Hey Guys!
Halloween is here!! I know that many of you are trying to still find that perfect costume! You might even be going to a party and trying to find a snack to bring or you might be hosting the party and scurrying around town, or your house to make everything perfect or try to make it better than either you did last year or the other person who hosted it last year. Some of you might be going to a harvest festival at either your church or another organization that is helping you to feel safer for your kids. I don’t have any children yet but, I have heard that many parents are thankful that they don’t have to go out in their neighborhoods and beg for candy. I have also seen where people love when they can have their kids go out into their neighborhoods and meet their neighbors and make new friends.
They mostly don’t want the tradition of trick-or-treating. I think that getting to know the people we live by can be a really great thing and needs to be done more. I am as guilty as anyone of not going out enough and saying hello to my neighbors.
Anyway, I wanted to give you guys a little history lesson on the Halloween holiday!
–Halloween actually originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts and evil spirits.
-In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. Later on, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of the Samhain festival. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later it became known as Halloween.
-Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating sweet treats.
-November 1 was known as the new year in the Celtic calendar. They believed that during this time the spirits of the dead and any other kinds of spirits would come to earth and cause trouble.
Now, this is not an exhaustive list and I hope that this inspires you to look further into the history of not only this holiday but all of the holidays. You might find it fun!
Be Strong and Courageous
My main reference was:
TheUntamedLife 