[Claud]

What do you think of the trend of parents boycotting Halloween on account of it being evil?...

I would say that those parents are acting like good Puritans.

LOL...very good Father!

Up until the 19th century in England, it was a custom to go "souling". You'd go begging for "soul cakes", and whoever gave you one, you'd say a prayer for their departed souls in Purgatory.

Why boycott when Halloween is so EASILY returned to its Catholic roots? Just go out trick or treating as usual. Count up the number of houses you visit. Then when you get home, or on All Souls Day, say that many "Eternal Rest" prayers for all the souls of those families who gave you candy.

[al_c]

Why boycott when Halloween is so EASILY returned to its Catholic roots? Just go out trick or treating as usual. Count up the number of houses you visit. Then when you get home, or on All Souls Day, say that many "Eternal Rest" prayers for all the souls of those families who gave you candy.

Excellent idea! I will have my kids do just that.

[mlizzy]

I like hearing about the "soul cakes." Here's a link for other parents should they like to read more about them: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_cake

A soul cake is a small round cake which is traditionally made for All Saints Day or All Souls' Day to celebrate the dead.[1] The cakes, often simply referred to as souls, were given out to soulers (mainly consisting of children and the poor) who would go from door to door on Halloween singing and saying prayers for the dead. Each cake eaten would represent a soul being freed from Purgatory.

If only this was practiced widely today! It would be a grand holiday/observance indeed!