Ah Halloween! And a great Halloween Buckeye O-H-I-O (they are everywhere!). For some the perceived negative connotations of Halloween make it not everyone's favorite holiday. But what is Halloween really (other than America's 2nd largest holiday commercially -- Christmas of course being the first)?
It is the day of the dead, filled with superstitions, witches, goblins, ghosts, black cats -- a day filled with mystery and magic. A day the spirits came back to earth. A scary dark day that at times has slipped into the paranormal and the occult.
But don't be fooled -- look more closely. For tomorrow we celebrate the new Year.
It is in between the end of this year, and the beginning of the new year that the spirits of the dead return to walk the earth, and occasionally play tricks. While the nothern europeans may have started the tradition, the celts mastered it. For them is was the festival of Samuin, or the "summers end". A celebration of the harvest, preparing for the long winter ahead, a period that often marked death due to the hardships theyendured.
Masks and costumes were presented to protect from the sprits that slipped in between the two years, bonfires lit to burn sacrifices, placing bowls of food outside their doors to appease the ghosts and prevent their entering their homes, familiar symbols even today.
The placing of a candle in a window, or carving a turnip as a latern with the image of a dear departed one. An honoring of the dead. That was the movement in the 800's, starting the "new year" with the celebration and honoring of saints and martrys, a celebration to honor the dead. All Saints Day, Alholowmesse in Middle English, or All-hallows, All-hallowsmas. The night before the traditional Samuin bon-fires became thus All-hallows -eve -- shortened of course to Halloween.
Masks and costumes were presented to protect from the sprits that slipped in between the two years, bonfires lit to burn sacrifices, placing bowls of food outside their doors to appease the ghosts and prevent their entering their homes, familiar symbols even today.
The placing of a candle in a window, or carving a turnip as a latern with the image of a dear departed one. An honoring of the dead. That was the movement in the 800's, starting the "new year" with the celebration and honoring of saints and martrys, a celebration to honor the dead. All Saints Day, Alholowmesse in Middle English, or All-hallows, All-hallowsmas. The night before the traditional Samuin bon-fires became thus All-hallows -eve -- shortened of course to Halloween.
Which thought of differently, puts a whole new twist on Halloween. Hallow means of course "to make holy".
So tonight celebrate the harvest, the bounties of summer, the closing of the previous year. Prepare for the long, sometimes dark and difficult winter ahead. Honor All Saints Day, honor the faithful who have died. Remember those who are no longer with us. Remember them, keep them close, and with their memory move forward, onward, through the winter, through the difficult darkness, back to the light of spring.
So tonight celebrate the harvest, the bounties of summer, the closing of the previous year. Prepare for the long, sometimes dark and difficult winter ahead. Honor All Saints Day, honor the faithful who have died. Remember those who are no longer with us. Remember them, keep them close, and with their memory move forward, onward, through the winter, through the difficult darkness, back to the light of spring.
So what is Halloween? What ever you choose to make it. For me a celebration of all that I have been given, a remembrance of what was before me, a preparation for what is ahead, a new year, a new chance.
Happy Halloween.
great history of Halloween VC - but the true spirit is seeing Joe's costume for this year - SILLY:)
ReplyDeleteBring it on Joe -- we need to see pictures!!!
ReplyDeleteI have the picture on Facebook. I'll send them to you.
ReplyDelete