Hallowe’en Fact 5
Hallowe’en Fact 5
[http://www.couponcravings.com/2008_10_05_archive.html]
So we’ve discussed pumpkins, trick or treating and dressing up, but what is Halloween and where did it originate? I mean seriously, who thought up the idea of celebrating ghosts and ghouls, surely these are things to be feared and avoided.
It all began way back in the day. Of course who ‘invented’ Halloween is one of those age old mysteries; if you read an American history of Halloween then it originated in the great US of A, where as if you read a European history of Halloween then it originated with the celts. Every country and culture seems to have its own version and its own reason for celebrating at this time of year.
Read more… after the break (that’s right… there’s more)
In Britain (that’s right, I originate from that side of the water) it is believed that the celebration of Halloween finds its roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain or the Christian festival of All Saints. Samhain is the festival celebrating the end of the summer season an the beginning of winter. It was believed that on this day the line between our world and the ‘realm of the dead’ became weak, this would allow spirits (both good and bad) to cross between worlds freely. The spirits of ancestors were welcomed, whilst evil and harmful spirits were to be avoided. All saints day is the celebration of all of the Christian saints that do not have their own individual saints day. All saints day is followed on the 2nd November by all Souls day, a day when the dead are remembered and their lives celebrated.
[http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/090325/best-heroes-villians/Wicked-Witch_l.jpg]
So there you have it, a brief history of Hallowe’en. I hope you have enjoyed this count down. Tune in at the beginning of December for your Advent count down.