterns and tomb stones decorating their front yards, with bed-sheet ghosts suspended from trees. People go all out to be spooky. If it is done well, it's kind of fun - but talk about kitsch!

I'm not as opposed to Halloween as other Christians seem to be. I do think it is fun, although, being without children, I've never really celebrated it - except when I was little. The history goes way back of course - after all, it's a celebration of All-Hallows Eve - the vigil of All Saints day. What's scary about that?

Of course it's a big occult holiday for witches as well, so I understand the opposition of Christians. Parental guidance and faith is needed for children. Adults and teens seem to be the ones who go over to the dark side. So watch your pets and your kids. (And remember, you can't burn witches any longer.)

It is amazing however, that it has become such a big holiday across the country - truly, second only to Christmas in retail, what with cards, decorations, costmes, parties, etc. It may possibly indicate a rampant re-emergence of neo-paganism, while being a somewhat arrogant rebellion against death on some level.

Merchandising Advent wreaths at the store reminded me that the wreath was once a pagan symbol as well, albeit Christianized now. I never got into that either.

I like the lights though - when it is so dark and spooky outside...

(Note: "Nosferatu" was the scariest vampire movie in the history of cinema, and every original still that I tried to grab, from a variety of sites, would not print on this blog - just the puppet image would post...I'm so scared! Somebody quick - call Michael Brown at "Spirit Daily"!)