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halloween

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alawibaz | 10:19 Tue 02nd Nov 2004 | History
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why do people celebrate halloween whats the myth behind it
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according to my sources 31st October in the old Celtic calendar was the last day of the year, the evening being when all the witches and warlocks were abroad.On the introduction of Christianity it was taken over as the Eve of All Hallows or All Saints - don't know if this helps you at all
Halloween is also supposed to be when the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is thinnest, so ghosts of the dead would cause amok, plus the Celts loved a good excuse to get drunk and scare as many people as possable
All Hallows Eve or Hallowe'en preceded All Hallows (meaning saint), which is now called All Saints Day in the Christian calendar. It was a time when witches, fairies and goblins were said to wreak mischief. Masks and disguises were worn, especially by those returning from huts in the hills to the family home for the winter, so that evil spirits would not recognise them and spirit them away. Faces were blackened with soot and clothes worn inside out or back to front as a disguise. Disorder ruled. People played tricks and children were allowed to go from house to house begging food, trick or treating. Turnip heads holding a lighted candle were placed in windows to frighten off evil spirits (in America the pumpkin took over this role).

The celtic celebration was adopted by the romans too as their harvest festival. The colour Orange represents fruitfullness and black indicates winter's onset. It has always been easier to attach a different meaning to an existing religious or cultural festival than to create a new one.

 

Trick or treating started in this country after the film ET in the 80's. I don't know what happened in England before but in Scotland we used to learn a song or a poem and visit family or friends in disguise, do our piece and get rewarded for it with sweets or fruit. I know which I'd rather have my kids doing when I have some!

when i was a kid we didnt do the whole pumpkin thing it was a turnip (bagie) the we scooped out, put a candle and took it out around family and friends doing our pieces and dookin for apples and generally get ill from eating too much. but yeah the history is what everyone says.

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