{"id":5470,"date":"2012-10-22T11:14:10","date_gmt":"2012-10-22T09:14:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jozikids.co.za\/zaparents-blog\/?p=5470"},"modified":"2022-06-15T21:16:34","modified_gmt":"2022-06-15T19:16:34","slug":"spooked-by-halloween","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jozikids.co.za\/blog\/lifestyle\/culture\/spooked-by-halloween\/","title":{"rendered":"Spooked by Hallowe\u2019en\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

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When I was growing up, Hallowe\u2019en was a thing we saw on American movies \u2013 it was never a big deal in South Africa, probably because our parents were concerned about the security of children wandering around the streets after dark, and because dressing up in black to have fun was probably against some apartheid law or other.<\/p>\n

While I think most parents still have security concerns, the advent of security estates and boomed off areas has created safe pockets for trick or treating \u2013 and then of course there\u2019s the business opportunity for everyone from Pick n Pay and Woolworths to China City to make extra income from costumes and themed sweets.<\/p>\n

Playschools, cr\u00e8ches, primary schools and communities have Hallowe\u2019en themed parties across the suburbs now, commemorating a Celtic festival (or a selection of festivals, depending on your choice of origin (Halloween<\/a> background) that they have little knowledge or insight about. Children whose parents have spent a small (or large) amount of money on costumes compete to see who is dressed the best, and who can liberate the largest haul of sweets from willing neighbours.<\/p>\n

So why am I particularly \u2018omgekrap\u2019 about an extended fancy dress party?<\/p>\n

Hallowe\u2019en is not a part of my culture, just as Makar Sankranti, Purim and Hola Mahalla are not part of my culture \u2013 and interesting though they are, I don\u2019t celebrate them. Hallowe\u2019en may have been a part of the culture of my Celtic ancestors, but it has never part of my culture as a Christian-raised South African.<\/p>\n

I totally get that Hallowe\u2019en is an opportunity for kids to dress up and have fun \u2013 but why do we need to wait for a festival that has nothing to do with our history or culture to do that? Why do we not make a bigger deal of our own Heritage Day, for example, and invest more time in celebrating that with fancy dress and local food (because let\u2019s face it, there is more to South African food than braaiing!)<\/p>\n

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Photo by Julia Raasch on Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So what do I do about Hallowe\u2019en, without making my children feel like they\u2019re the only ones not going to a city-wide party? I\u2019m happy for them to dress up for parties, at friends\u2019 houses or at school, but I draw the line at letting them beg for sweets on the streets when there are others not so far out there who don\u2019t even have food for one meal a day, never mind three.<\/p>\n

Talk about a juggling act\u2026 but when was parenting ever anything but?<\/p>\n

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