The famous foreign holiday Halloween has become quite famous everywhere, even in Russia.
Many people think that celebrating this holiday is interesting and fun, but some do not recommend doing it at all. Let's figure out why Halloween is not celebrated in Russia.
If history is to be believed, it all started in Northern Ireland.
The holiday is celebrated on October 31st.
According to beliefs, on this day dead people return to earth. Some people also call this holiday - All Saints' Day or the Day of the Dead.
Why is Halloween called that? The name of the holiday "Halloween" comes from the Scottish abbreviation All-Hallows-Even, which reads as "Halloween".
The legend about the main symbol of this holiday is a scary pumpkin with eyes and a candle inside, which has the strange name “Jack-O-Lantern.”
Halloween pumpkins look different, but the best was considered to be carving the scariest pumpkin.
According to legend, during his lifetime Jack was a big sinner, a bitter drunkard. And also quite a rare sneak. One day, in an incredible way, he was able to come to an agreement with the prince of darkness so that his soul would not go to hell, but would bypass it.
Although his soul had the right place there, for the way he lived and how he acted. He has done nothing good in his entire life.
As usually happens in such legends, Jack outwitted himself. His path to heaven was barred; he avoided hell as best he could. And in the end, after death, I found myself in the middle of a kind of emptiness. And he doesn’t know how to get out of there. Perhaps he will have to wander like this for all eternity.
Stuck in this timeless darkness, pitiful and hopeless, he decides to turn to an old acquaintance with horns and hooves for help. His old “benefactor” helped him - he snatched a coal from the hellish fire and stuck it in his paws: get what you deserve!
And only then Jack adapted the pumpkin for his convenience. And now to this day he wanders in Eternity, no one needs him.
Few people understand why Halloween is celebrated. But in many countries people dress up in costumes, go from house to house, ask for candy, and scare each other.
Sometimes Halloween is considered fun for little kids, and sometimes adults don't mind having fun.
And in some places this fun is even inappropriate. So why can't we celebrate Halloween?
Each of us must decide for ourselves whether to celebrate Halloween or not.
Very often people ask whether it is possible to celebrate Halloween? Of course, there is no such ban, and never has existed. In fact, every Orthodox person of sound mind and sound memory should understand for himself whether Halloween is worth celebrating.
For Orthodox Christians, those who still want to celebrate this holiday should try not to go beyond certain limits.
You can choose a costume and a character that is more calm, for example, stars of the film industry or show business, famous politicians, cultural or social figures.
Halloween costumes are worn in a variety of ways. Vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts. In this photo, the couple is dressed in costumes from the famous Tim Burton cartoon “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Corpse Bride”
Therefore, if anyone has a question about whether it is possible to celebrate Halloween, the answer is simple - at your own discretion.
Also, if you really want to celebrate Halloween, you can gather a group of friends at a large table. Therefore, you can celebrate Halloween in Russia, just like abroad.
How do I explain to my kids why we don't celebrate Halloween?
“Mom, dad, why is it “wrong” to celebrate Halloween?” This is the question Christian children ask their parents every year when the decorations start appearing - witches, skulls with rolling eyes, cemetery decorations, ghosts, blood and spiders.
It's easy to give an immediate answer to this question, given all the bloody and apparently demonic dark manifestations, but what about wit? Why is it wrong"?
Is it "wrong" to dress up in funny costumes, meet friends and knock on doors, giggle together and get free candy?
When you are young, you want to be like everyone else. As you grow up, you know that Christians lead a different lifestyle from the world. Christians are this light in the darkness, these are pilgrims not of this world, called to “come out from among them and be separated... and not touch anything unclean...” (2 Corinthians 6:17).
We, as social beings, especially children, want to be like everyone else on some levels. But if this causes conflict between the systems of this world and the Kingdom of God – then what? How to explain to your children why your family does not celebrate Halloween, does not favor Baba Yaga, Koshchei the Immortal and other dubious characters?
If you live with the Lord, you know that even approaching the borders of darkness is not God's desire, because God is light (1 John 1:5-6), and He has nothing to do with darkness. The point is that no matter what arguments are made regarding the origins of Halloween, the holiday has roots in darkness.
No matter how cute the kids look or how harmless their costumes are, no matter what reasons someone gives to justify participating in Halloween, it does not change the known and accepted fact that this “holiday” is too close to darkness. so that he can be justified.
God isn't in Halloween, not even a little bit, so why raise your children to justify even the "cute" side of darkness?
When kids ask why your family doesn't celebrate Halloween, don't focus too much on the darkness or go into detail about the holiday's pagan roots and witchcraft. Focus on the light. Talk to the children about being the “light of the world” and how Jesus wants them to be light, like the moon reflecting the light of the sun.
The moon's job is to shed light on dark places, at night. But the moon does not come down to earth for this. Instead, the moon remains above the darkness and sheds light. Talk about your great love for Jesus and how your family can be a light to those around you, even if it means giving up some of the things other people do.
You will face the same problem (the conflict between light and darkness) over and over again while raising your children. Many times your children will experience clashes between the ways of the world and the way of Christ, so it is best to start the conversation early.
Tell them that they are different from others because they were born into a Christian family. Don't let them get offended and avoid it. Teach them to love and accept it.
Your life as parents is the best example for your children. They are incredibly smart and watch your example of godliness all the time. If you allow pieces of darkness into your home, they will see that staying away from Halloween is hypocrisy.
What you watch on TV matters. What you listen to matters. How you speak matters. They watch you shine in this world.
It is a difficult lifestyle, but it is worth every sacrifice, every self-denial, every removal from darkness to honor the Lord in all that you do.
You need to prepare your children for some questions when their friends ask what they are doing for Halloween, or when the teacher asks how they will dress for a party, or someone wonders why they are not participating in this holiday.
Avoid long explanations of pagan or demonic roots, arguments that will make other people feel “bad and evil.” In this case, simple answers will do. For example, these:
“Our family doesn’t like what Halloween means, so we don’t participate.”
"We don't dress up for Halloween." If people ask why, you can answer, "We just don't dress up."
“We are not going to the party/celebration because we have other family plans.”
"Halloween isn't a big deal for our family."
Be different from others. We were all called to this. Be strong. Your children need you. Be brave. The world will not appreciate your position, but be firm. Your choice is yours and you don't have to justify it to anyone. God is on your side. Be loving. The world expects you to judge it, instead show people the light of God's great love. Be ready.
If you do have a conversation with someone about Halloween, speak your mind with an open heart, show the light, don't attack the darkness. After all, even the smallest light drives away darkness. Your children are little lanterns, and the sooner you teach them to understand and appreciate the difference that even one light can make in the darkness, the better.
*Written by Alicia Purdy, author, blogger and professional writer, mother of five
Source Translation by Natalia Pochinovskaya, especially for TBN
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The Russian equivalent of Halloween is Svyatki
Is there a Russian analogue of Halloween that is celebrated in foreign countries? Of course, there are similarities, but these holidays are also not approved by Orthodoxy.
Christmastide
The holiday closest to Halloween in Russia
The most famous holiday for the Russian people is Christmastide. It's the closest thing to Halloween. There is a short interval between Christmas and Epiphany - from January 7 to January 19.
At this time, people believe that the world has not yet been baptized at all. That is why various spirits and evil spirits walk freely on the earth.
It is believed that only at this time can Orthodox people make fortunes. On other days it is a sin. According to legends, spirits are most sociable on Epiphany night - on Christmas Eve.
On Christmastide, children came up with bright clothes, painted animal faces on their faces and took with them small knitted baskets for sweets.
On one of the holidays, little children dressed up in costumes of animals or all kinds of evil spirits. They walked from house to house, knocked on doors, and sang songs.
For this they were treated to sweets. All this came from ancient Rus'. And basically at the present time this is all gone.
Another holiday very similar to Halloween is the holiday of Mokosh, the Slavic goddess of fate.
This Slavic holiday, which appeared a long time ago, about forty thousand years ago. It was celebrated then by our ancestors, who were pagans. This holiday was celebrated only on Friday, October 25th.
On this day, women were practically not allowed to do anything, namely: spinning, weaving, washing, as well as bathing and bathing children.
The Mokosh holiday was celebrated on October 25.
On this day there was a big round dance, which was called a two-ring dance. The outer ring was twisted clockwise - this was considered for a happy life. But the other ring was moved counterclockwise - to death.
Ivan Kupala Day is one of the biggest holidays in the Slavic calendar. There are also slight similarities with the foreign holiday Halloween.
July 7
Ivan Kupala Day is one of the Russian analogues of Halloween
It is celebrated on July 7th. It also coincides with the Orthodox holiday of the Nativity of John the Baptist. His second name is Bather, which is associated with the rite of baptism.
According to ancient beliefs, the sun moves towards winter, the days become shorter, and nature prepares for sleep.
The main traditions of this holiday, which are still celebrated to this day, are purification by fire and water. On the banks of the rivers in the evening, almost towards night, huge bonfires were lit, round dances were performed, and songs were sung.
Young couples jumped over the fire, holding hands. If sparks flew after them, and the hands of the young couple did not separate, then the couple was predicted to have a quick wedding and a very happy marriage.
On the holiday of Ivan Kupala, unmarried girls wove wreaths of flowers, placed a small candle inside, and then floated them on the water
On the night of Ivan Kupala we did not sleep until sunrise. It was believed that at this time all kinds of evil spirits, mermaids, mermen, goblin and werewolves crawl out from everywhere.
In addition, people said that it was on this night that everything came to life. Trees, birds and animals can think, talk and perform various dirty tricks like humans.
Jack-O-Lantern and other symbols
The most famous symbol of Halloween in popular culture is the so-called “Jack-O-Lantern”, which is made from a pumpkin. Initially, when the holiday began in Scotland, the symbol of the holiday was the turnip, and the pumpkin is an exclusively American tradition (in North America, pumpkins were easier to get). The making of a "Jack-o'-lantern" from a pumpkin in the USA was first associated with the harvest festival, but since the 1860s the lantern has been associated with Halloween, and was finally established as a symbol of the holiday around 1900 The pumpkin is cut out to the shape of the head, and a candle is placed inside. It all looks quite ominous. It was believed that the lamp would drive away evil spirits from the house.
However, among the symbols of Halloween, there is more than just a pumpkin lantern. An important attribute of the holiday is sweets. Initially, owners left treats on the doorsteps of houses to appease evil spirits and prevent them from getting inside the home. Nowadays, treats are part of the trick-or-treat , when children and adults dressed as mythical creatures beg for sweets.
The visual component is also important as a symbol of Halloween. Creepy costumes, makeup, and decorations are an integral part of the modern version of this holiday. Because of this, religious organizations most often oppose the holiday. However, as noted above, these symbols have been part of the festival since Samhain.
Halloween has long been a part of the cultural life of Western countries, and its symbols are quite strongly associated with the holiday.
Tyumen is the place where Halloween is prohibited
Still, there are places where Halloween is prohibited.
The Tyumen administration has banned a zombie parade in the city on October 31 in honor of Halloween.
There are various bans on celebrating Halloween in Belgorod and Novosibirsk. Karelia officials are also trying to ban the holiday.
In the summer of 2011, the regional Ministry of Education sent a letter of recommendation to all educational institutions with a recommendation to ban the celebration of Halloween.
Celebrating Halloween could lead to mutation of the genetic code of the Russian people - so says the Orthodox Church
As it was said earlier, the church is also against holding these events, and therefore actively supports the ban. According to representatives of the Annunciation diocese, the celebration of Halloween can lead to mutation of the genetic code of the Russian people.
Perhaps the authorities and Orthodox dioceses will ensure that Halloween cannot be celebrated at all. We can only guess about this.
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Ireland
- Also here
The origins of modern Halloween go back to the ancient Celts
So it's no surprise that the Irish have their own unique way of celebrating this holiday.
For Americans, for example, any candy is suitable for Halloween. For the Irish, however, not only candy is important, but also a sweet bread called Barnbrack, which serves as the official dessert of Halloween
. This is yeast bread with the addition of raisins. The dough is sweeter than sandwich bread, but not as sweet as a brownie, and the sultanas add flavor and texture. Various objects are baked into it (for fortune telling, this is a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth, a small coin, originally a silver sixpence, and a ring), which carry a certain meaning if you get it in your piece.
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Who benefits from mass madness?
Who benefits from the modern Halloween holiday as a return to paganism? You can answer in one word: the devil. And he acts through people.
On the one hand, it tempts young people, partially corrupts them, provokes them into indecent behavior, fornication and debauchery. Of course, a lot depends on the company. For some, Halloween will turn into a fun party, with pumpkins, costumes and a good mood - everything seems to be decent. And for others it is a night of testing with all sorts of vices.
On the other hand, the evil one also tempts the organizers of such events, people who set unrealistic prices for witch and vampire costumes. For example, this year Americans plan to spend $6.9 billion on celebrations and costumes. By the way, about the latter.
The evil one still has one way to search for people - to pull the hook of envy and pride. Like, your neighbor has such an expensive suit, but what about you? Can't you buy yourself something just as good? Or even better? You should look more worthy than everyone else! And how much easier it is if you don’t participate in all this.
Dishes
The menu for “evil spirits” at a party should be dominated by red drinks. It can be tomato juice, red wine or mulled wine. The favorite delicacy of all evil spirits is worms, which can be made from pate, chocolate, or purchased in the store in the form of gummies.
A hollow pumpkin filled with cottage cheese with sour cream and whipped cream will make a beautiful thematic attribute and a delicious dish, or you can also make traditional pumpkin soup. Meat lovers can enjoy lightly fried steak or veal liver.
Japan
Halloween is not a native holiday for Japan, but like other countries, the land of the rising sun is slowly but surely embracing it. What makes Halloween especially fun and exciting in Tokyo and other major cities is the amazing costumes
.
Cosplay
is already a huge part of Japanese youth culture, so dressing up for Halloween is a tasty pie for those who celebrate it.
Halloween Traditions
The holiday is extremely popular in the United States, where it was brought by the Irish, who left their homeland in thousands to escape hunger and poverty. It was in the United States that modern holiday traditions emerged, which have already become kitsch and mass culture: hollowed-out pumpkins with candles (“Jack-O-Lanterns”), carnivals in costumes of evil spirits, thematically decorated homes, and so on.
Halloween traditions also include decorating yourself with frightening makeup, which can be very intricate: there are many videos on the Internet with which you can learn how to change yourself beyond recognition.
Halloween “for adults” with erotic overtones is also in fashion; appropriate outfits before the holiday are especially popular in sex shops.
Read about the (usually sharply negative) attitude of famous Russian politicians towards this holiday in the FAN material.
England
Not all countries celebrate Halloween, some are just starting
(albeit somewhat reluctantly).
England falls into this category because it already has its own similar holiday, which is celebrated on November 5th and dates back to 1605, Guy Fawkes Day
. The day remembers the infamous Gunpowder Plot, when Catholics tried to blow up Parliament and King James I. Movie buffs will know this incident from the movie Vendetta. Halloween and Guy Fawkes Day clashed at first, but now many are trying to combine the traditions.
We are looking for alternatives
If the school is planning a costume party and you understand that participation in it will only make things worse for your child, talk to the class teacher and think about an alternative.
Children want a holiday - so arrange it for them in the family circle. Let mom bake a pie, let the children help her with this, and dad try to come home early from work. You can spend this time together, slowly talk about school, plans for the summer, books, ideas for traveling together and... the history of Halloween.
You can even get together with other families who do not approve of modern Halloween symbols and have your own holiday. Bright and kind. After all, it was precisely the victory over darkness that he symbolized when it became All Saints’ Day in the Western Church.
Russians spoke about their attitude towards Halloween
More than 90% of Russians know about the Halloween holiday, but only 3% will celebrate it, according to a survey conducted by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM).
According to sociologists, 93% have heard about Halloween, which is more than in 2021.
“Despite this, the number of our fellow citizens planning to celebrate this holiday over the past two years has not changed and is only 3%. Young Russians aged 18 to 24 years (13%) most often declare such intentions.”
According to the survey, there is growing confidence in society that the holiday is alien to Russian culture and traditions. In 2021, 67% of respondents cited this as a reason not to celebrate Halloween. Another 34% refused to celebrate Halloween because they consider it unimportant.
Russians also explained their refusal to celebrate Halloween by saying that they do not see anything good in it (16%) or by the fact that they consider it pagan (7%). 2% of respondents said they would be busy with other things.
