Top 10 Halloween
Top 10 Things You Never Knew You Wanted to Know About Hallowe’en:
The History of Hallowe’en
Hallowe’en started as a pagan celebration of the ancient Celts who were noting the passage of Summer and the beginning of Winter. Originally called Samhain, the coming of Winter for the Celts was a time when the boundary separating the dead from the living became blurred. The return of the spirits of the dead helped the priests or druids to make prophecies that would allow the people of the day to survive the cold, harsh winters. Generally the day was marked by bonfires and the reinforcement of boundaries, across which malicious spirits might cross and threaten the community.
From Pagan to Christian
The holiday was a day of religious festivities in various northern European pagan traditions, until it was appropriated by Christian missionaries and given a Christian interpretation. The new Christian interpretation was as All Hallows Eve, or the eve before all Saints day once a major day of worship for Christians. The holiday was presented as a way to honour the Virgin Mary and all martyrs both known and unknown.
Traditions of the Old World
In Ireland Halloween was commemorated with the lighting of large communal fires to ward off evil spirits. Scotland would send their young out “guising,” or dressing up and offering various forms of entertainment in return for gifts. In the UK everything seems to swirl around apples and superstition. As Halloween coincides with the apple harvest – tarts, cider and bobbing for apples all play a big part in the traditions of the holiday. Superstitions include witch lights hung in windows to scare off witches or the bad luck of black cats for a few.
Hallowe’en Today
Many of the older traditions have adapted themselves to fit with the modern world. The “guising” of Scotland has toned down and nowadays children generally holler out ‘Trick or Treat’ in exchange for money or candy. School parties in full costume, games, pumpkin carving, ghost stories and paper witches are all very popular. Teenagers tend to go through a vandal phase with egging, toilet papering and scaring younger kids before they settle into staying home and watching horror movies.
Top Costume Ideas
From naughty to nice, traditional to original there is no shortage of terrific dress-ups and disguises. There are entire websites devoted to helping you generate ideas like www.costumeideazone.com; www.halloween.com and www.hauntworld.com. Some of the better ones I’ve come across include Operation Game Man including oversized tweezers and a hidden hand buzzer OR a Leaf Blower where you cover yourself in leaves and when someone asks what you’re supposed to be you blow. And you can be sure that pirate costumes a la Capt. Jack Sparrow are going to be everywhere this year.
Hallowe’en for Adults
Halloween has taken off more as a holiday for adults than for their children. Getting together to attend parades, pubs, clubs and costume parties; dressing up and competing for prizes. In some parts of North America stores are pulling out the black and orange decorations trying to get a leg up on the competition and it’s working sales keep going up and up as only New Years beats Halloween as a night of revelry for the big kids.
What’s on for Hallowe’en
A guaranteed fright are the dungeons in London, Edinburgh and Amsterdam offering up Witch Fest and Vampire Fest a fortnight of scary and eerie delights. In Dublin the Samahain Halloween Parade will be taking place. And elsewhere throughout the UK there are parades, haunted castles, fright nights and celebrations surrounding the holiday.
Origins of the Jack O Lantern
The idea of the Jack ‘o Lantern was to be a representation of the souls of departed loved ones and were placed in windows or on porches to welcome the deceased. They also served as protection against malevolent spirits or goblins freed from the dead. Traditionally carved out of turnips, beets and potatoes, when the tradition was brought to the new world turnips were not as readily available and the pumpkin was chosen as suitable replacement.
Day of the Dead Celebrations
In Mexico, Brazil and much of Latin America October 31 – November 02 is a time for honouring the memory of deceased loved ones. This ancient Aztec celebration falls along the same timeline as Halloween but the traditional mood is much brighter with emphasis on celebrating and honouring the lives of the deceased, rather than fearing evil or malevolent spirits. Skulls, sugar candies, tequila and floral decorations are all integral parts of the holiday.
Best Halloween Movies
Want to have a fright night all your own, then pop some popcorn, grab a case of Magners (gotta have apples in there somewhere) a DVD player and some of the best Halloween movies, including: Rocky Horror Picture Show; Friday the 13th Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, the Exorcist, the Shining and Chucky. Just make sure you have someone to squeeze up to when the scary bits come.
