| Have you ever thought about or done any | | | | Dead - or the Physical/Seen and Spiritual/Unseen |
| research as to what Halloween actually started | | | | Realms - is the thinnest it will ever be. It is this |
| out as? Where in the world the current customs | | | | fact that allows the spirits of the dead to roam |
| of carving pumpkins into Jack-'o-Lanterns and | | | | the Earth/Physical Realm freely. |
| Trick-or-Treating and wearing costumes that can | | | | It is this fact, as well as people's fears regarding |
| be either funny or scary or just plain cute came | | | | the appearance of those that had died that led to |
| from? These are things that many of us have | | | | the custom of wearing Costumes in the first |
| not really thought about or even know anything | | | | place. For the most part what is now an accepted |
| about. The true history of the holiday that we | | | | and enjoyable part of Halloween originally began |
| know as Halloween is a bit cloudy and unknown to | | | | as a way to keep the wandering Ghosts and |
| most people. Yet there are many people around | | | | Spirits away for those Living that they happened |
| the world that are very aware of the traditions | | | | to come across. What is now something of an |
| and history involved here. | | | | obsession with and for many people around the |
| One of the first things that needs to be said here | | | | world was originally something as simple as |
| is that the current way of spelling and writing | | | | throwing a blanket or sheet or and animal skin |
| Halloween is actually an updated version of what | | | | over/around oneself so that the Ghosts/Spirits |
| the holiday originally started out as; which is in | | | | could not see you and therefore would not bother |
| reality Hallowe'en. The reason for this is that | | | | you. Nowadays we look all over in the stores and |
| Halloween when written in the original way - | | | | online or decide to make costumes by hand. |
| Hallowe'en - actually referred to and meant | | | | The money that is spent on the things that are |
| Hallows Eve or All Hallows Eve. This traditionally | | | | so easily associated with Halloween: Costumes, |
| takes place on October 31st every year. On | | | | Trick-or-Treat Candy and Bags, Pumpkins and |
| today's calendars it immediately precedes All | | | | traditional foods is simply STAGGERING!!! Foods |
| Soul's Day which is November 1st. | | | | such as Apples and Pumpkins, Pumpkin Pie, Apple |
| To get to the truth about where and when the | | | | Pie, Apple Cider, Indian Corn, Assorted Gourds |
| custom and traditions and practices of what we | | | | and Assorted Candy/Candy Corn have long since |
| now know as Halloween REALLY came from we | | | | been staples of our yearly Halloween celebrations. |
| need to go back thousands of years and to | | | | Another major part of the original Pagan |
| another continent and countries altogether. In | | | | celebration of Samhain involves lighting HUGE |
| reality when we now know as Halloween - or All | | | | Bonfires outdoors. The reason behind this and |
| Hallows Eve - in truth began as a PAGAN Sabbat, | | | | why people often did this was also to scare the |
| or Holy Celebration, known as Samhain. This is | | | | Ghosts/Spirits away from themselves, their |
| pronounced as SOW-EEN. Samhain originated as a | | | | homes and their lands. The outdoor Bonfires and |
| Celtic, and Druid as well it is believed, Celebration | | | | donning of Cloaks/Animal Skins have slowly given |
| that Honors the ancestors and deceased of those | | | | way to today's customs of donning Halloween |
| that were and are alive to celebrate. Part of this | | | | Costumes and carving Jack 'o Lanterns which |
| yearly celebration also marks the coming of the | | | | often have a large lit candle placed in them. |
| Darker Half of the year, meaning Autumn and | | | | The last part of the history of Halloween involves |
| Winter. | | | | how it actually became what we now know as |
| On the Pagan Wheel of the Year there are 8 | | | | Halloween. Well, that part of the story came |
| Sabbats or Celebrations that are marked by | | | | about after the Catholic Church was formed. This |
| certain things. Samhain is set as the 7th of the 8 | | | | is NOT an attack on the Catholic Church now |
| celebrations. The Pagans of old and today are | | | | mind you, but simply a historical fact that cannot |
| always observing what is happening all around | | | | be disputed. The leaders of the Catholic Church |
| them and celebrate the changing of the Seasons | | | | slowly "took over" and Re-Named all Pagan |
| of the year and the phases of the Moon. | | | | Sabbats. They adopted most of the Pagan |
| Samhain, and Halloween, fall on the thirty-first day | | | | religious customs and adapted or eradicated those |
| of October because this is the day that the Celtic | | | | they did not like; thus Samhain became Hallowe'en |
| people, and most Pagans for that matter, felt the | | | | All Hallows Eve. Make no mistake about the fact |
| presence of the spirits of the Departed more | | | | that Samhain was and still is a religious celebration |
| than any other day and night. It has always been | | | | among the Celtic and Pagan people, one that still |
| said and believed that on Samhain/Halloween the | | | | endures to this day! |
| Veil between the Worlds of the Living and the | | | | |