Halloween

[InSane1]

I LIVE FOR HALLOWEEN. I LOVE AUTUMN. It's my favorite errr.... holiday? Is it a holiday? I LOVE IT... because of the smells of the fall and the cool evenings and the mild days. I love it because of the fun lovers who really dress up and make an all out effort to impress other people. I LOVE THE CANDY MY KIDS BRING HOME!!!! I love it... I do. What am I gonna do once the kids are too old for trick or treating... I think I only have a couple years left....

I cant wait for the pumpkin sales.
YAY!!!!!

how about you?

[209]

So you're saying you like the "druid", "witchcraft" season?

Not that there's anything thing wrong with that.

[shooter1201]

My commission date on my ID card reads: October 31, 2000.

Eat your heart out, InSane1.

[Piper]

You call it Hallowe'en, I call it Samhain...
Here is a brief history on my favorite time of year!!!! Hallowe'en has its origins in the British Isles. While the modern tradition of trick or treat developed in the U. S., it too is based on folk customs brought to this country with Irish immigrants after 1840. Since ancient times in Ireland, Scotland, and England, October 31st has been celebrated as a feast for the dead, and also the day that marks the new year. Mexico observes a Day of the Dead on this day, as do other world cultures. In Scotland, the Gaelic word "Samhain" (pronounced "SAW-win" or "SAW-vane") means literally "summer's end."

Other names for this holiday include: All Hallows Eve ("hallow" means "sanctify"); Hallowtide; Hallowmass; Hallows; The Day of the Dead; All Soul's Night; All Saints' Day (both on November 1st).

For early Europeans, this time of the year marked the beginning of the cold, lean months to come; the flocks were brought in from the fields to live in sheds until spring. Some animals were slaughtered, and the meat preserved to provide food for winter. The last gathering of crops was known as "Harvest Home, " celebrated with fairs and festivals.

In addition to its agriculture significance, the ancient Celts also saw Samhain as a very spiritual time. Because October 31 lies exactly between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice, it is theorized that ancient peoples, with their reliance on astrology, thought it was a very potent time for magic and communion with spirits. The "veil between the worlds" of the living and the dead was said to be at its thinnest on this day; so the dead were invited to return to feast with their loved ones; welcomed in from the cold, much as the animals were brought inside. Ancient customs range from placing food out for dead ancestors, to performing rituals for communicating with those who had passed over.

Communion with the dead was thought to be the work of witches and sorcerers, although the common folk thought nothing of it. Because the rise of the Church led to growing suspicion of the pagan ways of country dwellers, Samhain also became associated with witches, black cats ("familiars" or animal friends), bats (night creatures), ghosts and other "spooky" things...the stereotype of the old hag riding the broomstick is simply a caricature; fairy tales have exploited this image for centuries.

Divination of the future was also commonly practiced at this magically-potent time; since it was also the Celtic New Year, people focused on their desires for the coming year. Certain traditions, such as bobbing for apples, roasting nuts in the fire, and baking cakes which contained tokens of luck, are actually ancient methods of telling fortunes.

So What About Those Jack-O-Lanterns?
Other old traditions have survived to this day; lanterns carved out of pumpkins and turnips were used to provide light on a night when huge bonfires were lit, and all households let their fires go out so they could be rekindled from this new fire; this was believed to be good luck for all households. The name "Jack-O-Lantern" means "Jack of the Lantern, " and comes from an old Irish tale. Jack was a man who could enter neither heaven nor hell and was condemned to wander through the night with only a candle in a turnip for light. Or so goes the legend...

But such folk names were commonly given to nature spirits, like the "Jack in the Green, " or to plants believed to possess magical properties, like "John O' Dreams, " or "Jack in the Pulpit." Irish fairy lore is full of such references. Since candles placed in hollowed-out pumpkins or turnips (commonly grown for food and abundant at this time of year) would produce flickering flames, especially on cold nights in October, this phenomenon may have led to the association of spirits with the lanterns; and this in turn may have led to the tradition of carving scary faces on them. It is an old legend that candle flames which flicker on Samhain night are being touched by the spirits of dead ancestors, or "ghosts."

Okay, What about the Candy?
"Trick or treat" as it is practiced in the U. S. is a complex custom believed to derive from several Samhain traditions, as well as being unique to this country. Since Irish immigrants were predominantly Catholic, they were more likely to observe All Soul's Day. But Ireland's folk traditions die hard, and the old ways of Samhain were remembered. The old tradition of going door to door asking for donations of money or food for the New Year's feast, was carried over to the U. S. from the British Isles. Hogmanay was celebrated January 1st in rural Scotland, and there are records of a "trick or treat" type of custom; curses would be invoked on those who did not give generously; while those who did give from their hearts were blessed and praised. Hence, the notion of "trick or treat" was born (although this greeting was not commonly used until the 1930's in the U. S.). The wearing of costumes is an ancient practice; villagers would dress as ghosts, to escort the spirits of the dead to the outskirts of the town, at the end of the night's celebration.

By the 1920's, "trick or treat" became a way of letting off steam for those urban poor living in crowded conditions. Innocent acts of vandalism (soaping windows, etc.) gave way to violent, cruel acts. Organizations like the Boy Scouts tried to organize ways for this holiday to become safe and fun; they started the practice of encouraging "good" children to visit shops and homes asking for treats, so as to prevent criminal acts. These "beggar's nights" became very popular and have evolved to what we know as Hallowe'en today.

[ 09-06-2002, 10:37 PM: Message edited by: Piper ]

[Snoopy1]

I will probably sound like an old grouch when I say this. To me Halloween is the biggest waste of time in the entire year for anyone other than people who sell candy and costumes or look for an excuse to have a wild party. I buy a couple of bags of candy to hand out but secretly hope no one drops by so I can eat it myself. I need it like I need another hole in my head.

[ 09-06-2002, 08:58 PM: Message edited by: Snoopy1 ]

[209]

At my age, I don't dismiss anything as a possibility. I think anything, any belief, any cause is just!! (as long as it doesn't adversely affect me, 'cause basically, I'm self-centered ).

Halloween for me was a time- (pre-razor blades, and whatever else the sickos decided to do)- of enjoyment. We dressed up in costumes (I dressed as a pirate for years- my Mom made the costume on her Singer) and when door-to-door. It was one of the high points of my childhood.

I sometimes think I grew up in a edenal world- we went tricking-treating and got candy, fruit, etc. We ate everything.

[InSane1]

I am so jealous shooter!.. grrr...

And as for people poisoning and hiding needles and razor blades in the candy.. if you are THAT paranoid, they x-ray candy at local hospitals for free. Kinda cool huh??? The fun part is telling your kids...

"WAIT..> HOLD EVERYTHING.... MOM HAS TO CHECK THE CANDY FIRST"... teeheehee.....

[Mike Tx]

My Mom and step dad were married on that day. Talk about trick or treat.

[wonderwoman]

Halloween can be a really fun time! I remember when I was a poor student and Halloween got me enough food for 2 weeks!

I love the fall colours as well. Its a beautiful time of year!

[jellybean40]

Fall is my favorite time of year. Halloween is so cool...i love to decorate, and buy pumpkins, indian corn, hay bales and mums and fix up the yard. the air is so much clearer in Fall...i'm already putting in my leave slips for vacation in october and november. did you know Halloween has huge sales in decorations, second only to Christmas!?

[ 09-07-2002, 01:33 PM: Message edited by: jellybean40 ]

[Mr.Orange]

If I have to work, I HATE Halloween. Dealing with the little ****s on the street. No, not the kids trick or treating, but the ones that cause mischief.

Halloween tends to bring the nitwits out in full force, gang fights are plentiful, usually we have a stabbing or shooting during that night, I tell ya, fun,fun,fun. We usually have extra people working that night because of past problems. Is there always a full moon on Halloween?

As for the trick or treat thing, it has all changed, normally we stay on the block that we live on and go trick or treating. But, then you'll observe cars, vans, and even small buses, drong people off, and they pillage your street. Inside a lot of these vehicles, are teenagers, and even adults, wanting candy.

Oh how I love Halloween

Lets just stick to a small party for the kids, and have them dress up in their $40-$60 Disney costumes. Maybe I'll dress up as Sully, from Monsters Inc. There ya go, now I'm jolly.

[Blonde Heat]

Holidays suck in the grocery business. Only because there is so much work to put the product out for the halloween fanatics. I am doing it this weekend and there is so much to do at work.

[RachelR]

I love Fall too.. I like the cooler weather and the beautiful leaves. Too bad it is so short.

Halloween is no biggie for me.. I usually buy a few bags of candy and pass them out to the kiddies. I don't eat that processed candy crap so I'll send you the leftovers Insane when your kids get too old

[ 09-07-2002, 11:37 PM: Message edited by: RaychelR ]

[klar]

Holloween means just one thing for me. It is getting real close to SNOW SNOW is good SNOW is the thing that makes all this derned hot weather worth the wait. Heck If I am lucky there will be SNOW on the grouind before holloween. LOL

Klar

[InSane1]

Klar.... SHUT UP.... Snow SUCKETH!