"Samhain, All Hallowtide, the feast of the dead in Pagan and Christian times, signalizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season, lasting till May, during which troops (esp. the Fiann) were quartered. Faeries were imagined as particularly active at this season. From it the half year is reckoned. also called Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess).(1) The Scottish Gaelis Dictionary defines it as "Hallowtide. The Feast of All Soula. Sam + Fuin = end of summer."(2) Contrary to the information published by many organizations, there is no archaeological or literary evidence to indicate that Samhain was a deity. The Celtic Gods of the dead were Gwynn ap Nudd for the British, and Arawn for the Welsh. The Irish did not have a "lord of death" as such. The information on Samhain is from Rowan Moonstone's The Origins of Halloween. For more info check out Halloween on Wikipedia (1) Rev. Patrick Dineen, "An Irish English Dictionary" (Dublin, 1927), p. 937 (2) Malcolm MacLennan, "A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language" (Aberdeen, 1979), p. 279 The Celts believed that every year on the last day of October, the souls of the dead visited the earth. When the Romans conquered the Celts in the first century A.D., they added parts of their festivals, Feralia and Pomona to the tradition. Feralia was a festival to honor the dead and Pomona was a harvest festival named after the goddess of fruit (apples) and trees. Around the eigth century, the Christian church made November 1 All Saints' Day to honor all of the saints that didn't have a special day of their own. Over the years these festivals combined, the mass held on All Saints' Day was called Allhallowmas (the mass of all Hallows - saintly people). The night before was known as All Hallows Eve. Eventually this name became Halloween. In the 1800s, as a lot of people emigrated to the U.S., the holidays and traditions of different cultures merged. Halloween was not always a happy time. October 31, or the night before took on other names. Some called it Devil's or Hell night, to others it was mischief night. Here in Vermont, the night before is called cabbage night. To some people this became a time to play tricks on others. Some of these tricks were not fun at all. Luckily, community groups and individuals took action and started to change Halloween into a family event. Dressing up in costumes and going "trick or treating", costume parades, community parties and Fall festivals are some of the ways that Halloween is celebrated today. Other countries have different Fall festivals to honor the deceased. The Festival of the Dead is one of the most important happenings in both Palermo and the rest of Sicily. The second of November is a festival day for the children of Palermo as, according to tradition,they were made to believe that their dead relatives would return the night before and leave them traditional sweets and cakes on the table (Martorana fruit, which is almond paste made into the shape of different fruit). They would also receive puppets of boiled sugar and toys. It's one way of keeping the memory of their dead relatives and loved ones alive. (from the neomedia Web site) In Mexico they celebrate El Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead. Although celebrated in all Catholic countries as All Saints' and All Souls' Days, surely no other peoples have embraced the festival of The Day of the Dead to the extent that the Mexicans have. The celebration begins on the evening of October 31, so the name Los Dias de los Muertos is also often used. This festival is considered by many to be the most important holiday of the year in Mexico. Mexico Connect's Day of the Dead page. Arizona Republic's Day of the Dead page. Trick or Treat for Unicef! UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their oportunities to reach their full potential. Halloween Safety Tips Great quick tips from the Red Cross to keep everyone safe on Halloween. Halloween directory by Yahoo! Links, e-cards, games and more. Costume Shops & Magic Shops:Spirit HalloweenGreat Halloween shops that are all over the US! Archie McPhee If they don't have it, you don't need it. Halloween Mart Halloween costumes and supplies "The Internet's Premier Halloween Costume Site" They have Star Wars, Star Trek stuff, adult children's masks props books etc. A. Harlequin Costume and Magic costumes, makeup and accessories. "Real" Haunts & Ghost TownsSalem, Mass.What better place to visit for Halloween than Salem, site of the infamous witch trials. Check out the Haunted Happenings page for this years festivities. The Salem Witch Museum has a Web page for information on tours. Gettysburg PA Ghosts of Gettysburg - #1 Ghost Tour in America. Virtual HauntsHell's Half AcreA Halloween site brought to you by the Star Tribune Online, Minneapolis / St. Paul. Come visit Billy Bear's Halloween Party page... Intended for small Kids... so it's a safe place to visit! Carve a pumpkin... bob for apples and Sarah will tell you your Halloween future! Halloween Ghost storiesFolklore pageThe Ghost Story Folklore list page for Halloween stories Guy Fawkes DayGuy Fawkes Day - November 5So it's not Halloween, find out why some English people gather round bonfires once a year, burning effigies and watching fireworks. Guy Fawkes Day - The Gunpowder Plot On the night of November 5th, throughout England fireworks are set off. The people do this to commemorate their country's most notorious traitor: Guy Fawkes |
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