francene--blog. Year 2013
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Oct 31st

10/31/2013

 
Picturewww.bu.edu
The Halloween News this morning features The skeleton Lady of The Day of the Dead, who has been a fixture at fiestas for a century. Mexico's elegant and classy "Skeleton Lady" is even inspiring some movie and rock stars in the U.S. to don Halloween costumes based on the macabre figure. Nowadays, it is a busy time of year for make-up artists, who are increasingly losing out to computer-generated graphics, as everyone wants to be transformed into a monster for the night. Theme parks and film studios in the US take advantage by hosting "fright nights" and turning hundreds of actors into zombies.

While the whole of America goes Halloween crazy with activities that include trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, decorating, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, I have to wonder why children like telling scary stories, and adults watch horror films.


Picturepeople.howstuffworks.com
I guess there is something in the human nature that is fascinated with dreadful things that could happen. When they return to their normal life, they feel secure. The children of a bygone era would listen enthralled to Grimm's Fairy Tales.

But how did this macabre, extreme festival of Halloween begin?

Halloween or Hallowe'en,  (All Hallows' Evening or All Hallows' Eve), is a yearly celebration observed in a number of countries on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It initiates the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (or hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed believers.

According to many scholars, All Hallows' Eve is a Christianized feast initially influenced by Celtic harvest festivals, with possible pagan Celtic roots. Other academics maintain that it originated independently and has solely Christian roots.


PictureThe Halloween Webring
Today's Halloween customs are thought to have been influenced by folk customs and beliefs from the Celtic-speaking countries, some of which have pagan roots, and others which may be rooted in Celtic Christianity. An academic folklorist, writes that the sacred and the religious are a fundamental context for understanding Halloween in Northern Ireland, where an uneasy truce exists between customs and beliefs associated with Christianity and those associated with religions that were Irish before Christianity arrived. Samhain/Calan Gaeaf marked the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter—the darker half of the year when spirits or fairies could drift easily into our world and were particularly active.

In modern Ireland, Scotland, Mann and Wales, the festival included mumming and guising, which goes back at least as far as the 16th century. This involved people going house-to-house in costume or disguise, reciting verses or songs in exchange for food. The period from the harvest season until All Saints Day provided one last chance for the dead to gain vengeance on their enemies before moving to the next world. In order to avoid being recognized by any soul that might be seeking such vengeance, people would don masks or costumes to disguise their identities from wandering souls of the departed.

North American almanacs of the late 18th and early 19th century give no indication that Halloween was celebrated there. The Puritans of New England, for example, maintained strong opposition to Halloween, and it was not until the mass Irish and Scottish immigration during the 19th century that it was brought to North America in earnest. Confined to the immigrant communities during the mid-19th century, it was gradually assimilated into mainstream society and by the first decade of the 20th century it was being celebrated coast to coast by people of all social, racial and religious backgrounds.

I'm inclined to think the whole thing is silly. But take no notice of me. I'm a spoil-sport. I never indulged, even as a child. In my quiet area of Hertfordshire, England, there are no children knocking on the door, demanding sweets or trying to scare an old lady. I'm sure you have your own ideas of the practice. Perhaps you love spooky stories.

If you really want to frighten yourself, Gateway, a short story by Melissa Massey-Moroni, the writer who made my wonderful book trailers below, is released today.
Take a look at the Getaway book trailer: http://youtu.be/CFeFZGt005w
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Getaway-ebook/dp/B00GBHQVY0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383180702&sr=1-1&keywords=mel+massey



Paula Eder link
10/30/2013 09:17:03 pm

I enjoyed this post - both for the information and for the tone. Thoroughly enjoyable writing - and loved perusing your books in the sidebar as well.

Francene Stanley link
10/30/2013 11:28:56 pm

So glad I reached just the right spot.

Lisa Mallis link
10/30/2013 09:59:35 pm

WOW - yet another fabulous post! I love that I always learn something when I visit your blog! I appreciate the resources on the sidebar and will check them out!

Lisa

Francene Stanley link
10/30/2013 11:30:04 pm

Thanks, Lisa. I can't resist finding out about how stuff works and I'm glad to pass on the information.

Kama link
10/30/2013 10:03:07 pm

I have to admit I am not keen on Halloween. I would love for us to move more towards the traditional meaning of Halloween and find other ways to acknowledge this time. I will be hiding indoors with a good book :)

Francene Stanley link
10/30/2013 11:31:54 pm

A book is always the best option--especially an uplifting one. Who needs to be scared?

Katherine Hetzel link
10/30/2013 10:14:45 pm

I'm a party pooper re Halloween...hide in the house with the lights off and refuse to open the door to anyone!

But scary stories... hmmm...I don't like them myself. I blame James Herbert; I read 'The Rats' as a teenager and was scared witless!

I think the scare thing is all about the adrenalin rush. Guess I'm just not an adrenalin junkie...

Francene Stanley link
10/30/2013 11:30:58 pm

'Psycho' did the damage to me. Took me years to get over the fear.

Sophie Bowns link
10/30/2013 10:26:12 pm

I have to say that I am not a massive Halloween fan, I was when I was younger, but now think that it's really Americanised and over-rated. (But of course, that's just my opinion!)

Francene Stanley link
10/30/2013 11:32:53 pm

Join the club of Halloween poopers!

Amy link
10/30/2013 10:57:16 pm

I am a chicken, and hate the really scary aspect of this holiday, but I love the jack-o-lanterns and the pumpkins and dressing up. And tiny little chocolate bars.

Francene Stanley link
10/30/2013 11:33:57 pm

You go play with your little-uns, Amy. The time will come when you can't indulge any more.

DinoMama link
10/31/2013 10:47:59 am

I do not like scary stuffs. I see how USA celebrates Halloween and I'm glad I am not staying there lol. Sure~ I will take part in the neighbourhood dressing up MY KID for the Trick or Treat thing but NO I am not going to go out partying and be scared by some monsters or witch or something with bloody eyes, mouth or something. So yes, I like Halloween, but only the kids version :D


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    Author

    Francene Stanley, author of many published novels. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books? You'll see them on the sidebar below.
    Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life.

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