The validity pertaining to where the festival of Hallow's Eve or Halloween originates back to the ancient Celtics(pronounced Keltics, and has nothing to do with the NBA team Boston Celtics) who celebrate the 4 major holy days Samhain, Oimelc, Beltane & Lughnasadh referred to the "fire festivals" observed by the Paleopagan Druids because 'fire' was a physical divinity, holiness, truth, and beauty; fires played important roles in traditional customs in association with each festival. In fact the Catholic Church and Orthodox is the only christian faith that observes mass with a lighted candle because they have adapted pagan beliefs in rituals; a reason why fundamentalists damn the church as ungodly -"heathen." Ironic enough, the early Christian church was unable to stop the festivity of Samhain(prounced "sow"--as in female pig + "en": sowen--ending the "summers end" the begining of the Celtic New Year or birth of Halloween. The holy Roman Empire of the West moved its tradition of "All Saints Day" from May 13 to Samhain ,Nov 1 in order to stop the ancients from celebrating a day where celebration to honor the dead by making contact with spirits that may of spooked out the Judeo-Christians who were forbidden by the old testament in connecting with the dead for spiritual guidance in preperation to 'the other side.' The Catholics have since incorporated Oct 31 & Nov 1 in accordnance to a holy see calendar--popes Gregory III & Gregory IV-- by sprinkling holy water and declaring "All Souls Day" + "All Saints Day" a day of holy obligation that remains devisive amoungst catholics,who all don't agree the church's borrowed custom from the pagans is holy. In Dublin and parts of Ireland dating back to the Medieval Ages, customs of children dressed in macabre costumes knocking on house of doors and requesting, "Help the Hallow E'en party!" Any apples or nuts!" in expecting either presents, that to this day has survived in folk custom as saying "trick-o-treat" expecting candy. In the twentieth century, false accusations of so-called satanists have been reported to poison the "goodies" of children with laced drugs and or styrchnine which of course was a scare by Christian fundamentalist Jack Chick in attempts to rid Halloween by his tricky comic strips. Of course, before the Europeans invaded and settled in the Americas and adopted the Jack-O-Latern and pumpkins given to them by the native Indians, the celebration of the harvest was originated by a turnip, a small vegtable squash in ancient Celtic territories. That is until carved out pumpkins were used to decorate. Dating back to the arrival of the Spaniards in the 15th century, in Mexican tradition, Nov 1 and Nov 2 is El Día de Los Muerto--the day of the dead, where Indigenous people bring toys and presents to the dead so that the living can be reconnected with the dead literally hand-in-hand. Consumned food and beverage that was favored by once the departed is too brought to the grave sites as acting out to guide the home of spirits to the next of kin so to speak.

This is only a brief writing of Halloween originations and customs; it would take me several pages to rave and rant about this festival day. There are books, t.v. documentaries and recourseful websites of what is there to know about Hallow's Eve. Look it up. Death is frequently looked by many as morbid and gloomy, but its the final step of life so accept and embrace it when time comes. So why fear of spiritualism between the living and the dead.

Satanic you say? Halloween is not in the least bit Satanic!

Hallows Eve.

 

Enjoy the Halloween season and stay safe.

 © 2009 sleepparalysis/obe

-Daniel