Boo from the ghost of the MyRamones board!

                                                                     Day 1

I will start this topic with a little info on Halloween and it's origins.  To us it is just a fun day full of fantasy and frolic but what was it to begin with?  The Halloween that we celebrate today is a sort of melting pot of different cultures and religions.  It has roots in the Celtic Festival of Samhain and in the Christian Holiday of All Souls Day.  Since the Celts pre-date the Christians, lets start there.

What exactly is the Celtic festival of Samhain, pronounced Sow-wen, from Old Irish and possibly from the Gaulish word samonios.  Samhain is the Celtic New Year festival.  It is time of year when the Celts would bring in the Harvest, slaughter their animals, and stock up for the coming winter.  The Celts also believed that on October 31, the dead returned to the earth and were a danger to the living.  On this day the veil between our world and the world of the dead was at its thinnest, and the dead could return to our world easily.  The Celtic people believed on this night the dead, angry at the living, would do as much harm as they could.  It was believed that they would cause illness and hunger by damaging crops and animals.  The Celts would light large bonfires and throw the bones of their animals in to the fires and they wore costumes and masks to make the dead think they were dead also.  If the dead thought the living were also dead, they would go on past them causing no harm.  Our tradition of wearing costumes actually started in Scotland among its Gaelic culture.  Young men In Scotland would wear masks to ward off the evil spirits and the dead wishing to cause them and their families harm.

Samhain, what exactly is that word? It is actually the name of a month in the Celtic calender.  In our calender it would be about the same as November.  In the Gaelic language it means summer's end.  The Gaelic calender was divided into two halves.  The first half beginning at Samonios/Samhain.  It is the dark half of the year when their world was dead and void of life.  It started at what we would call the end of October, the first of November.  The light half known as Giamonios, started at what we call April or May.  Their calender depends on the moon's cycle.  Samhain begins at midpoint between the Fall and Winter Equinox  The New Year is celebrated during the first three days of Samonious.

Too many Samhain is not only a month or a New Years celebration, but a god.  He is sometime refered to as the Celtic god of death.  In a lot of Jewish and Christian myth he is the same as Satan.  We will take a further look into that myth later on.


(Message edited by AnyaRamone On 10/02/2009 12:14:15)

How was Samhain celebrated amongst the different Celtic cultures?  We will start with the Irish Celts, only because I am Irish..



In ancient Ireland the festival of Samhain is called Oíche Shamhna.  It was their time to bring in the harvest, slaughter their animals, and prepare for winter. In medieval Ireland it was a great celebration that started in the Royal Court in Tara.  The celebrations lasted for 3 days.  The rituals for the celebration were started by lighting a bonfire on the Hill of Tara.  It was lit first because it could be seen across Ireland and told the next city to light their bonfires.  In recent years the custom has made a comeback.  In these bonfires, they would make sacrifices to their gods with crops and animals.  It is also believed that on this night the Druids could predict the future better.  The predictions from the Druid leaders were very important to the people as a comfort during the long hard months of winter.  Also from these Bonfires, all the hearths in the village were re-lit.  The Celtic people would turn out their hearth fires before leaving for the celebrations and re-light them with fire from the bonfire.
During the celebrations the people wore costumes made mostly from animal skins and told each others fortunes. 

Around 43 A.D. the Romans conquered the Celts and the Samhain traditions were slightly changed.  They became a mix of Celtic and Roman traditions.  The Romans ruled over the Celtic lands for 400 years, thus changing and adding to the Celtic beliefs.  Two Roman festivals were added into the Celtic festivals.  The first being Feralia, a late day in October when the Romans celebrated their dead.  The second festival was the festival of Pomona, a roman goddess of fruits and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and from this mix of traditions we get out customs of apple bobbing and candied apples.

In ancient Scotland the festival of Samhain is known as Odhiche Shamhna.  There are many diverse Samhain traditions in Scotland, depending on where you lived.  Just as in Ireland they would hold their bonfire celebrations and the re-lighting of the hearths but they also had other traditions such as the throwing of a silver coin through the front doors on November 1st.  It was left there all year long to insure prosperity to the home and those who lived there.  In another area of Scotland, Hebrides, they would pour Ale into the sea to honor the god Shony.  They hoped that during the coming year the god would grant them lots of seaweed to fertilize their crops with.  In other places, the people would place a stone into the ash of the bonfires.  if the stone was moved or broken it meant the person would die before the next Halloween.  Many also would hollow out various vegetables such as turnips and pumpkins.  They would make evil faces on them to scare off the dead.  Men would light torches from the bonfires and circle their homes with them  for protection.  The pulling of pranks was a custom in Scotland on Halloween....I am sure it is still a custom today...as long as Lewie is on the loose!
There are many more different Halloween and Samhain customs, this is just a start to them all.  Along with the above mentioned there were different types of food made to honor the day.  Apples play a large role in the food traditions, thanks to the Romans.  Many people left apples outside at the roads edge to feed the dead.  Our tradition of Trick or Treating comes from the Celtic people.  Many would go from door to door asking for cakes and such from each of their neighbors.  Pity the house that didn't give a treat....they would end up with a nice trick from the living....and the dead.....BOO

(Message edited by AnyaRamone On 10/01/2009 14:47:23)

Here I will give a little info an the Christian Church's role in Halloween.  It will be brief as it ia a Celtic and Pagan Hoiliday.  After the Church brought Chrisianity to the Celts, many of them were unwilling to give up their pagan ways all together. So as to bring the Celtic people into the church, the Church took the festival and changed it.  They did this with a lot of Celtic holidays....all of them to be exact...but as I said before I will keep it brief and not offend too many people. Pope Boniface IV tried to consume the Celtic holiday and turn it into a holiday sanctified by the Church, All Saints Day. And later All Souls Day was added to the Church calender.  All Souls day was celebrated just as Samhain was, but with the Church's permission...I guess if you can't beat them...join them.  This is about all I am going to say about the Church and Halloween.  I don't want to get into the Halloween is evil thing today.  LOL  I can add this, the early Christians also did a form of trick or treating on this day.  They would bake soul cakes to be given out to the poor and neighbors, often called Souling.


Halloween and the fun and importance behind it.  Remember back when you were a child.  The air was getting colder, the days shorter, the leaves were falling all around you.  That to me were the signs that Halloween was coming.  I would be filled with such happiness...soon their would be parties and festivals.  What do parties and festivals give us?  A closer tie and bond to our neighbor and our community.  It takes a lot of trust to take candy from a stranger and a lot of trust to let strange children into your home.  It brings us closer together through celebration.

Here in the United States we have a little chant that we say at Halloween......Trick or Treat, smell my feet.  Give me something good to eat.  If you don't I don't care!  I'll pull down your underwear!  LOL  Did you know that the Gaelics have a little trick or treating chant....

"Anocht Oidhche Shamhna, a Mhongo Mango.  Sop is na fuinneogaibh; dúntar na díirse.  Eirigh id' shuidhe, a bhean an tighe.  Téirigh siar go banamhail, tar aniar go flaitheamhail.  Tabhair leat ceapaire aráin agus ime ar dhath do leacain fhéin; a mbeidh léim ghirrfiadh dhe aoirde ann ages ciscéim choiligh dhe im air.  Tabhair chugham peigin de bhainne righin, min milis a mbeidh leawhnach 'n-a chosa agus uachtar 'n-a mhullaigh; go mebidh sé ag imtheacht 'n-a chnocaibh agus ag teacht Ón-a shlébhtibh, agus badh ó leat go dtachtfdh sé mé, agus mo chreach fhada níor bhaoghal  dom."

In english it says, "O Mhongo Mango, Hallow Eén tonight.  Straw in the windows and close the doors.  Rise up housewife, go inside womanly, return hospitably, bring with you a slice of bread and butter the colour of your own cheek, as high as hare's own jump with a cock's step of butter on it.  Bring us a measure of thick  fine sweet milk, with new milk below and cream above, coming in hills and going in mountains; you may  think it would choke me, but alas!  I am in no danger."

Trick or treat!

Now for something fun....here is a link to a movie about a little monster named Samhain, Sam to his friends.
http://www.zshare.net/video/661582944c5e04be/
Trick r Treat.....
Happy Samhain!
Anya


(Message edited by AnyaRamone On 10/01/2009 17:07:05)

                                    Day 2

Here are a few Halloween poems for you all to enjoy!  Have fun with them and get into a Spooky mood.....

HAUNTED HOUSE UPON THE HILL
by Dolores Faye Thorn

The house stands on dreary hill
It stands forlorn, austere, and still
The steeples rise to peaks so high
In silhouette against the moonlit sky
It glows a haunting, eerie sight
Upon all things within the night
Shadows loom on stone cracked walls
Dusty rooms and cobwebbed halls
Musty smells from moldy floors
Ghostly sounds from squeaky doors
Black cats roam the window ledge
Prowling, howling
Bright eyes scowling
Shaking, quaking
Silence breaking
Piercing screams of doom and gloom
Penetrate the dungeon rooms
The sounds of ghouls that dwell inside
Are heard from places where they hide
No one has entered for many a spell
This house where ghost and goblins dwell
It stands to haunt with mystic chill
The haunted house upon the hill


T'WAS HALLOWEEN NIGHT
 by Dolores Faye Thorn
  
T'was Halloween night and
All through the house
Creatures were stirring
Bugs cats and a mouse
The pumpkins were carved
Into faces with care
In hopes that a candle
Would soon be placed there
With ma in her apron
Fixing platters of sweets
We'd settled our brains
For a long night of treats
When out on the lawn
There arose such a roar
I sprang to my feet
And ran to the door
And what to my wandering
Eyes should appear
But a red deviled monster
With a big yellow spear
Like a bat from a cave
I ran - still he came
I thought I'd escaped
But he called out my name
Mr. Thorn - Mr. Thorn -
Please don't be afraid
It's me little Jimmy
In this masquerade
The moon on the lawn
Glowed a bright orange cast
And I thought I saw witches
On brooms flying past
White sheet like things floated
They looked just like ghosts
But the skeleton with bones clacking
It scared me the most
Someone looked like a vampire
His face a ghastly pale hue
I finally realized
It was Harry all covered with glue
That kid like a spider
So lively and quick
I knew in a moment
 It was my neighbor's son Nick
One sweet little princess
So lovely was she -
Whatever was she doing
In this strange company?
When all of the goblins
Pulled mask from there head
I knew that this night
There was nothing to dread
Then this strange purple monster
Greeted me and I said
"Who are you?"
He gave me no answer just hollered Boooooooooo….!
And putting a finger
Aside one large eye
He got in his space ship
And flew to the sky
I knew I had never seen
Anything like that before
I watched him in wonder
Quickly shutting my door
But I heard him exclaim
Ere he flew out of sight
Happy Halloween to all
And have a real spooky night!

Here is a spooky cookie recipe to try!

Total: 58 min
Prep: 20 min
Bake: 8 min
Cool: 30 min

Makes 3 dozen cookies

1 package Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white or yellow cake mix
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
Liquid or paste orange food color

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Stir together about half of the cake mix (dry), the shortening, butter, vanilla, egg and food color in large bowl thoroughly, using spoon. Stir in remaining cake mix.

2. Divide dough in half. Roll each 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured cloth-covered board, using cloth-covered rolling pin.

3. Cut into desired shapes with 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters; cutting out eyes, nose, etc., if desired, using sharp knife. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 6 to 8 minutes or just until set (centers will be soft). Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet. Immediately make hole in tops of some cookies, using end of plastic straw; trim any cut edges with sharp knife to straighten. Cool completely on wire rack.

4. Tie ribbon or yarn through holes to hang. Hang ornaments on tree branches anchored in a pot or on Halloween tree (available at craft stores). Decorate remaining cookies as desired.

Sounds like Spooky good Fun!

(Message edited by AnyaRamone On 10/02/2009 12:34:18)

 What would a Halloween topic be with out Edgar Allen Poe
done perfectly by Vincent Price......




Have fun with that kiddos

 










No Halloween would be complete with out a little head.....less horseman

and a little Scooby Doo!

 Here is an interesting Documentery about Jack the Ripper

 Day 3




Here is an interesting topic for discussion.....what was your favorite thing about Halloween?

Was it the cold weather, the leaves falling, the spider webs everywhere?  Tell us what
was your favorite thing.



For me, it was the dressing up.  As a child my family didn't have a lot of money.  So at Halloween I didn't get to go to a store and buy a store bought costume.  Too much money to buy them.  The fun to me was in making my own costume.  The diggin around in old junk stores for the perfect black dress for the witch's costume, or looking for an old stuffed bird to sit on the front steps.  To me Halloween is a time to let your creative side out along with your dark side.  So tell the rest of us what do you love about Halloween.





And now for your horror loving pleasure....a little movie that scares the FUCK out of me.......enjoy kiddies...





I don't wanna be a PINHEAD no more.....

Sadly, I haven't done anything for Halloween, in terms of costumes and the participation of the traditional games and so on, for many years... We do, however, still carve out and light the tumshie every year, put up some decorations, dish out some sweets and cakes, and we will typically watch something of a more unnerving nature on the idiot box.
On the 31st of October last year, whilst walking down Queens Drive, I experienced a moment not too dissimilar to the scene in The Exorcist where Chris MacNeil is walking home from her shooting location and the young trick-or-treaters run excitedly past her... I could even hear the famous Tubular Bells motif in my head... It was pretty strange, especially as you rarely ever see any kids running around there without parents, and certainly not whilst dressed up as witches and ghosts...
There is always a powerful atmosphere on Halloween which I adore... There's a certain something in the air...
I'm really looking forward to Halloween this year, as a pretty little red headed witch has rekindled my interest in the things that go bump in the night... I thank her for that...

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