Here are some of the ghouls that haunted our classroom on Friday.  What about yours?

Hippie and wizard, casting his spell…

Wish you peace and fun times when and wherever you dwell

Hawaiian dancers, candy corn, and grapes are so sweet…

While pumpkins and bag ladies both rule the street

Is it Hallowe’en or Christmas, I just cannot tell…

We hope Hallowe’en finds you excited, safe, and well!

Some Hallowe’en history:

• The ancient Celts in Ireland and Scotland celebrated a festival called Samhain (pronounced “Sow-en”) every year at the end of the harvest season.  This was the dividing line that marked the end of fall and beginning of winter.  The Celts believed the night of October 31st was when the veil between the dead and the living was at its thinnest, allowing dead relatives and ancestors to cross over into the world of the living as ghosts.  Food was put out for them to keep the peace.

• When Catholicism/Christianity came into dominance in Europe, church leaders tried to get the population to stop having their “pagan” celebrations and installed their own holidays instead.  Thus, All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day were created to shift the emphasis to remembering the dead in a holy way.  These days were on Nov. 1st and 2nd. The day leading up to them, October 31st, became All Hallow’s Eve, meaning the night before the holidays.

• I respect the idea of appreciating a good harvest, honoring the dead, and conquering our fears, but I also believe we need to deemphasize the “give me free candy” aspect of the holiday.  What do you think???

Here are some  more interesting resources for information about Hallowe’en:

The History Channel

Wikipedia: Halloween

Halloween.com

Halloween is Here