Looking Back At The Origin Of Halloween
Why do we have a day that is supposed to do nothing but scare the dickens out of us? Why do we bob for apples or have scary pumpkins sitting on our front porch? Why do we dress up like ghost and goblins or other fancy creatures? All of these questions can be answered by looking back at the origin of Halloween.
More than two thousand years ago there lived a people known as the Celtics. They were a proud, fierce and combative tribe which inhabited Ireland, the northern areas of France, and the United Kingdom. Their new year started on what you and I know as November the first. The beginning of November marked the end of warm weather and the growing season. In addition the hours of darkness ruled over the hours of daylight and the Celts being of a superstitious nature; believed that things which go bump in the night roamed and ruled the night hours.
As the hours of darkness prevailed much of the time was spent spinning yarns and the retelling of stories which had been passed from generation to generation. One of the beliefs that had been passed down was the belief that the dead returned on the night before the beginning of the New Year; October 31st . It was believed on this night they returned to avenge the wrong deeds done to them and to bring forecast of the events to occur in the New Year.
Eventually over a period of time, October 31st became known as SamHain (or sow-in). In order to mark this day, the Celts, had a monstrous bonfire in their villages. Each of the villagers came to the bonfire, disguised in different animal skins. The celebration was a way of showing thanks to the Celtic “gods” for the harvest and good things of the year past. It was also believed, by the people, which by sacrificing a portion of the last year’s crop and an animal the “gods” would hopefully bestow good fortune and a bountiful crop in the coming New Year.
Therefore, you and I now know that the origins of Halloween also include dressing up in a costume on Halloween night.
As several centuries went by the Celtics, in turn were invaded by the Roman Empire. As we all know when in Rome, you do as the Romans do. So the custom of “Sam Hain” was added too by the Romans. The Romans included the day of Faralia, celebration of the dead, to coincide with the date of October 31st .
Then, they also included a day to please Pomona – a goddess whose symbol is the apple. This is basically where the tradition of apple bobbing was derived from, which is still practiced today as a party game.
Eventually Christianity began to spread and entered the land of the Celts. Around 800 A. D. The Catholic Pope at the time – Pope Bonaface IV – declared November 1st All Saint’s Day, which coincided with the Celtic pagan holiday of the beginning of the New Year. The night before All Saint’s Day, SamHain to the Celts, began to be called All Hallow’s Eve or All Hallow’s Mass. As the centuries passed and cultures were absorbed by other cultures, the origins of Halloween have become known as Halloween night.
More Halloween Tips
Things You Need To Know About Halloween
Become A Kid Again On Halloween Night
Are You Bored With The Usual Halloween Celebration
Freaky Halloween Practical And Fun Ideas
Tips For Inexpensive Halloween Costumes
Make This Halloween Memorable For Teenagers
Organize A Great Halloween Party On A Budget
Tips On Using Printable Halloween Masks
Intriguing Facts About Halloween
Organizing The Best Halloween Party On A Really Low Budget
Halloween Products And Videos
More Halloween Tips And Tricks
Spooky Ideas For Halloween Decor
... activity that can be done by the whole family. To make sure that everything will come into place, it will help if you have a plan or photos of the kinds of decors that you would want to place at your own homes. To help you about this project, here are some elements that you may want to include on your overall d cor. 1. If you are going to have some party or any fun gathering at this occasion, you may want to use a crystal ball as centerpiece for the party table. ...
Organize A Great Halloween Party On A Budget
... some ideas that might help you with your seemingly impossible task. 1. Rent a costume Costumes need not be bought. You can always rent a costume for your kids. Make sure though that they are clean and disinfected before your kids wear them to avoid skin problems. There are numerous costume rental shops in the city. If you have a hard time looking for one, you can check out the directory or surf the internet for some listing. 2. Make your own costume If your ...
Organizing The Best Halloween Party On A Really Low Budget
... low budget. 1. Recycle the old ones Who says you cannot use the old costumes that your kids used the other year just because they are too small for you? If your kids are already too big to fit in any of those costumes, you can still use them as decorations inside the house or in the front yard. You can for instance, dress up a mannequin with the costumes and display them in the front yard. This can become a great Halloween mascot in your home. Parts of the costumes ...
Tips To Make Halloween More Fun And Less Stressful
... somewhere to store the stuff that you bought. Otherwise, don t buy. They might get destroyed. So weigh in all your options too. 3. Involve the whole family Nothing beats having the whole family working with you. The job becomes small because it is divided into piecemeal sizes and you also get to hang with your kids and bond with them. Having these kind of activities will also help your kids realize just how hard it is to organize a Halloween party or to prepare ...
People Have Diverset Opinions About Halloween
... past ones. To these people, Halloween could be meticulous and draining, but it surely is worth everything. Thus, they keep on doing the same routine over and over again every year. Kids and teens could make sure they could continue enjoying fun Halloween parties. For religious people, Halloween could be no more than just a pagan activity. The catholic religion in particular could regard usual Halloween traditions as superficial. Instead of praying and remembering ...
... This way, you would be wearing an entirely new costume, old, but something you have not worn on the previous Halloweens. You could save your children s worn out and small costumes so that you could lend them or hand them to other children who may need fun and spooky Halloween costumes. Recycle Halloween decorations. It may be tempting to change and buy new decors every year. But this year, do a difference. Perhaps, your garage may contain tons of old Halloween ...
Planning And Organizing A Halloween Party
... double the excitement. Of course, everyone s competitive side could emerge. Before you know it, all in your community would be very tediously preparing to win the costume award. It could be fun, challenging, and thrilling all at the same time. Invite sponsors. It would be great if huge and attractive prizes would be given away for people who come in great costumes. The prizes may not have to come from your own pocket or the contributions of every parent in the ...
... day called Faralia which was a day the Romans had set aside as a day to remember and honor those who had died before us. Then, they also included a day to please Pomona a goddess whose symbol is the apple. Remember those days of bobbing for apples as a kid? You can thank Pomona for that tradition. Then, Christianity came to the area around the 800s. The Pope at the time Pope Bonaface declared November 1st All Saint s Day, which is still celebrated as a Holy ...
Halloween Tips Halloween Party Supplies Directory Blog Privacy Contact Us Consumer Resources