Samhain, All Hallow's Eve, Halloween... Whatever you call it, how do you celebrate it

[Guest]

When I was a child (being raised by Christians), I "celebrated" Halloween complete with going door to door of strangers begging for candy. As I got older (and started breaking away from Christian ties) I learned more about different spiritualities, and started following the "old school" Sabbats more than "new world" Holidays. Sure, they're similar, but still... There seems to be something better about the older beliefs. What about the rest of ya'll?

 

[Sparky Kronkite]

For me.....

The modern stuff is all merchandizing - but can be fun. I will allow myself that.

The old stuff I respect - but until I'm the subject of a spell or actually meet the Devil (I'd punch'im) or meet God (I'd kiss'is ass) then I will simply and respectfully - tip my hat to tradition.

 

[CW]

Re: For me.....

The modern stuff is all merchandizing - but can be fun. I will allow myself that.

The old stuff I respect - but until I'm the subject of a spell or actually meet the Devil (I'd punch'im) or meet God (I'd kiss'is ass) then I will simply and respectfully - tip my hat to tradition.

Sparky, you sure sidestepped that one nicely,,, but since your post echos my feelings on the subject, I'll just be the follower today,,, and you, sir, may lead on,,,

 

[poohlive]

I like it....

I actually find it funny how so many christians celebrate their saviors birth by setting up a tree, putting presents under it, and putting the colors red and green all over the place. All the while, waiting for a man in red to come to their house (santa, satan). I mean, thats the pagan ritual of Yule (yuletide gifts) right there.
And Easter, thats the funniest. I mean, people celebrating the death of their savior, by hiding eggs and blaming it on a bunny? Hey Wait, isn't the egg a sign of fertility? and it is during spring time.
In the pagan religion, a bunny was supposed to paint and color eggs, and then give them to all the people of the world...
I don't think when Jesus died on the cross he told everyone to celebrate with eggs? Did he???
Seems to me like we have mixed up our religions a little bit.
I don't mind though. People believe what they believe in, and do what they do. I don't judge, just sit back and make sarcastic remarks... oh wait a minute that is judging, well nevermind then.
I actually would like to know more about how halloween all got started.... tiggs, could you, could you could you could you could you?

 

[Purple Haze]

Fill us in, tiggs.

 

[Guest]

Gather 'round my children and Mother Tiggs will speak!

Halloween was born around the dawn of the Roman Catholic (or Modern Christian) belief. It origionated from the Pagan?Wiccian/Druid Samhain. The Church wanted to adapt the holiday into their beliefs and tried calling it Michaelmas in honor of St. Michael. More or less they lost the "battle" against the Pagans and deemed Halloween, All Hallow's Eve (the night before All Saint's Day, or El Dia De Los Muertos), as "EVIL". The idea of ghosts, gobblins, monsters, and crone witches comes from the Church.

In Pagan beliefs, Samhain was a time to converse with and remember dead loved ones. (Much like El Dia De Los Muertos in Mexico.) Also, scary faces and symbols were carved in squashes (pumpkins, etc) to confuse and scare off evil spirits. There is nothing evil about this holiday/sabbat.

Had enough, or do you want more? lol

[Edited by Tiggs on 10-19-2000 at 02:14 PM]

 

[Ezzie]

The good thing about Halloween...

Is that I don't need a costume to scare people, it's apparent that I can do that without the aid of scary masks or carved pumpkins. LOL

*Ducking from Tiggs*

 

[Guest]

Grrrrrrr. Remember who's paying for 1/2 your dinner tonight Dear. lol

 

[Bobtoad777]

I am a Christian and 25 but to be truthful I don't worry about its origins and go for the free food, I usually dress as a 'Seventh Day United Bapti-Costlyn Assemblies of Yahews Witnesses to the Latter Milleinum" church member

 

[Ezzie]

Half my dinner and no sex?

God Tiggs, I love you! LOL

But if I don't get lucky from someone tonight I'm sure my body will explode and I'll die a well fed, undersexed blob of pregnant body. Sheesh, I love these hormones! lol

Seriously though, my beliefs on Halloween are simple: It's a day to celebrate the dead, ghosts and spirits and the candy is one hell of an added bonus.

 

[CreamyLady]

Re: Gather 'round my children and Mother Tiggs will speak!

Halloween was born around the dawn of the Roman Catholic (or Modern Christian) belief. It origionated from the Pagan?Wiccian/Druid Samhain. The Church wanted to adapt the holiday into their beliefs and tried calling it Michaelmas in honor of St. Michael.

Michaelmas is actually closer to the Autumn Equinox.

Halloween (All Hallows Eve) is actually the evening before the Feast of All Saints -- those who have died and been received into Heaven.

All Soul's Day, November 2, is a day to remember the dead in Purgatory. El Dia de Muertos is more often than not celebrated on All Soul's Day.

Samhain is the New Year; one of the times when the "veils between the worlds" are thin, and a time for remembering those who have passed.

Also, Wicca is an invention of Gerald Gardner about sixty years ago. There is much dispute as to whether or not he actually had contact with a coven, and learned their ways. Much of it is owed to Margaret Murray's writings, most of which have been disproved.

The first jack o'lanterns were carved out of turnips.

 

[poohlive]

::looking back:: Is it me? Or did an encyclopedia just hit us?

 

[Purple Haze]

Thank you, Tiggs, CreamyLady. Good info.

I would like to know the origin of "Trick or Treating."

Anybody Know?

 

[Guest]

Well, it looks like I stand corrected. I've been a follower/reader of Pagan (amother other) beliefs for years now. The "facts" that I got came from a very well known book that was devoted strictly to the Sabbats. ~sigh~ I suppose one can always learn more. And, like any lore, myth, or religious history, "stories" of them can be told or translated differently. Unless you, personally, were there at the dawn of the specific time, you don't have a true understanding of every detail.

 

[Guest]

I would like to know the origin of "Trick or Treating."

Anybody Know?

LoL... I think that's from parents wanting to get their kids out of the house and into someone else's hair!

 

[Ezzie]

My 2 cents

Since the dawn of time, the last night of October has meant something special to people. The Celts who lived here thousands of years ago called it Samhain which meant end of summer. You might think that's a bit silly because it hasn't been summer for a while but the early Celts only had words for summer and winter. Not for spring or autumn.

They also celebrated the New Year at Halloween. With big parties, lots of food, bonfires and dancing and singing. It was a sort of goodbye party for the sun and the light because they knew that the days would be very cold and dark from now on through winter.

But it was also a feast for the dead. The Celts believed that on the night of Halloween, the barrier between our world and the world of the dead is very fragile. Ghosts of those who had passed away during the year could return for one more night to finish unfinished business or just say a proper farewell to their loved ones. The Pumpkin Jack o' Lantern that we have at Halloween today has its roots in the scary, hollowed out vegetable lamps that travellers would carry on this night to frighten away evil spirits.

Don't forget to try and see into the future either. Because Halloween was the last night of the year for the Celts, they believed that it could show them the future. A popular fortune telling trick for young girls was to cut an apple in half (across to reveal a five-pointed star in the middle) and eat it in front of a mirror by candlelight. After a while the girl should be able to see her future husband reflected next to her in the mirror.

 

[Guest]

Thank you Ez. I love you hon.

 

[Always]

I had fun this year on Friday the thirteenth/harvest full moon/blood moon. you would not believe the ghostis i saw that night.

All Soul's Day? Hmmmm... I still go trick-or-treating (forsake free candy? are you nuts?), but I have theory as to why you're supposed to dress up...

all the evil spirits - or just spirits in general - are out that night, right? so you don't hide at home, no! You put on a scary costume - to keep the evil things away from you - and go out, so the spirits won't know where you live and can't recognize you. i guess the getting-candy-along-the-way part is modern merchandising, but hey? who's complaining? it IS free junk food, after all. *grins*

 

[OUTSIDER]

Sorry people.....

we in the UK don't really do halloween we have bomb fire night or as some call it Guy Fawkes night.

 

[Always]

isn't there something in detroit? devil fires night or something?

 

[Roll-One]

WOW

This thread is very deep...LMAO

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[Jester]

I used to do the typical costuming and trick or treating thing when I was younger. These days, if I've got homework, I do that. Otherwise, I sometimes get some bad horror flicks and make it a movie night with friends, etc.

This year, however, I'm going to see Pearl Jam on Halloween night!! Kick Ass!!!!!!

 

[TigerClaw]

 

[insideShiraz]

Tiggs...

I was raised hearing of Sammy...

Have you ever heard of Melchizedek?