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| Courtesy http://www.cardigansandcravats.com/blog/2014/10/29/happy-vintage-halloween |
As reported in the
HERALD STATESMAN, YONKERS .
NY, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1969:
Halloween, celebrated on the night of Oct. 31, has its
origins in Roman Catholicism and pagan Druidism. It takes its name from All
Saints' Day because Oct. 31 was called All Hallows' Eve, "eve of all the
holy ones' day."
All Saints' Day. a holy day honoring all Christian saints
and especially those who do not have days named for them, will bo observed on
Saturday, Nov. 1. All Saints' Day was first celebrated on May 13, 610. as the
Feast of All Holy Martyrs when Emperor Phocas gave the ancient Roman temple of
the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV as a church.
Gradually the feast was extended to commemorate all saints
in addition to those who have given their lives for their faith.
Modern Halloween festivities derive from the Christian feast
day and the old Druid autumn festival, Samhan (pronounced SAHwin) or summer's
end.
The Druids, an order of priests in ancient Gaul
and Britain, celebrated by feasting on the foods grown during the summer.
The custom of using leaves, pumpkins and cornstalks as
Halloween decorations comes from the Druids. This ancient order also believed
that on Halloween ghosts, spirits, witches and elves came to harm people. They
thought that cats, whom they considered sacred. were once human beings which had boon changed as punishment for evil deeds.
The present-day use of witches, ghosts and cats at Halloween stems from these beliefs. So, if you still fool like venturing out on Halloween, remember the words
of Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley and
take care
[ from his poem titled: "The Elf Child" - later renamed "Little Orphant Annie"]
The origins of trick or treating and dressing up in costume stem from 16th century
Ireland, Scotland and Wales where people would go door-to-door in costume
asking for food in exchange for a poem or song.
The phrase trick-or-treat was first used in 1927 in America ,
when these traditions were brought over to America by immigrants.
Reminder - "FALL back!"
watches and clocks set back tonight .. we gain an hour of sleep!
Thankfully cell phones and computers do so on their own now.
It's a good time to be sure all battery powered smoke and CO2 alarms work.
