Origins of Halloween:
The Celtic people, feared the evening of Oct. 31 more than any other day of the year. It was the eve of their festival of Samhain, it was a joyful harvest festival that marked the death of the old year and the beginning of a new one. Come evening evil spirits were everywhere. Charms and spells were said to have more power on the eve of Samhain. Several rituals were performed by the Celtic priests, Druids, to appease the Lord of the Dead.
In the 7th century the church celebrated All Saint's Day in May, but by the 9th century the date had been changed to Nov. 1st. The original festival for the pagan Lord of the Dead became a festival of Christian dead. People went on expecting the arrival of ghosts on Oct. 31st. Another name for All Saint's Day was All Hallows' Even which was later shortened to Halloween. In the 10th century the church named Nov. 2nd as All Souls' Day in memory of all dead souls. Halloween, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day come so close together and are so similar that in some countries they tend to merge together.
The central symbol
The witch is a central symbol of Halloween. The name comes from the Saxon wica, meaning wise one. When setting out for a Sabbath, witches rubbed a sacred ointment onto their skin. This gave them a feeling of flying, and if they had been fasting they felt even giddier. So
me witches rode on horseback, but poor witches went on foot and carried a broom or a pole to aid in vaulting over streams. In England when new witches was initiated they were often blindfolded, smeared with flying ointment and placed on a broomstick.
An Irish myth
An Irish myth tells of a man named Stingy Jack, who one day invited the Devil to have a drink. He convinced the Devil to change into a sixpence in order to pay for the drink, but instead of paying for the drink he pocketed the sixpence beside a silver cross which prevented the Devil from changing back. Jack made a deal with the Devil before letting him free. For one year the Devil could not harrass Jack. Next Halloween the Devil met up with Jack again, and Jack made another deal with him to be left alone. Jack died within the year and was turned back from the Gates of Heaven. He went to the Gates of Helland the Devil told him to go away, as Jack had made him promise not to claim his soul. Jack didn't want to leave because it was dark and he couldn't find his way. The Devil tossed Jack a glowing coal and Jack put it inside a turnip, and ever since with this Jack-O'-Lantern, Jack has been roaming the faces of this earth.
Scottish children hollow out and carve large turnips and put candles in them. Irish children use turnips or potatoes. In parts of England they use large beets. When the Scotch and the Irish came to the US they found pumpkins, which of course make a perfect Jack-O'-Lantern.
Vampire's Blood Shake:
2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 package frozen starwberries or raspberries, thawedice cubes
1 pint strawberry ice cream.
1.Mix yogurt, vanilla, and berries in the blender.2.Pour into tall glasses over ice cubes, or chill.3.Top with a big spoonful of strawberry ice cream.
Pumpkin Seeds:
2 cups pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons melted buttervegetable oil
!.Separate pumpkin seeds from the pulp but don't wash the seeds.2.Mix seeds, butter, salt, and stir.3.Grease baking tray with oil and pour on buttered seeds. Gently shake the pan to even out the seeds.4.Bake seeds at 200 degrees F. for 45 mins.
CREATURE UNDER BED
