Halloween

The origin of Halloween dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, Lord of the Dead. The Celtics feared Samhain and in order to please him the Druids made sacrifices to the gods. October 31st marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celtic people believed that the spirits of all those who had died throughout the preceding year would come back in search of living bodies. They wore costumes during the Samhain festival. The purpose of the costumes was to frighten the spirits. They also put out their best food offerings on the doorstep to please them.
Nowadays Halloween is very popular in different countries. Adults and children dress up as creatures from the underworld (e.g., ghosts, zombies, witches, mummies, skeletons, werewolves and demons.).
A common symbol of Halloween is the Jack-O-Lantern, which is a carved pumpkin with a lit candle inside. It can be traced back to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack.

 Games are often played, such as bobbing for apples, which are placed in a basin of water. Everyone takes turns catching as many as possible using only their mouths. Another common game involves the hands-free eating of an apple hung on a string attached to the ceiling. Small children go from house to house, often in costume, demanding “trick or treat.”






 Photos: Rich Gibson , ChrisKatie