Happy Hallowe'en

I've come to realize in the last few days that a lot of people don't know where Hallowe'en came from.  So here are some "FUN" FACTS for one and all:


1.  Hallowe'en is believed to have first orginated from the Celtic harvest festival Samhain, in Ireland. 
2.  Samhain represented the end of the season of light, and the beginning of the season of darkness.
3.  It was believed that the border between our world and the spririt world was at it's thinnest, resulting in visitations from spirits of both persuasions.  The harmful ones were warded off with carved Jack-o-lantern turnips and costumes that mimicked them.
4.  Bonfires are still considered a part of Hallowe'en in some places.
5.  Going door to door asking for candy is thought to have come from the practice of "souling" on November first, where poor people would beg for food in return for prayers for the dead (on All Saints Day).


Hallowe'en is a holiday that I always looked forward to as a kid.  I knew the family rules..  no witch, ghost, or devil costumes, but I was more interested in other things, anyway.
My mother was especially good at making costumes for us.  One year she made my sister into a blue jay, giant bird feet included.  She could hardly walk in it, but it won her first prize in her class.
Another time I had an interesting costume.. 
Here's a picture:

I'm the one on the bottom left in red and white.  I'm also facing backwards for some reason, so it's difficult to tell.  Can you guess?  No?  I was a tube of Colgate!  Why?  I have no idea!  I don't recall asking for this costume, but looking back it was pretty neat..  and also difficult to walk in due to the wire clothes hanger in the bottom of it.  I don't think I won a prize for this one, either.  That's my mother in the back.  She's the mime in black and white.

Even as an adult, I love dressing up on Hallowe'en.  It's still fun to dress up and be whatever you want to be for one evening.  And the candy helps.  This year is a wash because of it being on a Sunday night, but there's always next year!

Spooky!

Funny story about my husband's lab coat in this picture.  We got ready at my parent's house and he wanted to splash fake blood on the jacket (he was going to be a zombie doctor).  I told him that the only good place to do that would be in the shower or outside.  Since it was dark and cold outside, he chose the bathroom.  We were in a hurry so we ran out the door with the jacket still damp.  A little while later my mother called and said thanks for almost giving her a heart attack when she went to take a shower..  I can always count on him to forget little things like not leaving the bathroom looking like a crime scene!