HALLOWEEN IS COMING UP

  

Personally, I don't celebrate Halloween, but as there are kids everywhere who expect something it's best to be prepared.

Trick-or-treating, also known as guising, is a popular activity among children on Halloween, in which kids dress up in spooky costumes and knock door to door for treats. It has become socially expected that if one lives in a neighborhood with children one should purchase treats in preparation for trick-or-treaters. It is a funny concept and one of the main traditions of Halloween. How did it start?

The custom of 'trick or treat' probably has several origins. An old Irish peasant practice called for going door to door to collect money, bread cake, cheese, eggs, butter, nuts, apples, etc., in preparation for the festival of St. Columbus Kill. Yet another custom was the begging for soul cakes, or offerings for one's self - particularly in exchange for promises of prosperity or protection against bad luck. It is with this custom the concept of the fairies came to be incorporated as people used to go door to door begging for treats. Failure to supply the treats would usually result in practical jokes being visited on the owner of the house.

Since the fairies were abroad on this night, an offering of food or milk was frequently left for them on the steps of the house, so the houseowner could gain the blessings of the "good folk" for the coming year. Many of the households would also leave out a "dumb supper" for the spirits of the departed.

As far as the custom in the US goes, by the mid- 20th century in Ireland and Britain, the smaller children would dress up and parade to the neighbors' houses, do little performances, then ask for a reward. American kids seem to remember this with their chants of "Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg," and other classic tunes done for no reason other than because "it's traditional."

 

Here are some interesting places to visit, with activities which should make your hair turn white !!!

http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/trick_or_treat/trick1.htm

http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/trick_or_treat/trick3.htm

Spooky Tales

http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/stories/index.htm