#1- All Hallows Eve..
"THIS IS HALLOWEEN, THIS IS HALLOWEEN, PUMPKINS SCREAM IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT!"
Happy Halloween, everybody! I hope you have enjoyed my month-long celebration of all things creepy, scary, strange and spooky....
Tonight's final Halloween themed entry will be Halloween itself. Let's take a look at how it all began.....
All Hallows Eve is a pagan holiday that dates back to the ancient festival of Samhain, celebrated on October 31st , and marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It is believed that this is the night when the spirits of the dead can come back to the world of the living. People would leave offerings of food on their doorsteps hoping to prevent these spirits from entering their homes. Another possible origin may have come from the poor and hungry who would go door to door asking for food in exchange for a prayer and would then given a "soul cake." Today it's just kids demanding sugar and threatening to pound you if you refuse to give it to them. Hence, the candy industry was born. They also wore costumes as a disguise to fool the spirits. The jack o'lantern comes form the old Irish tale of Stingy Jack and goes as follows:
"Stingy Jack was a mean and greedy man who liked to steal and play tricks on everyone. He was eventually punished, and stuck in great darkness. In order to see, Jack had to use a hallowed-out turnip as a lantern. The Irish carved turnips to retell Jack’s story. In America, the pumpkin replaced the turnip because it was easier to carve."
....Hence, the pumpkin industry was born.
The ancient Druids and pagans would also sit around and watch "Friday the 13th" "Nightmare on Elm Street" and of course..."Halloween." Hence, the horror film industry was born. You know, I'm noticing a lot of hence -ing and born -ing going on here. Halloween has spawned pumpkin patches, candy companies, horror movies, and ludicrously expensive costume shops. Holy crap! a little polyester suit no heavier than a hospital gown and they charge you $50! What a racket...but, what are you going to do?
Well, this gives you a few basic facts of our favorite holiday. Thank you for joining me and I'll see you next year when we explore some more spooky sites and haunted houses....I'm going to go watch one more scary movie and raid the kids candy buckets for the good ones...and then collapse in a candy coma.....good-night!
*footnote*
You do realize that Halloween also marks the beginning of the Christmas season.....Hence the retail industry was born.....Fa La La La La La La La La...
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