The history of the origin of the Halloween holiday for children. Hello Halloween! History and traditions of the most terrible holiday of the year. bats in the belfry - “not everyone is at home”
Quote from ABOVE
I was always biased towards Halloween, until I found out an amazing thing: this holiday was still among the ancient Aryan-Celts! I had to dig into the blogosphere and this is what I came up with. The page http://blogs.mail.ru/mail/amira29/75D9F0C53A6F60EA.html, unknown by author, helped a lot.
The History of Halloween
Halloween is one of ancient holidays in the world. In this strange holiday, the Celtic tradition of honoring evil spirits and the Christian tradition of worshiping all saints intertwined.
The history of Halloween dates back thousands of years, from the Celtic Samhain festival, the Roman Pomona Day and the Christian All Saints Day.
Centuries ago, the lands of modern Britain and northern France were inhabited by Celtic tribes. They were pagans and worshiped the sun god as the supreme god. The Celts divided the year into two parts - winter and summer. Throughout the winter, the sun god was held captive by Samhain, lord of the dead and prince of darkness.
The Samhain festival, which was celebrated on November 1, is the time when winter begins. At this time, summer gave way to winter, day to night, life to death, and all barriers between the material and supernatural worlds were removed, the gates between them opened for one night. At this time, all the unfulfilled hopes and plans of the dead returned to earth again, and their souls descended to their homes. The souls of the dead could take on different guises, the evil ones moved into animals, and the most dangerous ones into cats. On this day, all evil spirits descend to the earth.
On the night of October 31 to November 1, druids - spirits of wildlife - gathered in oak groves on hilltops (the Celts considered oaks to be sacred trees), lit bonfires and made sacrifices to evil spirits to propitiate them. And in the mornings, the Druids gave people coals from their fires, so that they kindled the hearths of their houses. The fire of the Druids warmed the houses during the long winter and protected the house from evil spirits.
At night, the girls guessed. You can throw two chestnuts into the fire of the druids. If the fruits burn nearby, then the girl will live in friendship and harmony with the sweetheart, if they roll in different directions, their paths will go in different directions. A girl could see her future husband by sitting in front of a mirror at midnight with an apple in her hand. A fallen candlestick was considered the worst omen. `Evil spirits want to put out the fire in the house`, the Celts believed.
At the beginning of our era, the Romans conquered the Celtic territory, bringing with them their traditions and holidays. On the night of October 31 to November 1, they celebrated the Day of Pomona, the goddess of plants.
In the 9th century, when Christianity spread to the territory of Great Britain, these ancient traditions were mixed with another holiday - the Catholic All Saints' Day - All Hallows Even, or All Hallows Eve. Later it was called Hallowe`en, and eventually Halloween.
Today from ancient pagan holiday remained a set of funny fascinating traditions. On this night, it is customary to dress up in costumes of evil spirits and arrange masquerades. In my opinion, one should not miss a rare chance to feel like a witch or a demon. An integral symbol of Halloween is a pumpkin head. The inside is removed from the pumpkin, the face is cut out and a candle is inserted inside. The pumpkin symbolizes at the same time the end of the harvest, the evil spirit and the fire that scares it away. So strangely concentrated ancient beliefs in one subject. On this night, children knock on houses shouting: `Treat or trick!` - `Treat or regret it!`. If you don't make a sacrifice, these little evil demons can play cruel tricks on you, such as smearing soot on door handles.
It is a pity that behind these entertainments the ancient meaning of Halloween is forgotten. Halloween intrigues with mystery, with its mythical significance. This holiday is an attempt to understand the connection between our world and the other world. Halloween is a transition, a gateway from one world to another. This gate, like any other, is paradoxical. Being between two worlds, they belong at the same time to both of them - and to neither of them.
Samhain is the gateway to winter. We still tend to perceive winter with dislike and disgust. Everything that lives seems to die. However, the arrival of death is, by definition, the arrival of life. The white desert where Samhain lives is extraordinarily beautiful. She is freed from everything superfluous, superficial. His time is the time to throw off the burden of worries and vanities that have accumulated over the summer and have lost their meaning, following the example of trees that are freed from leaves that have outlived their time. After all, if the trees do not shed them, the dead leaves will not give them the opportunity to come to life again in the spring.
Legend has it that on this night Samhain opens the gates to the past and the future. Two elements become available in the present. This is the time when a person is not limited by the cell of his time and can realize his place in the web of eternity.
However, the transition to another space or time is usually painful. The gate is well guarded. Witches and demons - the heroes of Halloween - are the shadows of the gate keepers. From our side of existence, they seem to be frightening embodiments of evil. 
halloween traditions
Today, from the ancient pagan holiday, a set of funny and fascinating traditions remains. On this night, it is customary to dress up in costumes of evil spirits and arrange masquerades. Agree, not often you have a chance to feel like a witch or a demon. An integral symbol of Halloween is a pumpkin head. The inside is removed from the pumpkin, the face is cut out and a candle is inserted inside. The pumpkin symbolizes at the same time the end of the harvest, the evil spirit and the fire that scares it away. So strangely concentrated ancient beliefs in one subject. An indispensable attribute of Halloween is the rite "Trik or trak" ("Dirty or gift"). On this night, children knock on houses shouting: “Treat or trick!” - "Treat or be sorry!". If you don't make a sacrifice, these little evil demons can play cruel tricks on you, such as smearing soot on door handles.
Following Celtic legends, on the night of October 31 to November 1, druids - spirits of wildlife - gathered in oak groves on hilltops (the Celts considered oaks to be sacred trees), lit bonfires and made sacrifices to evil spirits to propitiate them. And in the mornings, the Druids gave people coals from their fires, so that they kindled the hearths of their houses. The fire of the Druids warmed the houses during the long winter and protected the house from evil spirits.
The Celts believed that on the night of New Year the border between the worlds of the dead and the living opens, and the shadows of the departed in the past year visit the earth. 
In order not to become the prey of a dead shadow, people extinguished the hearths in their houses and dressed up as scarily as possible - in animal skins and heads, hoping to scare away the ghosts that crawled across the open border. The spirits were put out treats on the street so that they would be satisfied with this and not break into the house. On this night, predictions were made, animals were sacrificed, and then everyone took a tongue of sacred flame into their house to light the winter hearth.
If you really want to see a witch, there is one sure remedy - go outside at midnight, dressed upside down, and walk backwards. Have a nice meeting!
Another Halloween Story
Halloween is one of the most ancient holidays on our planet.
The Halloween holiday (Halloween or Savin - Samhain), or as it is also called (Hallow Evening) which translated into Russian means - the eve of All Saints' Day, is celebrated on the night of October 31 to November 1, in this unusual holiday intertwined at first glance conflicting customs, the Celtic tradition of praising dark spirits and the Christian tradition of worshiping saints.
The first holidays were organized by people over a thousand years ago, the founders of this holiday are the Celtic Samhain festival, the Roman day of Pomona and the Christian All Saints Day.
In the ancient lands of present-day England and in the cold parts of France lived the Celtic tribes. These tribes were pagans and, like all pagans, they worshiped the elements of nature, their most revered god was the Sun.
With the advent of winter, November 1 - the sun god was captured by (Samhain) Souin - this is the lord of the dead and the prince of darkness. 
The Celts also believed that the (correct) day begins at sunset, and on this night mysterious doors were opened dark world, all the barriers between our material and other worlds were removed, and the inhabitants of the dark hell fell to us on earth, the door between the worlds opened for just one night.
At this most mysterious time, all the unfulfilled plans, the hopes of the dead again came back to the mortal earth, and their wandering souls returned to their homes. All the souls of the dead usually took on different magical guises - evil spirits were placed in the bodies of animals, but the most evil demons in black cats.
To appease these demons, terrible scenes took place - bonfires were lit and sacrifices were made. 
On the day of Samhain, all otherworldly energy lands on earth.
To see their betrothed, the girls sat down in front of a clean mirror, exactly at midnight, holding an apple with one hand.
It was also believed that if a candlestick fell in the house, this is a "bad" sign (dark spirits are trying to put out the source of fire in the house) the Celts believed in this.
Even in our time, some of these will take, still live.
From the first days of our era, the victorious Romans conquered all the Celtic lands, bringing with them new seeds of their traditions and religious holidays. The Romans themselves celebrated at night from October 31 to November 1 "Pomona's Day" it was their goddess of living plants.
As time passed, when the Romans conquered all the lands of the Celtic tribes, the holiday of the Celts "Samhain" was replaced in these territories by new holiday conquerors - the day of "Pomona" - the goddess of living plants. Since the Romans themselves celebrated the Day of the Dead on this day, both holidays were smoothly intertwined and were celebrated from both sides without any problems.
The holiday in the form in which we know it today was established by the efforts of the Catholic Church in the 8th and 9th centuries, when Pope Gregory the 3rd, and Gregory the 4th, postponed the Catholic holiday "All Saints' Day" (All-Hallows-Even, sometimes also called ~ All-Hallows-Eve) from May 13 to November 1.
As a result, the Halloween holiday began to be called Hallowe~en, and in its final form - Halloween.
There are two opposite versions of why on Halloween holiday, small children dressed in scary stories go from house to house and dance (as in Russia and Ukraine with Belarus):
1. Children, wearing masks of evil spirits, knock on all houses and shout: Treat or it will be worse! - collect sweets (victims) that should propitiate them. And if you do not bring your sacrifice to them, these little evil spirits can make a terrible joke on you, for example, cover the handles of doors or windows with black soot.
2. Donating various goodies (sweets, cookies) for children is considered as a good deed, which, with good prayers for the departed, should facilitate the existence of all those who are in the dark corridors of hell.
The further development of the Halloween holiday is banal, like everything connected with America: this holiday migrated from the British Isles throughout the English nation, first to America, as well as Canada, Australia.
A very important attribute of this celebration is the pumpkin, namely the pumpkin head. Usually, all soft insides are removed from a ripe pumpkin, then a peculiar face is created with a knife, and a burning candle is placed inside, there are different versions of where this symbol of the Samhain holiday came from:
The orange pumpkin is a symbol of the completion of the harvest from the fields, it is also a symbol of the evil spirit and the fire that scares it away. It is strange, but it is precisely such a plexus of ancient signs that has gathered in one object.
Wandering fiery pumpkins with candles inside, legends say that these are supposedly wandering souls that are lost between heaven and hell.
According to another legend, they say that the druids planted similar glowing pumpkins to scare away dark spirits from their homes.
Another noteworthy version true source The origin of the tradition with pumpkins is the legend of a drunkard named Jack, who signed a deal with the devil himself.
It is sad that most of us, while having fun in the intricate costumes of the Autumn Festival, forget main point Halloween. After all, this mysterious holiday gives us a real opportunity to learn and understand a significant connection between the real and other worlds. Halloween Day is not only about moving doors from different worlds. These mysterious doors, like most others, are amazing. Existing between committed different worlds, they own both Ini and one of these worlds at the same time.
Samhain is the door to winter. Most of us perceive winter as something unpleasant, cold with a feeling of cold fear. There is a feeling as if everything living around is suddenly slowly but surely dying.
But we also know that with the coming of death comes new life!
The pristine white valley, where the Samhain holiday was born, looks extraordinarily beautiful. There is nothing superfluous in it, everything is in its place. The time of Samhain is the time when there is a shedding of problems and worries that have gathered over the whole summer and lost their purpose, as in the example of trees that shed their leaves that have lived their life span. After all, if shrubs and trees do not throw off their leaves, old and dead leaves simply will not allow young ones to come to life in a new spring.
The ancient legend of the druids reminds us that this mysterious night of Samhain opens the doors to a fabulous, distant past and a magnificent future that awaits us. And two different elements at this time become accessible at this moment. This is the time when people can understand and realize their destiny in the string of eternity.
Only moving to another space usually empathizes with a slight feeling of pain. Doors to another world are sensitively guarded, protected. Halloween spirits are the very guards of enchanted doors. From our world, they all seem to us terrible creatures of otherworldly space. But if the doors have already been passed, how then and what can be seen by looking back? The answer to this question is on the surface - just look at all the people in the mysterious grimacing masks when the new Halloween holiday comes.
Halloween is traditionally celebrated on the night of October 31st to November 1st. In the evening, children dressed in various costumes go from door to door and collect sweets. This holiday is part of the culture of Western countries, but is celebrated mainly in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland and Puerto Rico, and is gaining popularity in Australia and New Zealand. Russia is no longer lagging behind.
The celebration of Halloween originates from the Celtic culture of Ireland, Britain and France, originally called Samhain and was a pagan Celtic harvest festival. In the 19th century Irish, Scottish and other immigrants brought their traditions and holidays to North America.
At the end of the 20th century, many Western countries also began to celebrate this holiday as part of American culture.
During this holiday, religious holidays were previously held in the pagan traditions of various northern European countries. This was until the moment when Pope Gregory III moved the celebration of this old Christian celebration of All Saints' Eve to November 1st in order to give Halloween a Christian interpretation.
In some parts of Ireland, this holiday is also called Pooky Night, presumably after the mischievous and rebellious spirit of Pooky.
Halloween is often associated with the occult. In the cultures of many European countries, it is said that Halloween is one of the threshold periods of the year when the spirit world can come into contact with the real world and when magic gains strength (this is mentioned, for example, in Catalan mythology about witches and Irish stories about Sodhe).
In Ireland, a huge bonfire is lit. Masked little kids receive treats from their neighbors in the form of fruits, nuts and, of course, sweets during the "Halloween Party", while adults "chop innocent things over confused victims."
In Scotland, children or dressed in fancy dresses adults instead of the phrase "trick or treat" say the following: "The sky is blue, the grass is green, we can celebrate Halloween." They roam the neighborhood in groups and must impress the owners of the houses they visit with songs, poems, magic tricks, jokes, or dances to earn their treat.
Traditionally, they are offered nuts, oranges, apples and dried fruits.
In England, "trick or treat!" is quite common. However, in general, the celebration is based on various forms of petition, as in America.
Halloween also has other names:
All Hallows Eve (All Saints' Eve)
Samhain
All Hallowtide
The Feast of the Dead (Festival of the Dead)
The Day of the Dead (Day of the Dead)
A few facts about Halloween:
In Welsh, Halloween is "Nos Calan Gaeaf".
"Halloween" is correctly spelled as "Hallowe"en".
It was previously believed that black cats protect the magic of sorceresses from negative forces.
Pumpkin can actually be replaced by any vegetable from the cucurbit family.
About 99% of pumpkins sold are used to cut holes for eyes and mouths and place a candle inside.
The world's largest pumpkin was grown in 2004 and demonstrated at the Pumpkin Festival in Port Elgin (Ontario, Canada). After weighing in October, her weight was 1446 pounds (almost 656 kg).
The record for the fastest pumpkin cleaning is held by Jerry Ayers of Baltimore, Ohio, USA. He cleaned all the insides and cut out the eyes and mouth in just 37 seconds!
The very first head was carved into a turnip.
The doorbell is rung to scare away evil spirits.
If you see a spider on this day, then it may be the spirit of a deceased lover who is just watching you.
To meet a witch, on Halloween night you need to put on your clothes upside down and walk down the street backwards.
The Celts, who lived 2000 years ago in Ireland, Great Britain, and Northern France, celebrated the New Year on November 1st. This day marked the end of the harvest season and opened a new season: cold and dark, associated with the process of fading life - death.
The Celts believed that on New Year's Eve, the boundary separating the world of the living from the world of the dead was blurred. On the night of October 31 to November 1, they celebrated Samhain - the day on which the spirits of the dead return to Earth.
In 43 AD, the Romans conquered most of the Celtic lands. As a result, during the 400-year intervention, Samhain was combined with two Roman holidays: Feralia (Feralia) and Pomona (Pomona). The first - Feralia - celebrated at the end of October, was dedicated to death. The second - Pomona - was celebrated in honor of Pomona - the goddess of trees and fruits. The symbol of Pomona was an apple - an attribute that has survived to this day and is included in modern Halloween rites.
In the 800s, Christianity began to be imposed on the Celts. Pope Boniface IV - approved November 1 as All Saints' Day, trying to distract the Aryan-Celts from the druidic rites: eradicating "paganism". November 2 later became the Day of Souls - when the dead were commemorated. However, the traditions that have been preserved in the people's memory have not been completely defeated. 
Thus, neither the stubborn Catholics nor the Protestants of America, who stole, like everything else, the idea of the holiday, failed to emasculate the Vedic Aryan essence from it, WITH WHICH I CONGRATULATE YOU.
Halloween, also known as All Saints' Day, is celebrated on the night of October 31st. For Russia, this is a young holiday, but already loved by many for its pampering and humor. Despite the scarce information base about this holiday, it attracts primarily with its external attributes - these are mysterious costumes, not very good pumpkin heads, fortune-telling, the general atmosphere of mysticism and mystery. Therefore, its future is very promising. Every year in major cities of Russia, Halloween gathers an increasing number of fans, but most of the participants have no idea what this holiday is dedicated to, what is the history of its origin and development.
Halloween came to Europe, having already gained wide popularity in North America. In the United States and Canada, this holiday is second only to Christmas in terms of popularity and scale of celebration. In one of the largest cities, New York, on All Saints Day, a parade is held, which is broadcast on all major television channels throughout the country.
However, Halloween has its roots not in America, but in the Celtic peoples. The Christian Day of All Saints first appeared in the 9th century. in England based on the pagan fire festival of Samhain. This major Celtic holiday symbolized the end of the harvest, the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. At that time, this holiday was celebrated in early November. According to custom, the Celts extinguished all domestic hearths in the evening, and in the early morning they lit them again, but not in the usual way, but from the sacred fire.
The fire that was kindled by the Druids, the Celtic priests, was considered sacred. Sacred bonfires were usually lit on hilltops in oak groves. Then the druids made sacrifices to the evil spirits to appease them. All this happened at night, and in the morning they gave people coals from sacred fires. Sacrifices were made to the resurrected fire, usually plants and animals acted in their role.
The Celts firmly believed that on the night of Samhain, when the old year is replaced by a new one, the boundaries between the worlds are erased, so all barriers between the material and the supernatural disappear. On this night, Samhain opens the gates between the past and the present, between all living and dead, between the world of people and the world of spirits. Moreover, the spirits here act as magical creatures, tuned towards people either negatively or indifferently. According to the beliefs of the Celts, only once a year people could easily enter the world of spirits. And vice versa - any evil spirits or dissatisfied spirits could be among living people. To protect against them, the Celts dressed in their likeness and went from house to house, asking for food for evil spirits in order to appease her. In order to scare away evil spirits, costumes were made as scary as possible.
The main attribute of Halloween is the pumpkin, which is called "Jack Lantern" abroad. According to legend, the custom of making pumpkin lanterns was introduced by an Irish blacksmith, nicknamed Stingy Jack. Once, on the eve of All Saints' Day, the Devil himself wanted to get his soul and for this he offered the blacksmith to buy a mug of his favorite wine. The blacksmith agreed to a deal with the Devil and received in return 20 years of a quiet life for himself. However, Jack did not lead his earthly life as a righteous man, so after his death he was doomed to roam the earth, lighting his way with a piece of coal. This coal was unusual, as Jack received it from the Devil during the deal. This coal helped Jack keep the fire going inside the gourd lantern.
In addition, it is believed that the Jack-o-lantern has not yet found peace for his sinful soul and continues to roam the earth in anticipation of the Last Judgment. To protect the house from the not-quite-kind spirit of the Jack-o-lantern, on October 31, a semblance of a head is made from a pumpkin, which must be placed on each window. If Jack, approaching the house, sees himself, he will be frightened and run away.
In the 1st century n. e. militant Romans seized the Celtic lands, but did not oppose their traditions and holidays. In addition, Halloween turned out to be very similar to their own celebration of Pomona, the goddess of plants. In some provinces, the Romans and the Celts lived together, so it is quite logical that the holidays and their customs began to gradually “dissolve” into each other.
With the adoption of Christianity on the islands of Britain and Ireland, their inhabitants had to abandon the Celtic pagan customs. However, the memory of Samhain lived on in the following centuries, and the inhabitants of Ireland and Scotland passed on legends about him from generation to generation.
In the 9th century, after the establishment of Christianity, ancient traditions mixed with Christian holiday- Happy All Saints Day. All Saints' Day is a later name for the holiday. (The coincidence of the dates of the celebration of the Celtic Halloween and the Christian All Saints Day led to the fact that they were identified in the popular consciousness.) At the same time, ideas about spirits penetrating the world of people acquired a negative connotation. Otherworldly forces became evil and were supposed to scare good people. Therefore, in the Middle Ages and the period of the New Age, Halloween was chosen by witches, devils and other evil spirits, who organized their covens on this day.
With the gradual transformation of Samhain into All Saints' Day, ancient traditions acquired a new color and semantic background. So, for example, the game "Treat or be sorry" appeared. It consists in "buying off" all sorts of goodies from children who call demandingly or knock on the door. Otherwise, the owners will have to clean the door handles smeared with soot for a long time. There was also a custom to cut scary faces on potatoes or turnips, and put candles inside - it turned out to be a kind of lantern.
The discovery of a new huge continent, America, by Christopher Columbus had a great influence on the spread of Halloween traditions. Moving to a new land, the inhabitants carried with them both traditions and holidays. It is believed that in the form in which the holiday is celebrated now, it began to be celebrated only in the 19th century. thanks to European immigrants who brought with them to the United States the custom of making noise on Halloween and observing the superstitions associated with this holiday. However, in America, the holiday has again undergone minor changes - for example, it turned out that pumpkins for making lanterns are much more convenient than traditional turnips. The first major cities in America, where in the 20s. 20th century Halloween has passed, New York and Los Angeles have become.
At the beginning of the XX century. in the United States, a tendency began to spread on Halloween acts of vandalism - to break windows, set fire to trees and garbage, etc. The popularity of this hooliganism was so high that in the 20s. The American Boy Scouts decided to promote non-vandalism on this day, but they did not abandon the holiday itself. Their slogan was the words: "Long live a healthy Halloween!".
To this end, hooliganism and petty extortion were replaced by a masquerade and the distribution of sweets. In the 50s. In the same century, Halloween also becomes a profitable commercial holiday for costume makers. Costumes, candles, jewelry, Greeting Cards, pumpkins and other attributes of the holiday are very popular. And despite the fact that the holiday is still not official. But despite this, Halloween is the favorite holiday of American schoolchildren.
On this day (October 31), they, dressed up in costumes of evil spirits, hold mass events in schools on the theme of this holiday, run around schools and houses shouting: “Dress or treat!”, Demand sweets for themselves. Also, on Halloween people different ages arrange funny jokes, tell fortunes, and also pay great attention to the preparations of pumpkin lanterns. On Halloween night, the pumpkin head is an essential symbol of the holiday. Pumpkin means at the same time the end of the harvest, and the evil spirit, and the sacred fire that scares him away.
Today, Halloween followers believe that a pumpkin with a scary face and a candle inside is a symbol of both an evil spirit and a holy fire that scares it away. But not everywhere devilish candlesticks are made from pumpkin. For example, in England, candles are placed on beets, and in Scotland and Ireland - on turnips, potatoes or zucchini. The modern day of All Saints is more like a hoax. He is very much loved not only in America, but also in many European countries.
Today, from the ancient pagan holiday of the Celts, only a set of funny and fascinating traditions remains. Halloween intrigues with its mystery and mythological mystery. This holiday is primarily an attempt to understand the relationship between our and the invisible worlds. All Saints Day is a transition, a gate from one world to another, and this gate is paradoxical.
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Svetlana Epifanova
Halloween: History and Traditions
Well, of course - what else to talk about, if not about Halloween (Halloween), since it is inevitably approaching, or rather, almost already approaching, marking the slow but inevitable onset of winter.
The nights are getting longer, the sun shows its muzzle because of the clouds less and less, and this muzzle resembles, rather, a bald head according to the concept of an old riddle: "It shines, but does not heat ..." And the snow is right there - it flies or, more precisely, falls in disgusting wet lumps, trying to cling directly to the face.
Samhain marks the arrival of winter. The Celts had words - the beginning of the seasons. There were four - February 2 - Imbolg, April 30 - Baltein, July 31 - Lammas, October 31 - Samhain. Each speech was celebrated in its own way, but today we are only interested in Samhain.
Halloween is, first of all, a transition, it is a mystical "now" that does not exist, but, as our popular song sang: "There is only a moment between the past and the future, that is what is called: life." In general, the feast of All Saints' Eve is associated with this song in an incomprehensible way. Because both make us think about how short our life is, which always - at the same time - has already passed and has not yet begun.
And only on this night - the night of Halloween - Samhain opens the gates in both directions, and only on this night can a person realize his place in this world. Or - in another? In some looking glass?
Jean Cocteau wrote an amazing script for the film "Orpheus" (Jean Marais played Orpheus there). The theme of mirrors runs through this entire film, the theme of two worlds, the gates between which are mirrors, and, in my opinion, this was probably the first work of art of our time, to which one can put Halloween as a subtitle.
"Ertebiz: I will reveal to you the secret of secrets... Mirrors are the doors through which death enters and exits..."
Halloween is intriguing. Samhain was considered a dark deity, but the Great Wasteland in which he lives is far from gloomy. There is the White Silence, something that has always existed - even before something appeared. But Samhain is by no means the devil, as overzealous priests and another form of religious fanaticism like to portray him now: Satanists. Can death be good or bad?
Only a person can be good or evil. Plunging into the fun and slightly creepy extravaganza of Halloween, a person gets a chance to understand something unknowable. And, only by throwing off the burden of everyday worries, "taking off your shoes", you can be cleansed and reborn to a new life.
And the Shadows of the Gate Keepers... Well, they are what they are - that's why they are Shadows.
“The night thickened, flew by, grabbed the gallopers by their cloaks and, tearing them off their shoulders, exposed the deceptions ... In place of the one who, in tattered circus clothes, left Sparrow Hills under the name of Koroviev-Fagot, now galloped, quietly ringing the golden chain of the occasion, a dark purple knight with the grimest and never smiling face.
The night tore off the fluffy tail of the Behemoth, tore off his hair and scattered its shreds over the swamps. The one who was the cat that entertained the prince of darkness, now turned out to be a thin young man, a page demon, the best jester that ever existed in the world ... "
Here they are, these Shadows - on the Other Side. Why, and Jack-with-Lantern is also far from being a negative character. But in literature, he also has two of the most famous incarnations - the good-natured Jack Pumpkinhead in Oz and the sinister Jack Skellington - the Pumpkin King from A Nightmare on Christmas Eve.
Two hypostases, as always: good and evil, black and white - these are just two sides of the same coin, and each of us must decide for himself which side he will choose.
Halloween is coming, the hour of decision is coming...
Scandinavian myths describing Valhalla - the Chambers of the fallen in battle - tell:
"... in Valhalla, sworn enemies sit side by side at the tables, who in earthly life have never been able to reconcile. Now they see that all their former feuds are puppy fuss ..."
History of Halloween
Halloween itself originates far, far in history, they say that it is at least two thousand years old - then it was celebrated on May 13, and on this night the dead saints and martyrs were remembered.
But at the beginning of our era, devils were brought to the lands of the Celts by the Romans. And for the 400 years that the Romans spent on the lands of the Celts, not only the population, but also traditions were mixed:
Two Roman holidays were connected with Samhain. The first - Feralia, celebrated at the end of October - is also something like a day of commemoration of the dead, and the second - in honor of the goddess of fruits and trees Pomona. Its symbol was an apple, and from here, among other things, the modern Halloween tradition of arranging games with apples went. And the original Celtic Baltein (bonfire festival) and Samhain (festival of summer, winter, fire and the power of darkness) have shifted towards Samhain.
Then Christianity supplanted the Druids and became the dominant religion, and in the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV approved November 1 as All Saints' Day, on which saints and martyrs were supposed to be glorified.
Actually, the tradition of the Christian church to coincide with pagan holidays and replace them with something similar is familiar to all peoples. So November 1 became All Saints Day, and in a simple way, All Hallows. And the night before - the night of Sauin - became known as "All Hallow's Eve" (All Hallow's Eve - the eve of All Saints Day).
Later, everything was reduced and the name Halloween (Hallow E "en) arose. And the people are a harmful creature, they nod their heads as a priest, and then go and celebrate the holidays in their own way, according to tradition. Yes, and where can Christianity compete with centuries-old traditions!
Halloween was of great importance, because at that time they said goodbye, as usual with the help of rituals, to the old, bad, unnecessary and met the new. As a gift to the gods of nature, they brought apples, autumn vegetables, flowers, left them under trees or buried them in the ground with a request for help and support, on the night of October 31 they put a plate of fruit on the street - for dead souls, so that they could come to the aid of the living. And in general, in all pagan beliefs, the souls of the ancestors were treated more than reverently - and not only to the saints.
The Church made a move with a horse, declaring November 2, 1000, as the Day of All Souls, on which it was supposed to commemorate not the saints, but the simple dead. The commemoration was arranged in the likeness of Samhain (and remember also Baltein to join him) - big bonfires, processions, dressing up in costumes of angels and devils. All three dates - All Saints' Eve (October 31), Saints' Day, and Souls' Day - have been called Halloweenmas.
But fellow pagans did not give up on this either. In addition, they had another holiday associated with Halloween - Hunter's Moon, the last full moon before Samhain. It is believed that this is the time of the highest mental ascent, and at this time the line between the worlds becomes so thin that many entities pass through it. This is also the time when the Otherworld has the greatest impact on the earth.
This is how the night was described in some legends: "That night, a rider from the Isle of Glass appears on horseback with his terrible pack of hunting dogs, and in front of him is the army of the Underworld……."
And when the American pioneers rushed to populate the New World, they, of course, brought their favorite holidays with them to their new homeland. And without Halloween, but without Christmas - what holidays can there be?
And since not only the Irish and the British came, but also many other peoples, there is also the richest culture of the Indians! And it all got mixed up again. The wild nature disposed to unbridled fun - to dance until you drop around the fires, to fortune-telling and to some hooliganism, of course: try to refrain from hooliganism when you are wearing a mask of some evil spirits! And, of course, to true stories about the dead and ghosts - such stories come to mind on their own: in the dark!
By the middle of the 19th century, the annual autumn holidays became commonplace, although at that time they were not yet widespread everywhere: Puritan settlements in the north were not very in a hurry to indulge in violent revelry.
But when millions of Irish people appeared in the New World, a grinning pumpkin on October 31 could be found in every home. Now almost all Americans - like the Irish and the British (in England it was a tradition on Soul Day to beg food and ale from the rich in exchange for a promise to pray for their dead relatives) - began to dress up in costumes that evening and go around the neighbors, begging for food and money (the custom is called trick-or-treat - "treat me, otherwise I'll mess up").
The girls believed that on Halloween they could find out the name and appearance of their fiancé, guessing on threads, apple cores and mirrors, and the bravest citizens turned their clothes inside out and went out on the road at night, hoping to meet a witch.
By the end of the 19th century, the mystical bias of Halloween was almost done away with, turning it into a public holiday, however, not completely: mass hooliganism continued. They managed to cope with them only by the middle of the last century, making the holiday mainly for children.
Although others remain mere children even at a hundred years old.
Modernity
In recent years, Halloween has become even more popular. Increasingly, Americans are arranging weddings on this day. Weddings with a "Halloween" bias are especially quoted: when the newlyweds are crowned by a dracula who has risen from a coffin installed right in a gloomy decorated chapel.
Every year, Baltimore hosts the "pumpkin toss," a competition for physics students to find the best invention to keep a pumpkin from cracking when it falls from the 10th floor.
Halloween is an occasion for charity. In "caramel jars" people can bring sweets for those who cannot buy them themselves. Disabled special costumes for children with disabilities. Sweets are brought to nursing homes in advance, and then dressed up children are sent for them.
And, of course, the Halloween industry is booming.
In New York, up to two million people gather for the Halloween parade, this parade is usually covered by the largest US television channels and broadcast live. Tens of thousands of participants in the costumed parade dress up in costumes of all sorts of evil spirits, they are accompanied by musicians, jugglers, breakdancers, citizens on stilts and other public, not counting the crowds of onlookers.
The parade attracts such a huge number of tourists that on average each Halloween enriches New York by $40 million. The owners of restaurants and bars in Greenwich Village, where the celebration is concentrated, consider Halloween night to be the best of the year (from a business point of view, of course).
The apotheosis of frivolity reigns on this day in America. The country is turning into a abode with a “do what you want” charter. And everyone really does what they want. And this is not always so pleasant, but on this day it is not customary to be offended.
We personally do not approve of only the stupid custom of throwing eggs. It's good that you can't get rotten ones in the States. But a fresh broken egg is much more appropriate in a frying pan than on a coat. On November 1, New York looks paved with scrambled eggs and even slightly changes the color scheme due to a cheerful yellow color.
(from the abstract of the Samara Lyceum of Information Technologies)
Now Halloween is back in Europe. Many European countries greeted him with great enthusiasm, filling shop windows with creepy masks and brooms. Last year alone in France Halloween accessories were sold for 18 million dollars - ten times more than last year!
Bigots, who are still missing all over the world, complain: the expansion of Americans, the expansion of Satanists.
Writer François Thailand: "Halloween is a continuation of the trend of destroying European culture, in a number of phenomena such as the worship of rap, McDonald's, Hollywood cinema. Now America seems to be starting to change our everyday life. And mind you, they specifically targeted our children."
But, forgive me, if there is a culture, if national traditions are strong, no one will ever destroy them. This is evidenced by Halloween itself, which has been trying to destroy for two centuries! This is evidenced by other pagan holidays - say, our Russian Shrovetide.
If something passes away, it means that it was not good enough and deeply rooted enough in the consciousness of the nation.
Why was Americanization so strong among young people and teenagers in socialist Russia in the 1970s and 1980s? Yes, because Soviet culture caused only disgust. A holy place is never empty. Young people will not sit in the evenings watching TV, grinding political news - pique vests will still wait for them. Young people want reckless fun - after all, youth passes so quickly!
Who doesn't like this holiday? Try to replace it with another one. Try to revive YOUR national culture. Never before in the history of mankind has almost no one voluntarily preferred a full-fledged colorful life to boring chants and mortification of the flesh. Church and cultural figures did not think about this when they killed their own culture. Alas, gentlemen, you realized too late.
Luckily, there are other people too:
Galina Anatolyevna RAZBIVNAYA, Minister of Education of the Karelian Republic:
"In my opinion, it is high time for us to create a new value system of the educational process, to intensify efforts to develop new forms of development of the education system. And the education of children through familiarization with cultures different peoples of peace, knowledge and respect for the traditions of many nationalities, of course, without the obligatory imposition, but through professional, beautiful and educational festive events, one should not regard them only as "holidays alien to our traditions."
Today we need to create conditions for the return to school and Childhood in general of real Culture, Culture with a capital letter, and how to do it better, kinder, we will think all together."
These are the words of a thinking person, and not a fanatic who knows nothing but to poke his finger at the apostates, while not shunning juggling and distortion ..
irreconcilable
English archbishop calls for an end to Halloween
At the end of October, the Catholic Archbishop Vincent Nichols from Birmingham urged his flock not to celebrate the traditional Halloween. Instead, on October 31, he urged believers to gather in churches for a divine service on the eve of the feast of All Saints in order to “resist the growing trends in the mass consciousness to associate this holiday with secular, if not pagan, rites.”
Archbishop Nichols urged parish priests to think about how to spend the evening of October 31 in the communities in order to show others the vitality of the Church. The celebration of All Saints, according to the prelate, can and should become a source of great inspiration and joy for the whole world.
The Barnaul diocese distributed an appeal in the media of the city, in which it urges the townspeople not to succumb to the temptations of Satanists
The appeal, in particular, says: "Active devil worshipers appear in the city, who seek to lure as much as possible more people. To do this, on October 31, on one of the satanic holidays "Halloween" (All Saints' Day), they will hold their Sabbath in one of the city's theaters, famous for showing blasphemous operettas, the performance of lecherous sodomists. On November 13, in the same theater, a satanic gathering will be held, called "Friday the 13th" and all this abomination will be shown on television."
The press service of the Barnaul Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church is authorized to declare - follows further in the appeal - that the holiday "Halloween" is an ancient pagan ritual of Satan worship. During this holiday, almost the entire population of the United States participates in rites of imitation of the dead, dressing up as the dead. No wonder American Satanists openly proclaimed this day their holiday.
The appeal ends with the following: "We declare to the sponsors of this outrage: the money donated to Satan will not benefit either you or people."
The Vladivostok diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church called for a boycott of the American holiday "Halloween"
"Undoubtedly, all this is propaganda of Satanism," says Hieromonk Innokenty, chairman of the missionary department of the Vladivostok diocese.
As stated in the message, the holiday "Halloween" is an ancient pagan rite of worship to the lord of death, Satan. It is celebrated on the eve of the Catholic holiday - All Saints' Day. Halloween originated as a counter to it. It became most popular in the USA.
Voluntarily or involuntarily, during the holiday, participants perform a ritual of imitation of the dead, dressing like the dead and asking for a gift for them. An indispensable attribute of Halloween - the rite "Trik or trak" ("Dirty or gift") is an offering to the souls of the dead associated with Satan.
No wonder the American Church of Satan openly proclaimed this day as their holiday, which, according to their plans, should be used to testify to the worship of the devil.
This holiday is being cultivated more and more actively in Russia. " Orthodox Church testifies that in Russia there is a satanization of public consciousness. You turn on the TV, radio, leaf through the press - symbols, passwords, spells are all around.
It has become familiar, but has not ceased to be sinister. Behind the planting of the cult of violence, debauchery and the occult lies the goal of destroying the traditional Russian Orthodox culture and morality. We call for a boycott of Halloween, wherever they try to celebrate it."
Catholic bishop against Halloween
Bishop of Nice Jean Bonfils spoke out against the tradition of celebrating Halloween, which, in his opinion, is "the main holiday of Satanists around the world", which "has nothing to do with the Mediterranean and Christian culture."
In his message "Halloween, or All Saints' Day", fragments of which are given by the newspaper "Nice Matin", the bishop explains the meaning of the word "Halloween", whose roots are Celtic and, accordingly, pagan.
"We are talking about the conjuration of evil spirits and their expulsion, as they take on the images of the dead, ghosts to instill in us the fear of death," says Bishop Bonfils. "Everything that inspires fear and tastes of death comes from the devil," adds the bishop. "Let it be known to everyone that Halloween is almost main holiday Satanists all over the world.
"Let's not renounce our culture and faith, and let's not be deceived by Halloween preachers."
French Catholics take offense at Halloween.
French Catholic priests organized a protest against Halloween. In their opinion, honoring ghosts, goblins and other evil spirits is at the same time honoring Satan, that is, the embodiment of absolute evil.
Several priests and 120 students from a Catholic school gathered for a rally near a church in the resort town of Saint-Raphael on the Riviera, AFP reports. Priests consider "a festival brought to France from the USA" disgusting.
So I wonder - are they deliberately confusing people, or do they sincerely believe in what they say? Here are some quotes with some comments:
- Holiday "Halloween" is an ancient pagan rite of worship of Satan.
A little higher I wrote about the history of Halloween. I deliberately included this section in the article, although it is almost completely compiled from various sources. The only thing I did was to put together all the scattered information and weed out the obvious nonsense that was written by those who did not bother to deal with the subject properly. I wrote about this so that my readers understand the TRUE meaning of Halloween, and do not succumb to provocative statements. Everyone decides for himself whether to celebrate this holiday or not, but let such a decision be dictated not by deceit.
- Holiday "Halloween" represents an ancient pagan rite of worship to the lord of death SatanSatan - the lord of death?
Is this the priest speaking? In this case, God is exactly the same lord of death as Satan. If fellow priests themselves do not understand theological issues, then let them first sort it out, and then climb with teachings.
- It is celebrated on the eve of the Catholic holiday - All Saints' Day. Halloween originated as a counter to it.
This is generally a squeak! It turns out that All Saints Day, which was not forcibly introduced a millennium ago, was opposed to the three thousand-year-old Samhain. And not vice versa. Yes, folks, this is how history is written!
- An indispensable attribute of Halloween - the rite "Trik or trak" ("Dirty or gift") is an offering to the souls of the dead associated with Satan.
And what, all the dead are connected with Satan? Then November 2 - Day of Remembrance of the Dead, which was introduced by the Catholic Church - a holiday no less satanic than Halloween.
- No wonder the American Church of Satan openly proclaimed this day as their holiday
Yes. Also, Christmas Eve. It turns out that Christmas is a satanic holiday, because, according to the belief of Satanists, Satan was born just on the night before Christmas.
- Behind the planting of the cult of violence, debauchery and the occult lies the goal of destroying the traditional Russian Orthodox culture and morality
This is when this Orthodoxy became a traditional Russian culture?
Russian culture was and remains Slavic paganism. Favorite folk holidays are inextricably linked precisely with pagan traditions, to which the Russian Orthodox Church somehow stuck its names - just like the Catholic Church stuck its name to Samhain.
The only difference is that the Russian Orthodox Church was never able to achieve new names for the holidays: Ivan's Day remained Ivan Kupala's Day (and very rarely anyone can remember that this is John the Baptist's Day), Maslenitsa remained Maslenitsa, and Christmas is accompanied by completely non-Christian Christmas time.
- "We are talking about the conjuration of evil spirits and their expulsion, as they take on the images of the dead, ghosts to instill in us the fear of death," says Bishop Bonfils.
Doesn't the church scare you first of all with hellish torments? Do priests instill fear? And we must also think about who can be called the progenitors of "horror movies": Satanists or priests. If the medieval church had not so zealously searched for the worshipers of the devil in everything and everything, maybe there would actually be fewer of them?
By the way, some Protestant priests are not inclined to blame Halloween for all sins. Don't take Satan too seriously, they say. Fear is for the doubters. Better to poke fun at evil spirit- as did the Jack-O-Lantern.
jack-o-lantern
There is no Halloween without a pumpkin! For hundreds of years, on October 31, Jack-o-lanterns (Jack-o-lanterns) glow in every window, scaring away evil spirits. The story of his appearance is told by an Irish legend about a drunk named Miserly Jack.
Once, on the eve of All Saints' Day, the devil himself coveted the drunken blacksmith Jack, sitting in a bar. The blacksmith agreed to give him his soul, but only in exchange for a mug of ale. To buy a drink, the devil had to turn into a coin. Sly Jack put the sixpence in his pocket where he had the silver cross. Tortured by the cross, the devil begged for mercy, and Jack released him, but first he bargained for himself ten years of a quiet life.
When the devil reappeared 10 years later, the Irishman last request hinted at the apple. When the devil stood on his shoulders to reach the apple branch, Jack quickly scrawled a cross on the bark of the tree. The devil hung in the air and as a result promised that he would not touch Jack for another ten years and would not take his soul to himself at all.
Finally Jack died. God, of course, refused to put the sinful drunkard in paradise. The devil met Jack on the threshold of the underworld.
"I can't take your soul," he said, keeping his promise.
- Where should I go? Jack asked.
“Where you came from,” answered the devil.
There was total darkness around... Jack asked for fire. And the devil, having scooped up a smoldering coal in a hellish fire, gave Jack a smoldering coal and sent him to wander around the world. The Irishman had a turnip with him. Having cut out the middle, he inserted an infernal ember there - so that it would not blow out with the wind! - and went on his eternal journey.
Jack-lantern still roams the earth in anticipation of the Last Judgment and is a symbol of the damned soul.
In Ireland and Scotland, terrible faces, into which candles were then inserted, were cut out of turnips and potatoes, in England - from beets. With immigrants, the tradition migrated to America. It turned out that a pumpkin, a native of the continent, is ideal for the role of Jack-o'-lantern!
(Based on the materials of the newspaper "Komok" - the only place where the legend is presented in full detail)
Do you know what the legend of Jack reminded me of? I quote:
He didn't deserve the light, he deserved peace...
Yes, the master was more fortunate. It is strange that the Irish Deities did not reward Jack with peace - after all, he fooled the devil himself! It's strange that Satanists love this holiday so much - a holiday symbolized by the Man Who Fooled the Devil!
There are a lot of weird things about Halloween. He is mysterious, mystical and inexhaustible in inventions. He is good and bad at the same time. It merges all the bad and all the good. It is the same as life: multifaceted.
Afterword
"...So who are you, finally?
I am part of that power that always wants evil and always does good."
Goethe "Faust"
"You spoke your words as if you did not recognize the shadows, and also evil. Would you be so kind to think about the question: what would your good do if evil did not exist, and what would the earth look like if with shadows have disappeared from it? After all, shadows are obtained from objects and people. Here is the shadow from my sword. But there are shadows from trees and from living beings. Do you want to tear off the whole globe, blowing away all the trees and all living things from it because of your fantasies of enjoying the naked light? You're stupid."
Mikhail Bulgakov "The Master and Margarita"
"Evil is necessary. If it did not exist, then there would be no good. Evil is the only reason for the existence of good. Without death there would be no courage, without suffering - compassion.
What would self-sacrifice and self-sacrifice be good for with universal happiness? Is it possible to understand virtue without knowing vice, love and beauty without knowing hatred and ugliness? It is only to evil and suffering that we owe the fact that the earth can be inhabited, and life is worth living. So don't complain about the devil. He created at least half of the universe. And this half merges so tightly with the other that if the first is touched, the blow will cause equal harm to the other. With every vice eradicated, the corresponding virtue disappears."
Anatole France "Gardens of Epicurus"
"— - Well," Zadig asked, "then it is necessary that there be crimes and disasters, and that they be the lot of good people?
“The criminals,” answered Yezrad, “are always unfortunate, and they exist to test the few righteous scattered throughout the earth. And there is no such evil that would not give rise to good."
Voltaire "Zadig"
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All Saints' Day or Halloween is a fairly new holiday for us. The older generation often does not understand its essence and is either wary or sharply negative about such a celebration. Young people, on the contrary, try to celebrate Halloween as brightly and unusually as possible by arranging a costume party. Children are also interested in the whole idea with evil spirits, witches, ghosts. Indeed, in fact, the celebration of this day to some extent helps to get rid of the fear of the unknown, so it’s worth telling children about this day, only the history of Halloween for children should be easy, simple, so that the kids understand the essence of the holiday, know the traditions of All Saints Day, the history and the meaning of its symbols, and not just considered it another meaningless occasion to arrange a carnival.
Although he came to us from America, the ancient Celts are considered its founders. For them, it was a sacred fire festival. The Celts called this day not Halloween, but Samhain, which means the end of summer. It was celebrated in honor of the end of the harvest. Hence the date - the end of October. It is at this time that all the most significant garden and field work ends, the entire crop is harvested. This day was something like a new year for the Celts - the warm half of the year is over, agricultural work is completed, which means it's time to celebrate the beginning of the new year.
Why a fire festival? Fire is a symbol of purification. On this day, the ancient Celts extinguished the hearths in their homes and waited for a new fire. They believed that this new fire was sacred and would bring prosperity to their families for the entire coming year. And they took fire from the druids - the ancient priests who kindled fires on the top of the mountain. In those days, it was customary to make sacrifices to evil spirits, so the Druids also made sacrifices to the sacred fire. In the role of such victims, animals most often acted. Sacred bonfires were burned all night, and in the morning they distributed coals from them to people who kindled their homes from these coals. Coals were carried home in original lamps carved from fodder turnips. Such lamps illuminated the path to the house and drove away evil spirits, which, as the Celts believed, wandered until the morning. These turnips became the prototype of the modern pumpkin - Jack O'Lantern.
By the way, such spreading of fire to houses is reminiscent of the modern Easter tradition of carrying a lit candle from the church after the Easter service. Or more globally - the spread of sacred fire from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem to all Orthodox temples and churches. Maybe there is some connection, or maybe just a coincidence)
Also on this day, it was customary for the Celts to honor the souls of the dead. The ancient Celts believed that once a year it was on this night that the fine line between the world of the living and the other world was erased, which means that the spirits of ancestors could come to earth, who were far from always friendly towards the living. Therefore, at night, the Celts left their dark dwellings, dressed up in animal skins, and near the houses they left various treats for the spirits to appease them.
With the conquest of the Celtic lands and the advent of Christianity, Samhain was no longer celebrated as before, but the memory of the traditions remained and was passed down from generation to generation.
Calendar Samhain coincided with Catholic holiday- the day of all saints, so over time, these two holidays merged together, gradually transforming into modern Halloween.
It was then that the holiday began to have a mystical character, because even though the Celts honored the spirits on this day, their celebration had more to do with the completion of agricultural work and the beginning of the cold half of the year.
Also, a new round in the history of Halloween happened when Columbus discovered America. The first settlers brought with them the tradition of celebrating the end of the harvest, slightly transforming it in their own way. For example, instead of a turnip for a lamp, they began to use a pumpkin.
Halloween was most widespread in the 20th century, when enterprising Americans commercialized it by selling sweets, souvenirs, and costumes. Today, Halloween is celebrated not only by English-speaking countries, it has become an unofficial holiday for many, because today Halloween is great way have fun and laugh at your fears, diversify gloomy autumn days.
Halloween symbols
jack o lantern
Listing all the attributes of Halloween, first of all, as a rule, they remember a pumpkin with an ominous face carved into it and a candle inside. The prototype of the pumpkin was fodder turnip. Pumpkin, for these purposes, began to be used in North America, since in that area this vegetable is more accessible and popular.
In the modern version, the Jack lamp appeared only in the 19th century.
But why Jack? On this account, there is a legend about the cunning and greedy blacksmith Jack, who twice deceived Satan himself, so the unclean after death did not want to take his soul to hell, but they didn’t let him into heaven either, which is why Jack’s soul roams the earth, lighting his way with a lamp carved from a pumpkin. And so that Jack's soul does not accidentally wander into the house, they put the same lamp on the threshold so that Jack thinks that this is his reflection and fled from there.
halloween music
Almost every holiday has its own music, including Halloween.
A kind of anthem of this day is the song"Monster Mash" by popular musician Bobby Pickett.
Also on Halloween, the song "This Is Halloween", which was written by Danny Elfman, often sounds. This music sounds like a soundtrack in the cartoon "The Nightmare Before Christmas".
No less popular for Halloween are compositions of various ominous sounds - squeaks, crackles, howls of animals. This genre got its name - ambient.
halloween traditions
Begging for treats (Trick-or-treat)
Initially, the tradition of going from house to house and begging for sweets was Christmas. However, even now children go home for Christmas - why not our usual carols? But back to Halloween. Initially, beggars begged for sweets in exchange for prayers for the souls of the deceased ancestors of the owners of the house. Over time, treats began to be collected by kids dressed in costumes of vampires, witches and other evil spirits. The very expression Trick-or-treat, which literally means “a joke or sweets”, appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century. The hosts who did not treat the visitors could receive some small dirty trick in return, for example, door handles smeared with soot.
Games and divination
Entertainment, fun is the essence of modern Halloween, therefore, various games are played on this day. themed games about which we have .
Also, unmarried girls on the eve of All Saints' Day are guessing, hoping to predict their fate for the next year, to see the appearance of their future groom.
Carnival costumes
Although the ancient Celts wore animal skins, giving rise to the tradition of dressing up for Halloween, carnival costumes not so long ago, this holiday came into use - at the beginning of the last century. And here the commercial component played an important role, because costume sellers in America alone earn millions of dollars every year selling them, so they are interested in popularizing this tradition. It is not surprising that this custom originated on American soil, because Americans have always been fans of themed costume parties.
Traditionally, on Halloween, people dress up as witches, vampires, skeletons and other evil spirits, but in recent years on this day you can see people dressed as characters from fairy tales, pop stars. Children are often dressed up in not at all scary costumes of a pumpkin, a spider, an elf, a fairy, a good ghost.
Halloween treats
This holiday also has its traditional sweets, most often made on the basis of pumpkins and apples, because at this time of the year it is just the period of harvesting and harvesting these fruits for the winter.
Of the main and traditional sweets, apples on a stick in caramel and bread with barmbrek predictions can be distinguished.
Even a child can handle the preparation of apples in caramel: remove the tail from the apple, insert a stick there, dip the fruit in caramel, and then dip it in a sprinkle of nuts or coconut flakes, let the caramel harden and the Halloween dessert is ready!
Barmbrek bread is prepared a little more complicated, but in fact it is rich bread with raisins, inside of which they put various small things, each of which has its own meaning, and prophesies to the one who finds it either wealth or marriage in the coming year, or poverty and the absence of the second half.
Also traditional sweets include candy-corn and candy-pumpkin, made in the form of pumpkin and corn.
In addition to traditional desserts, Halloween-themed cupcakes, painted gingerbread, various interesting desserts such as “Witch Fingers” cookies, pumpkin pies and other goodies are gaining popularity.
Halloween - the history of the holiday
On a holiday, the hero of the occasion is sure to be given gifts - memorabilia or something practical - depending on the character and mood of the birthday man. But all this if you are invited to a birthday party with friends or close people. However, there are also public holidays, such as the New Year or International Women's Day, when you can give something special and unusual, thereby expressing your respect or feelings. So, for example, silicone cases for iphone, a luxurious postcard handmade with a dedicatory inscription, a bouquet of 100 roses ... But you never know what else! The main thing is to make sense and on time.
However, today we will talk about a special holiday, which until recently was considered alien to our culture and traditions - Halloween.
The modern Halloween holiday (from the English. Halloween) is celebrated on the eve of Dnya all saints, namely at night with October 31 on the Nov. 1. Halloween is celebrated mainly in English-speaking countries, but in recent times there is a tendency to celebrate it both in Europe and in Japan, Korea, and Australia. This unusual holiday included two completely opposite traditions: Christian - faith in saints and worship them, and Celtic - worship of dark spirits.
What is the origin of the Halloween holiday?
The word Halloween was first mentioned in the 16th century as a shortened English phrase "All-Hallows-Even" by the Scots, which means "evening of all saints." The history of the holiday is rooted in the ancient traditions of the Celts of Ireland and Scotland. These countries are considered to be the birthplace of Halloween. The famous historian Nicholas Rogers suggests that the Halloween holiday appeared only after the Celtic pagan holiday - Saiman (Samhain), translated from Old Irish - "end of summer".
Saiman was first mentioned in the literature of old Ireland in the 10th century, and subsequently the month of November will be called that way. Saiman is a holiday of all the peoples of the British Isles, which was associated with something supernatural, dark, dead. All Saints' Day is gradually replacing Saiman: the formation of the future Halloween holiday begins with this.
In the 16th-19th centuries, there appeared new tradition- go from house to house and ask for sweets on the night of October 31, play pranks, put on cloth masks, wear a Jack o'clock.
Halloween symbols
Holiday has many symbols, but Jack's lamp remains the main one. Celtic traditions included making gourds to help dead souls find their way to purgatory. The Jack O'Lantern is a sinister smiling face carved into a pumpkin.
For the first time, such a lamp appeared in the UK and it was carved in turnips. This fruit, according to people, protected their homes from evil spirits on All Saints' Day. When Halloween began to be celebrated in the United States, the lamp began to be carved from a pumpkin.
What are the Halloween traditions?
When celebrating the holiday, you need to change into various Halloween costumes, which you can buy on the eve of All Saints' Day in any specialized store. The most popular costumes of characters from already famous horror films, such as mummy, witch, vampire costume and others. Black and orange colors dominate modern Halloween decorations.
Like any holiday, Halloween has its own theme in music. The composition of the songs for this holiday is based on the ambient genre, which consists of frightening sounds: squeaks, screams, howling wolves, etc. The modern song "MonsterMash" by musician Bobby Pickett can be said to have become a Halloween anthem. This holiday is associated with the work of the Midnight Syndicate group, which to some extent has become synonymous with Halloween. AT 2010 the band released a whole album called "Halloween Music Collection" dedicated to Halloween.
The tradition of going from house to house and begging for sweets appeared in the Middle Ages and was directly related to Christmas. However, in Ireland and England, the poor begged for sweets on the eve of All Saints' Day, while promising to pray for the souls of the deceased relatives of the owner. The special term "Trick-or-treat", actively used in the USA since 1939, translated as "a joke or a treat".
Over time, this phrase was transformed, new options appeared, and by 1940 became unchanged and sounded like this: "Trick or treat." Today, such a comic phrase can be heard in almost any country and not only on the eve of All Saints' Day.
How to decorate a holiday?
A special place in the celebration of Halloween is occupied by entertainment and festive table. An important Halloween tradition is the organization of an attraction inhabited by ghosts (Hauntedattractions). The main purpose of such entertainment is to scare visitors. Its main difference from the usual "haunted house" is the presence of corn mazes and haystacks. Up to half a million customers can visit this “ghost house” in one night. Such projects have a high technical level and a clear framework according to the season.
You can decorate for Halloween not only the house, but also the table. Since the holiday falls at the end of the seasonal apple harvest, apples are the main treat. Hard-working housewives prepare apples in syrup, apple caramel, toffee and even candy apples in the form of pumpkin or corn. As you know, bread is the head of everything. Therefore, a special bread called “barmbrek” is prepared for Halloween. With the help of this bread in Ireland they predicted the future. A piece of cloth, a ring, peas and a coin were hidden in the dough, baked and served on the table. If a person came across a ring, then his wedding was soon to be, but if there were peas, then the wedding would not be soon. Money symbolized wealth, and a piece of cloth - poverty.
Today, Halloween is celebrated in almost every country in the world. However, its history and traditions have remained virtually unchanged for several centuries. Mysterious, magical, mystical Halloween is a holiday of evil spirits on the eve of All Saints' Day.
