Happy Samhain /Halloween!

Pax · #1 November 1st, 2002, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gryphin:
Pax are you Pagan / Wiccan also, (my sweetheart and I are), or just very widely read? Most folks don't know "Samhain". I genearlize here.

Well, I'm not pagaon; my g/f is what I refer to as "neopagan"

... meaning, the modern form of paganism, since little of the Old Faiths truly survived the millenia of christianity.

As for me, I'm solidly agnostic, but with a very open mind. And fairly well read.

Growltigga · #2 November 1st, 2002, 11:03 AM

Rockman, you are partially right about the English not celebrating Halloween. We do celebrate it but it used to be in a different way to the North Americans.

When I was a child, trick or treating was unheard of. We used to have Halloween parties which were basically a standard kiddies party, save that you dressed up as werewolves, vampires, devils, witches etc and spent most of the evening going "Woo Woo" and eating jelly. Bobbing for apples featured highly as I recall.

When I got to about 16-17 (ie circa 1987), trick or treating was starting to kick off, but I do remember chaperoning some youngsters and whilst quite a few people entered into the spirit of things, a lot of people told you to go away or they would call the police. At this time, Halloween parties for teenagers were de rigeure and I can still remember it being the first time I saw my childhood sweetheats in leather and fishnets (they were dressed as witches)

Now Guy Fawkes Night is incredibly important and I am slightly surprised you celebrate it in Kiwi-land. It is a big thing for me (my surname is really "Fawkes" although no relation). It is a great night for attending big bonfires wherre you burn the Guy, lots of big fireworks, good food (baked potatoes, sausages and steak and kidney pudding) and of course, as much strong ale as you can get down your gullet in 2 trys - I just love this time of year

capnq · #3 November 1st, 2002, 08:47 PM

A long time ago, I saw a TV show that claimed "trick-or-treat" originated in an ancient Egyptian religious festival, during which they left food offerings on their doorsteps to placate the dead.

Perrin · #4 November 1st, 2002, 08:55 PM

Well I heard that Halloween is nothing more than a scam created by the candy companies to sell more product.

disabled · #5 November 2nd, 2002, 05:09 AM

If I recall right, the name halloween for the day came from when the church tried to rename the holiday into "all saints day" which was on Nov 1st (the celtic new year if I recall) and over time Oct 31st was given a name similar to new years eve, that was shortened to halloween over the Last few centuries and nov 1st faded away.

Taera · #6 November 2nd, 2002, 05:13 AM

hmm... i had a thought, how about people organizing to next halloween and coming together in the different countries, dressed as their races? that'd be cool....

Ragnarok · #7 November 2nd, 2002, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hadrian Tyrael S. Aventine:
If I recall right, the name halloween for the day came from when the church tried to rename the holiday into "all saints day" which was on Nov 1st (the celtic new year if I recall) and over time Oct 31st was given a name similar to new years eve, that was shortened to halloween over the Last few centuries and nov 1st faded away.

If you want I think I can find information on exactly how All Saints Day and Halloween are tied together. If you want that is. If not I won't bother getting it, I know where it is cause I saw it when I looked up information on halloween.