Now they're going after Halloween

[luvsJack]

An event that has roots in the eighth century and a pope, Gregory IV, who made the date what it is today. The customs that come from it like trick or treating is rooted in what is called souling. Wearing disguises for protection while souling. Getting food for offering to soul, mostly buns with crosses on it, the poor children would do this. It is more of a holiday than an event.

While it does have deep roots, it really is just an event for many people. For some it is an actual holiday, yes, but not for everyone.

 

[luvsJack]

The point made apparently went over your head. It didn't have to do with when football is played.

It had to do with certain people claiming they purchase things at Spirit (for "non Halloween" use during other times of the year) during the short period of time the retail operation is open.

Ergo, the supposed "advance planners."

Didn't go over my head at all, YOU specifically asked where they buy silly sting in April after I had clearly said it was for football games. They don't play football in April so they don't need those particular colors in April. To be snarky, you really should keep up with your own conversation.

The stores carry a lot of the same stuff from year to year. So if ds sees a light that projects lightening bolts this year but doesn't buy it, when the store opens next year he may say "hey they had that cool lightening bolt light last year and it would be great for xyz's entrance" and so he buys it. Or several of them visit the store together and find stuff that would be easily used for someone's outfit/gimmick at some point. Its not really that hard of a concept.

 

[ELKA]

While it does have deep roots, it really is just an event for many people. For some it is an actual holiday, yes, but not for everyone.

The poster I responded to said Halloween is only an event. One that could be moved to another day. I looked it up and saw that going around in disguises and getting something to eat, had to be done on a certain day or the meaning is lost. Then it does become an event. Your last sentence is what I believe is behind getting rid of Hallowe’en in this school. I looked at the School board minutes and found that they are studying racial equality and how the school can make it easier for minorities to do better in school. This school area has less than 25% minorities.

 

[sam_gordon]

The poster I responded to said Halloween is only an event. One that could be moved to another day. I looked it up and saw that going around in disguises and getting something to eat, had to be done on a certain day or the meaning is lost. Then it does become an event. Your last sentence is what I believe is behind getting rid of Hallowe’en in this school. I looked at the School board minutes and found that they are studying racial equality and how the school can make it easier for minorities to do better in school. This school area has less than 25% minorities.

So what percentage of minorities do you need before you try to make it easier for them?
And what does making things easier for minorities have to do with Halloween to begin with? Or is that your theory on why they made this move because it can't be what was claimed in the articles?
And doesn't Disney "move" Halloween so it extends for what, 3 months now? August through October?

 

[msjprincess]

The poster I responded to said Halloween is only an event. One that could be moved to another day. I looked it up and saw that going around in disguises and getting something to eat, had to be done on a certain day or the meaning is lost. Then it does become an event. Your last sentence is what I believe is behind getting rid of Hallowe’en in this school. I looked at the School board minutes and found that they are studying racial equality and how the school can make it easier for minorities to do better in school. This school area has less than 25% minorities.

Was that specifically in reference to why they changed the Halloween party?

 

[ELKA]

So what percentage of minorities do you need before you try to make it easier for them?
And what does making things easier for minorities have to do with Halloween to begin with? Or is that your theory on why they made this move because it can't be what was claimed in the articles?
And doesn't Disney "move" Halloween so it extends for what, 3 months now? August through October?

I’ll answer your questions in order.

None, all students that are having difficulty will be offered help by their teachers.

Since most minority students don’t celebrate Christian holidays, in order to be inclusive of all they take away from all.

I believe that they didn’t tell the truth. I don’t think that Principal will ever say that because minority students need to feel a part of the school, that is why we are not having Halloween celebrations in school.

Key word is extends, there is still a MNSSHP on Halloween, and as a side note, I am going to the party on November 1.

 

[CarolAnn856]

Well, for picture books, sure, because there are , well, pictures, to help the kids comprehend. But why read a novel that is a few years ahead for kids, one that they probably can't go home and read them selves? What's the purpose of reading it to them if they can't access it themselves at the same time?

Because language skills are developed through many different means, including exposure to language that exceeds a child's current reading level. Are you actually suggesting that teachers only do read-alouds based on their students' current reading level?

 

[msjprincess]

I’ll answer your questions in order.

None, all students that are having difficulty will be offered help by their teachers.

Since most minority students don’t celebrate Christian holidays, in order to be inclusive of all they take away from all.

I believe that they didn’t tell the truth. I don’t think that Principal will ever say that because minority students need to feel a part of the school, that is why we are not having Halloween celebrations in school.

Key word is extends, there is still a MNSSHP on Halloween, and as a side note, I am going to the party on November 1.

Really? What are you considering a minority?

And you think they are doing away with Halloween celebrations because of Non-Christians? Most of the people I've know that were opposed to celebrating Halloween were Christians.

 

[declansdad]

Since most minority students don’t celebrate Christian holidays, in order to be inclusive of all they take away from all.

How do you figure that?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Obviously, but not all parties are in September and October. I have a very hard time believing most college students plan on buying a costume they want for an event in April five months in advance at Spirit. Which is why I am also taking some of the other "I purchased X Y Z at Spirit but not for Halloween" "testimony" with a big grain of salt. The retail operation is short term and seasonal and I have hard time beleiving there is a massive universe of consumers who all proactively plan months in advance on on going to it during the brief period it is open, armed with pregiously drafted detailed lists of the "non Halloween" items the are not to going to use until months later or even longer.

A great example given by another poster was the one about "getting a fake rat at Spirit for an office prank." Was this prank planned back in May, but put on hold until the local Spirit opened sometime in September? Yeah, right. Or stated another way, the handful of cited "non-Halloween" Spirit purchases were likley random, rare impulse ones. And sorry Virginia, silly string (in just about any color you want) is a stock item at everyplace from dollar stores to odd lots.



In my experience, the choice stuff (like the rare color versions of the fire and ice lights) sell out long before "the day after." As for blacklights, everyone in the haunt forums knows better deals can be found on ebay. The last purchase I made at Spirit was actually two years ago - an animated cat skeleton which I heavily modified ( weathered it with gel stain, ditched the cheap red led eyes and replaced them with green ones, then motorized the tail to also move when the cat is remotely activated).

I make no claims as to when someone uses what they buy except to say that not all purchases are purchased for the sole reason of use for Halloween.

At least in my college town if you wanted higher quality costumes for whatever you wanted them for you went with Spirit because Party City wasn't going to have the Playboy or Leg Avenue brands (and Spencers gifts would have a very limited selection of those but the nearest one was 45mins away) or the higher quality but not scandalous costume. For other random stuff it can come down to ease of the store location compared to whereever your nearest Spencers is for some of the more random stuff. And I don't even know how many people know that Spencers owns Spirit.

You are right that it can be slim pickings after Halloween (as I already stated) but each year I worked there it was different in terms of what was left. For lights there usually was a few black light tubes left and some light bulbs lefts. As far as cost-IDK on eBay comparison as I don't shop there. But enough people bought them from Spirit. I know people who just don't shop online period.

I think you'll just have to come to terms with the idea that some people walk into Spirit and come out with things not intended for Halloween.

 

[sam_gordon]

I’ll answer your questions in order.

None, all students that are having difficulty will be offered help by their teachers.

Since most minority students don’t celebrate Christian holidays, in order to be inclusive of all they take away from all.

I believe that they didn’t tell the truth. I don’t think that Principal will ever say that because minority students need to feel a part of the school, that is why we are not having Halloween celebrations in school.

Key word is extends, there is still a MNSSHP on Halloween, and as a side note, I am going to the party on November 1.

Wow, there are just no words for the bolded.

 

[luvsJack]

The poster I responded to said Halloween is only an event. One that could be moved to another day. I looked it up and saw that going around in disguises and getting something to eat, had to be done on a certain day or the meaning is lost. Then it does become an event. Your last sentence is what I believe is behind getting rid of Hallowe’en in this school. I looked at the School board minutes and found that they are studying racial equality and how the school can make it easier for minorities to do better in school. This school area has less than 25% minorities.

I am totally confused how my statement meant ANY of what you are saying. I said NOTHING about minorities. Not a word. I said for some people it is an event. I am Christian. For me, it is an event.

 

[ELKA]

How do you figure that?

As a Jewish and Native American person, I don’t celebrate Christmas, Easter, Lent or Ash Wednesday. Didn’t know until I was an adult that most days on the calendar were feast days for Saints. Was discouraged repeatedly from trick or treating on Halloween, if Halloween fell on a day when I had Hebrew school that was after regular school, I went trick or treating after. The teachers at the Hebrew school weren’t happy that we were discussing about going after, and made it known.

You do know that Muslims, Hindu and other religions don’t celebrate the same holidays as Christians. Some religions are considered minorities given where they live.

 

[wvjules]

I think this is the most absurd argument I've ever seen on the DIS. And that's saying something! lol

 

[luvsJack]

Obviously, but not all parties are in September and October. I have a very hard time believing most college students plan on buying a costume they want for an event in April five months in advance at Spirit. Which is why I am also taking some of the other "I purchased X Y Z at Spirit but not for Halloween" "testimony" with a big grain of salt. The retail operation is short term and seasonal and I have hard time beleiving there is a massive universe of consumers who all proactively plan months in advance on on going to it during the brief period it is open, armed with pregiously drafted detailed lists of the "non Halloween" items the are not to going to use until months later or even longer.

A great example given by another poster was the one about "getting a fake rat at Spirit for an office prank." Was this prank planned back in May, but put on hold until the local Spirit opened sometime in September? Yeah, right. Or stated another way, the handful of cited "non-Halloween" Spirit purchases were likley random, rare impulse ones. And sorry Virginia, silly string (in just about any color you want) is a stock item at everyplace from dollar stores to odd lots.

Just saw this. 1. I didn't say an office prank, I said a prank. I have no clue when he planned it but your scenario is ridiculous. He wanted rats, he knew they had them.

2. The wrestling examples, they know the store carries things they may can use. They shop specifically for the shows and yes they may buy something in October that they may use in April. They use odd stuff sometimes. And these aren't "rare, impulse buys" They actually do have ideas and then know they will be able to get the items there.

3. Silly string at the Dollar store comes in pink, green and blue. Silly String at the Halloween store comes in many colors. I know because I have bought many cans of it for high school kids. They like colors that are close to their school colors.

Look, is it that hard to admit that just maybe there is a chance that you really do not know why every person may buy things that are intended for "Halloween"? I mean come on.

 

[msjprincess]

As a Jewish and Native American person, I don’t celebrate Christmas, Easter, Lent or Ash Wednesday. Didn’t know until I was an adult that most days on the calendar were feast days for Saints. Was discouraged repeatedly from trick or treating on Halloween, if Halloween fell on a day when I had Hebrew school that was after regular school, I went trick or treating after. The teachers at the Hebrew school weren’t happy that we were discussing about going after, and made it known.

You do know that Muslims, Hindu and other religions don’t celebrate the same holidays as Christians. Some religions are considered minorities given where they live.

None of that makes your statement that most minorities don't celebrate Christian holidays true.

 

[soccerdad72]

As a Jewish and Native American person, I don’t celebrate Christmas, Easter, Lent or Ash Wednesday. Didn’t know until I was an adult that most days on the calendar were feast days for Saints. Was discouraged repeatedly from trick or treating on Halloween, if Halloween fell on a day when I had Hebrew school that was after regular school, I went trick or treating after. The teachers at the Hebrew school weren’t happy that we were discussing about going after, and made it known.

You do know that Muslims, Hindu and other religions don’t celebrate the same holidays as Christians. Some religions are considered minorities given where they live.

Well yeah, if you're focused solely on religious minorities, then obviously Christian holidays are not being celebrated.

Most people don't automatically think religion when talking about minority groups - they generally think race.

 

[luvsJack]

As a Jewish and Native American person, I don’t celebrate Christmas, Easter, Lent or Ash Wednesday. Didn’t know until I was an adult that most days on the calendar were feast days for Saints. Was discouraged repeatedly from trick or treating on Halloween, if Halloween fell on a day when I had Hebrew school that was after regular school, I went trick or treating after. The teachers at the Hebrew school weren’t happy that we were discussing about going after, and made it known.

You do know that Muslims, Hindu and other religions don’t celebrate the same holidays as Christians. Some religions are considered minorities given where they live.

Are you aware that a lot of Christians do not celebrate Halloween? If we were discussing Christmas, I could understand your statement but Halloween?

 

[msjprincess]

Are you aware that a lot of Christians do not celebrate Halloween? If we were discussing Christmas, I could understand your statement but Halloween?

MTE. Like I said earlier, most of the people I know that are opposed to celebrating Halloween are Christians.

 

[sam_gordon]

in order to be inclusive of all they take away from all.

What exactly are they "taking away"? A party on (or close to) Halloween. But they're having a different party on a different day. Presumably the kids still get to go T-o-T, and can attend Halloween parties, go to Haunted Houses, whatever they'd like, so what is being "taken away"?

And didn't you say upthread there's no harm being done to the kids by changing this?