Monday, October 31, 2005

Cold as a witch's ...

I know this is St. Martha of Nutley's favourite holiday, but Halloween really doesn't do much for me anymore. Like most "celebrations" it is overblown and overcommercialized in my view.

Still, I was amused by this display in Vermont, which depicted a witch nursing a child. The artist chose gourds as her medium. I think it's clever.

Not all observers are amused.

Kym Goodnow, a mother of four living in West Brattleboro, wrote that she was not ready to explain nursing to her 4-year-old grandson, who spotted the display while they were driving home.

``I figured eventually we would cross that bridge, but to have to do it now because someone felt they had to shove it in our faces, it's just rude,'' Goodnow told the Herald yesterday. ``Halloween is supposed to be for kids, it's not for you to impose your beliefs on everyone else.''


Well, if you want to get nitpicky about it, most contemporary Halloween customs are remnants of the religious rituals and beliefs of the Druids and early Christians.

Furthermore..

Why the concern about exposing a child to a lactating gourd? Halloween has become a billion-dollar holiday, with decor so excessively gruesome that a woman who hung herself was mistaken for a holiday decoration.

Sheesh.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Right on Rose!

Just peeking over from TNH. Love the BOOBEES!

Jana

Anonymous said...

I wonder if the people who have a problem with public breast feeding (real or decorative), are those people who are uncomfortable with their own bodies.

Why force people to be ashamed for doing something that is absolutely 100% natural. That's why we have breasts - to feed our babies. It's probably on the top 10 list of the most natural things humans do.

I think seeing it would be a prime opportunity to explain to a quizzical child the beauty of breastfeeding.

But that's just my humble opinion.

Anonymous said...

The link for the woman who hung herself is wrong. Just wanted you to know.

Boobees are cute! LOL!!

Rose said...

Oops! The correct link is up now. Thank you Jenny.