Halloween can trace its origins back to the Celtic feast of Samhain, which was traditionally held to celebrate the end of harvest and the start of the deep dark of winter. Fires are associated with this festival in order to ward off evil spirits.
Tradition
In common with many pagan ceremonies, Pope Gregory and the Christian faith adopted this Halloween as a time of remembering the dead and celebrating martyrs and saints, November 1st was the day for this feast and the evening before became known as the evening before ‘all hallows.’ The expression was later changed to Halloween. Even the tradition of using pumpkin lights has its origins in Celtic mythology. Natural gasses given off from Irish peat bogs were prone to catch light leading to the term jack-o-lantern, though the term was also used in the UK during the 1600s.
Fancy dress
In contemporary society, Halloween is a festival that’s celebrated by both adults and children. Dressing up in witches’ costumes and other unworldly creations is a long-standing tradition. You don’t have to spend a fortune but do use your imagination; a surfeit of white-sheeted ghosts can become an embarrassment. If you want to make sure that you can source the best fancy dress for any forthcoming party and you also want to use the festive occasion to treat yourself to a new item of technology then click here for cheap laptop deals. After all, children make a habit of asking for a trick or a treat on 31st October so why shouldn’t you also give yourself a gift? If your children are going trick or treating, make sure that an adult accompanies them. Some houses are more inviting than others and some people don’t always want to join in with the fun and games of this magical evening.
Films
As a result of the folklore associated with Halloween a number of filmmakers have created some horribly scary films associated with this time of the year. The chilling Halloween franchise is always popular and there are a number of other films that are guaranteed to scare you. Try watching the wonderful Sleepy Hollow, starring Jonny Depp, and Christopher Walken and directed by Tim Burton. The film has witchcraft, headless horsemen and also a fair degree of humour and is always entertaining. Another film that is a constant spooky favourite is the 1979 Amytiville Horror, this film is as amusing, as it is scary and the prolific use of bile and blood is wonderfully gory.
Story telling
Halloween is a time for storytelling and mystery. Hollywood productions are wonderful but sometimes there’s nothing better than sitting around and making up some beautifully scary stories for you and your family. You could even provide illustrations of your own through Paintbox and other software packages. If your room is lit by pumpkin lanterns with their carved ghoulish faces and everyone is garbed in fancy dress, you’ve already established a supernatural atmosphere, just don’t be surprised if the adults scream before the children.
