Halloween  Happy Halloween Wishes
From 101lifeStyle.com
Customs / Symbols Of Halloween:
Today Halloween is an observance marked by a mixture of ancient Celtic and Roman Catholic practices and traditions. Each practice has evolved into a global custom and has a story to tell, from its ancient background. Bonfires: Bonfires, in Celtic times were lighted by the Druids, who were the priests to strengthen the Sun God and and give him power enough to overcome the lord of darkness so that the sun season could continue. The term bonfire, comes from the words "Bone fire" literally meaning the bones of sacrificed animals, sometimes human, that were piled in a field with timber and set ablaze. This practice of burning humans was stopped around 1600, and an effigy was sometimes burned instead. On this night, as per legend, all the hearth fires were extinguished, and then re-lit from the central fire of the Druids which was at Tlachtga, 12 miles from the royal hill of Tara. All householders were levied a fee to relight their holy fire which burned at their altars. The extinguishing of the fires symbolized the "dark half" of the year, and the re-kindling from the Druidic fires was symbolic of the returning life hoped for, and brought about. Halloween Costumes:
 Halloween costumes originated from the Celts during their Samhain celebrations, when they lit bonfires and dressed up in animal skins and head gears to disguise themselves as demons and spirits to scare away the ghosts and spirits and would then dance and tell ghost stories. However, costuming became popular for Halloween parties in America in the early 1900s, as often for adults as for children. The first mass-produced Halloween costumes appeared in stores in the 1950s when trick-or-treating became a fixture throughout the United States. Typical Halloween costumes would be of monsters such as vampires, ghosts, witches, and devils. However in recent times, theme based costumes, or a villainous television character have also gained popularity. These costumes are often designed to imitate supernatural and scary monsters of legend, fiction, television or movies. Jack-O-Lanterns:
The most prominent custom of Halloween is carving out mostrous faces from hollowed-out pumpkins. The tradition dates back to the Celts when an unhappy blacksmith named Jack tricked the devil, and could not enter Heaven or Hell after his death. He was destined to roam the earth, in the dark, windy with a burning coal placed in a turnip which he was eating, as his only source of light. Ever since, Jack has been doomed to wander in darkness with his lantern until "Judgment Day." Jack of the lantern (Jack o'Lantern) became known as the symbol of a damned soul. Originally the Irish would carve out turnips or beets as lanterns as representations of the souls of the dead or goblins freed from the dead. When the Irish emigrated to America they could not find many turnips to carve into Jack O'Lanterns but they did find an abundance of pumpkins. Pumpkins seemed to be a suitable substitute for the turnips and pumpkins have been an essential part of Halloween celebrations ever since. Trick Or Treat:
 This is another prominent customary practice on Halloween when children dressed in various eerie costumes travel from house to house in the neighborhood asking for treats such as candies, gifts (in some cultures, money too), with the question "Trick-or-treat?" The trick however is a prank that the children play on the homeowners if refused a treat. In North America, this practice has become popular among children since the late 1950s. The tradition of going from door to door collecting food has its roots in Britain and Ireland and was called souling. On Hallowmas (November 1) ,children and the poor called soulers would go from door to door to collect Soul Cakes to celebrate the dead on All Saints Day or All Souls Day (November 2). Another practice was "guising" prevalent in Ireland and Scotland, where children would disguise themselves in various costumes and go from house to house collecting, gifts, chocolates, apples or nuts or money for Halloween party. Bobbing For Apples:
This custom originated from the times when the Romans conquered the Celtic region. The Romans honored Pamona, the goddess of fruits and trees. The symbol of Pamona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween. The apples are either placed in water or hung from a string and young unmarried people try to bite the apple. The first person to do so was believed to be the next to marry. Peeling an apple in front of a candle-lit mirror was believed to produce the image of one's future spouse. Bobbing for Apples is a favorite game / activity among children as well as and unmarried individuals during Halloween. Witches:
 A typical Halloween image is that of a witch flying on a broom. According to legends, witches would gather on October 31 - All Hallow's Eve, to celebrate a party hosted by the devil. When the early settlers came to America, they brought along with them, their belief in witches and superstitions associated with witches. Black cats have also long been associated with witches. ********************************************* Samhain Celebrations |
