Halloween,All Hallow's Eve

Halloween, also known as All Hallows' Eve, is a holiday dating back several centuries. Celebrated on October 31 for more than a millennium, its origin dates back to the observation of the Celtic festival Samhain on the last day of October.

Many traditional beliefs and customs associated with Samhain, most notable that night was the time of the wandering dead, the practice of leaving offerings of food and drink to masked and costumed revelers, and the lighting of bonfires, continued to be practiced on October 31, known as the Eve of All Saints, the Eve of All Hallows, or even Hallow Eve.
Samhain was the new year to the Celts. In the Celtic belief system turning points were seen as magical times. The turning of the year was the most potent of these times. This was the time when the "veil between the worlds" was at its thinnest.

The end of summer was significant to the Celts because it meant the time of year when the structure of their lives changed radically. The cattle were brought down from the summer pastures in the hills and the people were gathered into the houses for the long winter nights of story telling and handicrafts.

During Samhain, Celts built huge bonfires on hilltops to frighten away evil spirits. The souls of the dead were believed to revisit their homes on Samhain.

Faeries were imagined as particularly active at this season. The fairies, however, were often considered hostile and dangerous to humans because they were seen as being resentful of men taking over their lands. On this night, they would sometimes trick humans into becoming lost in the fairy mounds, where they would be trapped forever.

In addition to the fairies, many humans were abroad on this night, causing mischief. since this night belonged neither to one year or the other, Celtic folk believed that chaos reigned and the people would engage in practical jokes. This served also as a final outlet for high spirits before the gloom of winter set in.

During the course of these hijinks, many of the people would imitate the fairies and go from house to house begging for treats. Failure to supply the treats would usually result in practical jokes being visited on the owner of the house, thus the modern Trick or Treat. The folks who were abroad in the night imitating the fairies would sometimes carry turnips carved to represent faces. This is the origin of the modern Jack-o-lantern.

Children in countries around the world celebrate Halloween in different ways.

So, do you fear Halloween, or Samhain?

There is no reason to.

What should be feared is the cruelty of the living humans today...

- That is why you should have your candy checked for nasty surprises such as glass or needles or razor blades or drugs.

-That is why you should be very careful, and travel in groups with trusted adults.

- That is why there are "festivals" and "carnivals" set up in the communities, so you will can have safe fun.

- That is why the police and firemen are working extra hard to keep the truely evil things from happening, that are caused by the living people who think it fun to burn things down and cause trouble.

Halloween should be a fun celebration. Fun for children and adults. It is not evil. It is a time to celebrate "the harvest" or just simply have fun. Halloween is a time for EVERYONE to have fun. Relax and enjoy it as that.

Safety Tips
*Make sure costumes are flame-retardant and light or bright in color. Dark costumes should have strips of glow in the dark tape along the back.

*Use face paints rather than a mask which can obstruct both breathing and vision.

*Make sure your child has (1) a name tag complete with your address and phone number, (2) change to make a phone call, and (3) a flashlight. Young children should be accompanied by an adult, and no child should go out alone.

*Trick or treat only in familiar neighborhoods and set a time for when your children should return home.

*Children should never accept rides from strangers (If they need a ride,they should use the change you gave them to call!)

*Treats should not be eaten until the child is home so that you can inspect everything first.

*Check all treats for signs of tampering and discard all loose and homemade treats (unless you know the person who provided them)


LINKS
For Kids:
Halloween Fun Page
Halloween:Kid's Domain
Halloween on the Net
Halloween Tricks and Treats
Ben & Jerry's Halloween
Halloween Crafts for the Entire Family-links

Adult or Adult supervision:

About Halloween - links to many sites on the web concerning Halloween,Safety,Costumes,etc.

New Orleans Historic Voodoo Halloween Ritual

Cooking.com Halloween Menu


My Other Holiday Pages


Thanksgiving

Christmas I - A Visit From Harley Clause