The True Meaning of Halloween: Getting Outdoors!
As an immigrant to Canada from Norway, in the beginning I was reluctant to embrace the Halloween tradition. I thought it was only a commercial event meant to sell costumes and candy.
That was before I began to understand the true meaning of Halloween.
Nope, I’m not thinking about the Christian connection of the All Saints Day celebration, nor any older Pagan or Celtic traditions that have blended into our present day version of Halloween. I am talking about the true living history of all our traditions, which shows that humans have always had a need for rituals; everyone loves going to a parade or to a culture event that brings people together. Mardi Gras, 3 Kings Day, Santa Lucia and many others are all similar to Halloween with dressing up and parades.
Halloween is a grand tradition that encourages people to knock on neighbors’ doors. It is so great because it connects us to the ritual of meeting our neighbors and knowing our community. Being outside is not only about communing with nature. It also is about having an appreciation for the place you live. For kids, Halloween is the perfect dress up and candy time, but it is also a time to walk around and get to know your neighborhood.
The more I live and explore these rituals and cultural connections, the more I love Halloween
Be safe and be seen this Halloween
Being Scandinavian I grew up with
safety reflectors. I’m sure Katja can tell you it gets dark early this time of year. That is why the safety reflector was invented in Finland in 1960. So kids and adults could be safe when they were out walking and biking. They feel so strong about wearing reflectors that it is the law in Finland for pedestrians to wear safety reflectors when they are out walking in dark conditions.
Have a wonderful Halloween and be a little Scandinavian, make sure you are safe and visible this year.
Safety reflectors help you be seen and be safe in the dark so drivers notice you. If your child uses a reflector you can reduce the risk of being hit by a car by 85%. Without a reflector the driver of a car may only see you when you are 25-30 meters away, but a reflector can be seen 140 meters or more away in the headlights. This can give the driver 8 more seconds to see you and react.
Our ActiveKidsCLub.com’s
Safety Reflectors are sold online and distributed to stores in Canada.
Guest post by Kari Svenneby. Kari is a Norwegian import to Canada and founder of ActiveKidsClub.com; a website about discovering the outdoors with kids and adults. She is an entrepreneur of her own line of European style Safety Reflectors. Kari is also an advocate and public speaker about outdoor play and has been mentioned in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Backpacker Magazine and many more for her work to get kids and adults outside.
