"This Halloween the most popular mask is the Arnold Schwarzenegger mask. And the best part? With a mouthful of candy you will sound just like him." Conan O'Brien
Beware. Halloween is almost here.
It is truly the ideal night for grinches. With its roots in Celtic culture Halloween has become a national celebration and is enjoyed by children as well as adults.
The imagery of Halloween is a combination of Gothic and horror literature including the Frankenstein and Dracula mystique. It is also a night to watch and enjoy your favorite monster movie.
Celebrated as a holiday in many English speaking countries on the night of October 31st, it is the day children wear costumes and go to people's homes saying "trick or treat" to ask for candy. In response to this scary plea people simply give it to them. This comes from an age old threat meaning "give me a treat or I will play a trick on you".
Children today usually do not do the tricks if they do not receive a treat. But some children still do mischievous deeds ( pranks or things to make fun of people like putting toilet paper in trees or writing with soap on windows or even throwing raw eggs at their house.)
According to Wikipedia "people sometimes dress up as ghosts, witches, goblins and other frightening things for Halloween. It is a time for crossing borders and publicly celebrating the grotesque and eerier side of the imagination. It is a popular holiday for young adults ages 18 to 24. Some people believe the night offers the public the opportunity to take their private fantasies public.
A poll conducted by the Axe Grooming Company discovered that 55 per cent of the women interviewed believed that Halloween offered an excuse to "act or dress naughty" and 33 per cent of the female respondents confessed that they had worn a "naughty costume" in the past.
For those people practicing the Wicca religion Halloween is one of eight holy days throughout the year and is known as Samhain, a festival of the ancient Celts held around November 1st to celebrate the beginning of winter. It is also the night to give bats, black cats and of course pumpkins a second look.The usually innocuous pumpkin is traditionally made up for display on this day.
This humble and edible fruit is magically transformed into an eerily menacing Jack-O-Lantern, a hallowed out pumpkin with openings cut to represent human eyes, nose and mouth and into which a candle or other light may be placed. When the candle is lit the pumpkin takes on a mysterious and menacing glow.
Halloween is also considered to be a family night. Adults and children don costumes and visit neighbors and friends. Costume parties and other festivities are planned for the evening. Being one of the world's oldest holidays it is still celebrated today in several countries around the globe. North America helps maintain the day's highest level of popularity. It is also reportedly the holiday in which the most candy is sold.and is second only to Christmas in terms of total sales.
Unlike most nations of the world, the day is not celebrated by the French in order to honor their dead and departed ancestors. In Korea, a festival similar to Halloween is know as "Chusok". Among Spanish-speaking nations it is known as "El Dias De Los Muertos". In Sweden the day is called " Alla Helgons Dag" and is celebrated from October 31 until November 6th.
Halloween is a holiday celebrating death as an integral part of life. It is an important day because it is the only holiday that commemorates death, offering us a rare opportunity to face the darkness.
Interesting article, Gerry. I do think your explanation of Samhain is a little off though. This is a celebration of those who have died, of rememberance of them, rather than the celebration of the beginning of winter. That happens in Wicca on the night of the winter solstice, generally Dec 21st. Thanks for pointing out the various names for Halloween in other countries.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
tweet this!
