WITCHES, SKELETONS, BROOMSTICKS GHOSTS AND GHOULISH CREATURES

Add to the above, spider webs, skulls, Dracula, and monsters, and Pumpkins!
Yes, it spells Halloween! It is a yearly Macabre celebration of horror! But it also is a time for special meals, and super treats.

Where did Halloween originate from, who started it and for what purpose?
Halloween was originally called the festival of Samhain and has been part of the Celtic Religion in Britain and Europe.
PArt of the belief that weird creatures with strange powers could wander about on the earth.
To scare the ghosts, creatures and spirits away a big festival was held by the Celts.
The Celts adopted the Christian religion and the festival on the 31st of October, the day before All Saints Day, became
known as All Hallow's Eve.
Halloween developed in many countries with as many legends and traditions

In many parts of the Christian world observance of All Hallows Eve, includes Church Services, lighting candles on the graves of the dead, Some Christians also abstain from eating meat, they ate traditionally vegetarian foods including apples, potato pancakes and soul cakes.
The Halloween costumes as seen today are believed to have been influenced by folk costumes and beliefs in the Celtic countries, and have pagan roots.

Throughout Ireland and Britain, the activities included rituals and Garros foretelling of ones future like death and marriage. Apples and nuts were used in these divination rituals, including apple bobbing and nut roasting, scrying, mirror gazing or pouring molten lead of egg white into the water
Special bonfires with rituals were lit. They believed that the flames smoke and ashes had cleansing powers. Torches were lit from the flames and carried around sunwise round the homes and fields, to invoke protection. The fires were imitative sympathetic magic, they mimicked the Sun helping Powers of growth.
In Scotland,
Bonfires were banned by the Church, but in Wales, the bonfires were lit to prevent the souls of the dead from falling to earth! Also to keep away the dead!

Tricks or Treat originated in the 16th Century with a festival including mumming and guising. This involved people going from house to house dressed in costumes, reciting verses or songs, in exchange for food.
They personified the old spirits of winter who demanded a reward in exchange for good fortune.
America became the place where Halloween was very popular, and with many new rituals, and practices.
It is a day of festivals and fun for families. Children and adults dress up in fancy costumes and visit homes in their neighbourhood, where they demand teats, less they play a trick if not given a treat.
Some people carve scary faces on pumpkins, or other vegetables to ward off evil spirits, or light candles in the garden. Elaborate decorations of Ghosts and other creatures decorate their homes and gardens, and special events . Interesting meals are planned with scary evil themes.
Their are spooks ghosts, wandering skeletons, that represent contact between the spiritual and physical world, bats black cats, and spiders who accompany wizards and witches are part of the symbols.

It has become commercially profitable business in the USA and other countries with expensive cistmes, and decorations, and even scary movies and videos. The best part however for the childrens is the treats that they can accumilate and keep.