Wednesday 31 October 2012

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday - the Hallowe'en Edition

Morning all! Happy Hallowe'en. This is going to be a brief post as we have a busy morning of pumpkin carving ahead of us.

Firstly, if I may take a moment, I feel I should explain that I have a very ambivalent attitude this particular day of celebration. As a Christian, I disapprove of the commercialisation of what was originally a Pagan festival, although I don't feel it to be particularly anti'Christian. As a lover of tradition, I enjoy the customs of carving Jack-o-Lanterns and donning strange costumes. As a mother, I find it hard to refuse my children's love of dressing up and sweeties.
I have decided to not make a big deal of it. Anything which is forbidden becomes extra-attractive to kids, and  mine are too young to have any interest in the pagan Wiccan side of things, anyway. So I hope, and pray, that attending church year-round (if not actually every week) will cancel out one day of silly activities. I'd be happy to enter into dicussiuon about his via the comments if you have views about it.


So, to the business of the day. What on My Workdesk? Well, a mess actually, as it is the middle of half term and I'm in the middle of Shimelle's class Scrapbok Remix, which is making me very productive.

You can see my Pink and White layout still waiting for a frame so I can hang it in M's bedroom as requested. There is a Christmas layout which I finished too late last night to photograph. In the corner is my overflowing Christmas stash, which will live there until the end of January. There are some more old Christmas photos on the top of my embellishments boxes. My aim for the JYC season is to catch up with all the 12x12 Christmas pages missing from my annual albums.

2 mugs and a glass. What a slob! A Kindle charger, the USB lead for my camera, my external hard drive and my phone. All evidence of the latent technophile within me.

Anyway, not such a quick post after all. I think I got a bit carried away on my soapbox. Sorry. I'd best go and supervise those sharp knives. Will share the results later.

Have a good day

8 comments:

CraftygasheadZo said...

Hello - not taking part this WOYWW, too much going on but wanted to pop by some of your desks anyway! I'm not a fan of Halloween, never gone out Trick or Treating with my boy and he's grown to have his own opinion of it and doesn't bother. I'm wary of the fact we tell our children to stay away from strangers all year then on one night find it acceptable to go knocking on strangers doors. I know some parents go with their younger children but I find in incredible the amount of children age 10-12ish who go out alone! I shall be turning off the lights and not answering the door. Take care Zo x

Annie said...

I'm sat reading my WOYWW blogs on my sick bed this week but have my mask on so you don't catch anything. I'm enjoying reading what everyone is up to this week [it's better than reading magazines :-) ]. I'm leaving a copied comment so you know I've called by because my hands are too weak and shaky to keep typing out my comments this week.
Big hugs,
A x #93

Helen said...

I've never been big on Halloween either but the rest of the country - no, make that the shops - are encouraging it!! Hope you have some good pumpkin carving time together. Helen, 4

Anonymous said...

Glad I'm not the only one who feels like that about Halloween. Apple bobbing - yes, even carving pumpkins and dressing up - yes but the rest of it I will give a miss too.
Haven't even finished JYC for last year let alone sarted think about this years one.Yieeks!!
Tricia 86.

Kirsty.A said...

I go out with my kids and only to houses with pumkins/decorations outside.

humel said...

I was really interested to read your thoughts about Hallowe'en :) I feel uncomfortable about it all, not least because of my own Christian faith, but I wouldn't find it easy to articulate exactly why.

I really don't like trick or treating, though. I hate answering the door on Hallowe'en night - no-one we know comes round, so it's always strangers, and I feel pressured to give them something because I'm scared of what they might do! I hate being made to feel like that! And my own kids have never done it. In fact, one year we went round and gave away sweets to houses in our neighbourhood. I liked that idea much better.

This is totally my own personal opinion and not meant to be a criticism of anyone else's opinions or actions, by the way - just to clarify :)

Lunch Lady Jan said...

I hate trick or treating - it's like demanding sweets with menaces. What sort of message are we sending our kids = it's ok to be mean to someone if we threaten them??
But I don't mind the idea of All Soul's Eve at all - it's a bit like the day of the dead, celebrating the lives of people who have gone before, but who are still with us.... Now that's what we should be encouraging our kids with!
Hugs, LLJ #68 xx

Unknown said...

Don't do Halloween either, kids never went out trick or treating and I just don't answer the door tonight. As a Christian don't really think it is something we should celebrate really. Although when the boys were younger we did let them go dressed up to the schools disco, but it was rarely on Halloween night.