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What is Halloween about:
31st October
Halloween, or the Hallow E'en as they call it in Ireland, means All Hallows Eve, or the night before the 'All Hallows', also called 'All Hallowmas', or 'All Saints', or 'All Souls' Day, observed on November 1st.
In the ancient Celtic calendar this was New Year's Eve, when souls of the dead were supposed to visit their homes. Bonfires were lit and fearsome heads cut into turnips and pumpkins and lit by a candle were to scare away evil spirits thought to be around on that night.
An old Scottish prayer asks for deliverance from 'ghoulies and ghosties, and long-legged beasties, and things that go bump in the night'
Before then there was a pagan festival for the dead which the Catholic church replaced with All Saints day, which was later moved to 31st October.
In Mexico the first two days of November is celebrated as the Day of the Dead. Families remember relatives who have died, but it is not a sad or spooky occasion, rather a celebration of life, with happiness and humour
for more about festivals check out http://www.theholidayspot.com/
31st October
Halloween, or the Hallow E'en as they call it in Ireland, means All Hallows Eve, or the night before the 'All Hallows', also called 'All Hallowmas', or 'All Saints', or 'All Souls' Day, observed on November 1st.
In the ancient Celtic calendar this was New Year's Eve, when souls of the dead were supposed to visit their homes. Bonfires were lit and fearsome heads cut into turnips and pumpkins and lit by a candle were to scare away evil spirits thought to be around on that night.
An old Scottish prayer asks for deliverance from 'ghoulies and ghosties, and long-legged beasties, and things that go bump in the night'
Before then there was a pagan festival for the dead which the Catholic church replaced with All Saints day, which was later moved to 31st October.
In Mexico the first two days of November is celebrated as the Day of the Dead. Families remember relatives who have died, but it is not a sad or spooky occasion, rather a celebration of life, with happiness and humour
for more about festivals check out http://www.theholidayspot.com/