Different Punctutation - Essay Example

PART I. The Halloween and Christmas celebrations are one of the most awaited annual holidays that the general population always looks forward to. Preparations for either festival have always been long, grand, and tedious with all its details. While both are favorite calendared social gatherings worldwide, both are observed with different levels of excitement, frenzy, and preference. PART II Both Halloween and Christmas is a product of historical practices that has been incorporated and institutionalized in the general American and English culture.

These annual occasions have been made a venue and means of achieving fun, entertainment, and social revelry. Because both are historically rich, each of these occasions has developed its own symbols as a way of representing what the celebration is about. Halloween is generally associated with the occult and other mythical characters. Hence we see pumpkins or ghoul figures to commemorate the souls which are believed to be walking among the living on this special day. Christmas symbols, on the other hand, reflects images of universal feelings of positivity.

Thus, we see images of Santa Claus to signify abundance and giving or the season’s favorite decoration, the mistletoe, to affect and spread good luck among family members. But the symbols for both holidays encapsulate in them a general sense of festivity. Halloween has always been associated as the festival of the dead. Hence, major activities during this season always include watching of horror movies, going to haunted attractions, reliving of folklores or scary urban legends, dressing up in extravagant costumes, and of course trick or treating in the neighborhood.

There are parties and programs organized practically here and there which obviously invite a large number of crowds. Parades of costumes, both contemporary and out of this world could also be witnessed. Halloween is indeed perceived as a time for real strenuous fun where a little act of mischief by anyone is tolerated to some extent. Christmas on the other hand, primarily practiced by those believers in Christ, is observed with much more of caroling, gift-giving, and exchange of Christmas goodies such as cards, special meals, and little trinkets.

Surroundings are filled with grand decorations with Christmas icons such as Santa Claus, reindeers, angels, and the creation or re-enactment of nativity scenes. It is also a time of special meals, reunion with families and friends, and the materialization of planned out of town activities. Christmas, unlike Halloween, is more associated with real, serious, and wholesome fun – a time of forgiveness by those whom a person has wronged or a time to set amicable agreements between two contending parties.

More than the emotions that both Halloween and Christmas evoke, these two occasions are much enjoyed by many especially that it is also a phenomenal commercial activity. During these seasons, stores create immense sales strategies by allocating big discounts for much-coveted items. And these are implemented through catchy marketing strategies that bank on the idea that anybody can assume any character they wish to be during Halloween. While anyone can purchase the gadgets of their dreams because these are made affordable during Christmas time; and only during Christmas!

Hence, everyone gets to experience certain kind of Halloween and/or Christmas rush. Both Halloween and Christmas are on top of everyone’s favorite holiday as these allow a fun break from the monotony of the everyday life. Apart from the economic benefits these seasons make available, these occasions are made more meaningful and noteworthy as it is a good time for great social bonding. No matter the cultural or religious background, everyone is capable of communicating and relating as this social activity is universally recognized and experienced.

Both may be understood differently, but both are also indiscriminate of race, beliefs, and even faith. Because of this kind of diverse yet universal social experience, Halloween and Christmas have undoubtedly become almost everyone’s favorite day of the calendar. REFERENES: Bratcher, Dennis. 2009. The Christmas Season. Retrieved 01 June 2011, from http://www.cresourcei.org/cyxmas.html. Kelly, Ruth Edna. 1919. The Book of Halloween. Boston: Lothrop, Lee, and Shepard Co.