Halloween in Virginia

[Pah]

To address those who hold the misconception that Halloween is inspired by the devil, here is a short primer on the origins of this now virtually secular celebration:

Halloween began with the Celts who lived 2000 years ago in an area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France. Originally called Samhain, the Oct. 31 holiday was a celebration of the end of the summer harvest and the end of the year. As an end-of-year celebration, it also marked a time to remember the dead who had passed on.

The Celts believed that during this time of remembrance, the spirits of the dead rose from the ground looking for new bodies to inhabit, therefore, the villagers would dress up in ghoulish costumes to fool the spirits into thinking that they were dead, too. This is most likely where the tradition of Halloween costumes began.

In the 700s, Pope Gregory III created a competing holiday, All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1 – a day to remember and celebrate the saints of the church. It was widely believed that he did this to shift the emphasis from the Celtic festival with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday.

In the early 1000s, the church instituted Nov. 2 as All Souls Day, to commemorate all the Christian dead who were waiting in Purgatory. Purgatory is the place where Catholics and early Christians believe souls atone for their sins before entering Heaven.

The tradition of trick-or-treating likely finds its roots in early All Souls' Day parades in England. During All Souls Day, poor citizens would beg for food, and people would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray for their families’ dead relatives to expedite their journeys from Purgatory to Heaven.

As European immigrants came to America in the 1600s, they brought their many Halloween customs with them – from celebrating the fall harvest to celebrating the saints and the souls of the dead. In the mid-1800s, millions of Irish fleeing the potato famine helped popularize the celebration of Halloween. Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today's trick-or-treat tradition.

Today, Halloween has remained for some a religious holiday, as the vigil of All Saints’ Day. Though for most it is a mainly secular holiday, with more ancient tradition than evil overtones.

The article at ROANOKE.COM , a part of the Roanoke Times also has a bit of the squabbling when a Christian group asked the holiday be moved from Sunday.

-pah-

 

[Economist]

I don't see anything at odds with my faith in dressing up and asking for candy. I think it's a nice thing for kids to do. Sadly, since 9/11, trick or treating has slowed to a trickle in Northern Virginia.

 

[Sunstone]

The worse thing about Holloween is that I'm too old nowadays to go trick or treating. *sniffles*

 

[Jaymes]

The worse thing about Holloween is that I'm too old nowadays to go trick or treating. *sniffles*

You're never too old for free candy.

 

[Pah]

You're never too old for free candy.

There was a year when we went around, not with a sack, but a shot glass. we figured that was more adult (oh yeah - really adult!!!!)

-pah-

 

[Sunstone]

Now that's an idea! *looks in cupboard for shotglasses* But I don't have a shotglass! Will a coffee mug do?

 

[Pah]

Now that's an idea! *looks in cupboard for shotglasses* But I don't have a shotglass! Will a coffee mug do?

You want tp go to more than one house, don't you?

-pah-

 

[Sunstone]

Depends on how fast I can find a house with a 12 year old single malt!

 

[Feathers in Hair]

You're never too old for free candy.

Jensa, you and Pah are my new sages. I welcome this idea of more candy! (And shots... though I'm very boring when it comes to alchohol. Can I collect shot-glasses full of more candy? *happy look at the thought*)

 

[Pah]

Depends on how fast I can find a house with a 12 year old single malt!

Keep going untill you find one 21 years perfecting itself. Look beyound the 8 and 12.

-pah-

 

[Pah]

We having so much fun with this and building closeness, I don't mind that it's off-topic - do you?

-pah-

 

[oisin3]

Another Pagan festival

 

[Jaymes]

Another Pagan festival

I can assure you that it's not unless it's turned into one. Going around asking for candy is hardly ceremonial..