October 19, 2001

  •   Squelettes , sorcières , fantômes et compagnie .


      Avant - hier j ' étais dans un supermarché et j ' eus à traverser un couloir assez long entièrement recouvert de papier noir avec des lampes blanches de style mortuaire . Il y avait des squelettes pendus , des sorcières grimaçantes , des fantômes  etc...et un environnement sonore fait de hurlements de damnés . Tout cela pour Halloween dans le but de vendre un tas d ' articles hideux tous effrayants . Ce magasin ( et d ' autres ) a même édité un catalogue gratuit mis dans toutes les boîtes aux lettres de la ville pour choisir à la maison ces horreurs principalement destinées aux enfants . En bas de chaque page il est écrit le nom du magasin suivi de :" la vie ! la vraie vie ! " Mieux vaut - il en rire qu ' en pleurer ?  la fête d ' Halloween introduite depuis quelques années en France a été sortie de ses racines et coupée de la fête de Tous les Saints , fête de l ' espérance . Elle est devenue une affaire commerciale . Je me suis interrogé sur l ' impact de cette culture de l ' horreur sur l ' esprit des enfants . Quel est le sens ? Quelle est l ' éducation ? N ' y a - t ile pas assez d ' horreur dans la réalité depuis le 11 Septembre , Qu ' en pensez - vous ?


      Skeletons , witches , ghosts and company .


       On the day before yesterday I was in a supermarket . I had to pass into a rather long corridor entirely recovered with black wall - paper with some mortuary white lamps . There were hung skeletons , grimacing witches , ghosts etc ... in a damneds ' screams sound surrounding . All that for Halloween in order to sell many various and hideous items , all frightful .  This supermarket ( and the others ) has even published a free catalogue put into all the letters boxes in the town to choose at home these horrors principally for children . At the bottom of every page it is written following the shop ' s name : " Life ! True life ! " . Is't better to laugh of it than to cry ? The Halloween feast introduced in France for some years has been out from its roots and cut off from the All Saints Day , hope' s feast . It is become a business . I wonder about the effects on the children ' mind . What is the meaning ? What is the education ? Isn' t there frightfulness enough in the reality since the 11th of September ? What do you think of that ?

Comments (13)

  • In my area of the Country Halloween is used to raise funds for the needy. We do it in fun and not to create horror.

  • I havent enjoyed Halloween since I was a child. I was never really scared that I can remeber. I always knew it was all in fun...but it is rather morbid isnt it? Death, skeletons, witches and ghosts.. Humans are the only animal on earth that enjoys scaring itself.

  • I dislike Halloween and will be looking to do something 'else' with my children this year. Yes, we have had enough horror for a long time.

  • Halloween was largely unknown in the Uk until a few years ago, and then business found it as another source of easy money. All is now driven by a pyramid of greed and at the top stands a very greedy government

  • There are some religous groups that believe Halloween is satanic.  When my son was young he had friends in school who were not allowed to participate for that reason.

    I have thought that bats, skulls, ghosts and such are natural fears to many.  I have felt that Halloween is a fun way of acting out and downplaying these fears.

    I agree with your point about the money.  It is another way to siphon away your hard earned cash.  Christmas has been the same thing.

    Last Halloween I bought candy, lit candles and played scary piano compositions by Jehan Alain.  I even left my front door open, yet no kids came.  I will do the same again this year.  I would hate for any little tykes to be disappointed, should they appear.

    Good blog! 

  • It is ,i think,the effect of American colonisation(globalisation,if you like,)we mix a lot of things that should not be mixed.
    Perhaps Halloween he's got a meaning in the country where is been born.Why the people hier do it? are we stupid of what? Why? is it the tv?Are there some occult people sowing terror in the world? why?
    Michel,it a very good question you asked.
    Ciao

  • Thanks for your comment on my blog.  As far as the commercialism goes, it is probably much the same here.  The stores are full of the Halloween items and especially the candy.  I sometimes wonder if the Dentists Organization has plotted the whole event!

    rr

  • L'Halloween a toujours fait partie de nos fêtes ici en Amérique. Tout ce qui peut rapporter de l'argent est fêté en grand ici... Cette année, je serai à Las Vegas durant cette fête et suis très curieuse de voir jusqu'où on peut aller dans une des villes qui brasse le plus de capital en Amérique. Ma petite adore cette occasion de se déguiser... C'est surtout pour amuser les enfants et les éléments trop épeurant ne devraient pas venir gâcher leur plaisir.

    I&B's&FlymbsJ...

  • A lot of festivals incl the much loved X'mas have become commercialised-So what do we pass on to our kids? AS for Halloween, I think children could do with things less sinister.

  • In fact I don't like Halloween. Too creepy for me. Allthough I am curious how pumpkin will taste - never tried that before... No carving here, I assure you!

  • I think with Halloween the fear children experience is almost comical. They like to be scared by the ghosts and witches. I think they enjoy screaming with their friends, and trying to scare eachother. Halloween has been round for years, and I think children can distinguish the real fear between Sept 11, and the ghostly fear they have on October 31. They are a lot more aware than we give them credit for.

  • I see no harm in the spirit of Halloween, it may even be positive in turning around the subject of children's nightmares into something 'fun'. I am against the commercial aspects of any events or festivals like this, be it Halloween, Christmas or even the events of September 11th -- I find it in bad taste when company's start selling newly created t-shirts with the American flag on, and telling people to buy them as "a sign of respect"!

  • Not only Halloween, but every holiday seems now an excuse for commerce. It is sad at the point that soon, people will no longer remember- and feel - the true meaning and importace of such things.

    If people really celebrated halloween for its primal meaning, there would not be terror related to it. If people didnt kill in the name of God, or in the name of any  cause, there would not be terror. Yes, I guess the problem is not that simple...

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