It’s funny how people as a whole almost “cheer up” as the holidays approach. This of course is my personal opinion, it’s possible I live in a dream world and you all hate the holidays and celebrate them for my amusement.
Either way I begin with Halloween. Or All-Hallowmas, Feralia, Samhain (pronounced sow-in), etc. An interesting and controversal holiday, Halloween is considered by many up until age 11 the 2nd best holiday, Christmas of course would be the first.
Oh how I remember the candy, haunted houses, and costumes. I was usually dressed as my current favorite cartoon or action character, and I was undeniably amazing in every role.
Enough about my past. Let’s go into the history of Halloween.
(Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain)
Wait, Celts? How did it get to America?
(As with almost anything in our heritage, European Immigrants!)
Ok, so why do I have a pumpkin with a witch carved into it on my porch?
(How far have we come with Halloween?)
Interesting information there, now what does Halloween do for, say retail sales & or marketing?
(Funny you ask.)
Now, how about some cool stuff coming out for 2009.
Nike Halloween 2009 Pack – Simply Amazing Sneakers
Michael Jackson Billie Jean Costume – Rest in Peace MJ
Some great Halloween Recipies – A must have if you intend on going to a party.
Citrus County is also having some Halloween events, check them out.
What else, oh! Top 10 Costumes for 2009!
And I leave you with a quote I found hilarious.
“The Hallowe’en Witch
Each year they parade her about … the traditional Halloween witch.
Misshapen green face, stringy scraps of hair, and a toothless mouth beneath her disfigured nose. Gnarled, knobby fingers twisted into a claw, protracting from a bent and twisted torso that lurches about on wobbly legs.
Most think this abject image to be the creation of a prejudiced mind, or merely a Hallowe’en caricature.
I disagree. I believe this is to be how witches were really seen.
Consider that most witches: were women, were abducted in the night, and smuggled into dungeons or prisons under the secrecy of darkness, to be presented by the light of day as a confessed witch.
Few, if any, saw a frightened, normal looking woman being dragged into a secret room filled with instruments of torture. To be questioned until she confessed to anything that was suggested to her, and to give names or whatever would stop the questions. Crowds only saw the aberration denounced to the world as a self-proclaimed witch.
As the witch was paraded through the town, en route to be burned, hanged, drowned, stoned, or disposed of in various other forms of “Christian Love” … all created to free and save her soul from her depraved body. The jeering crowds viewed the results of hours of torture. The face, bruised and broken by countless blows, bore a hue of sickly green. The once warm and loving smile gone. Replaced by a grimace of broken teeth and torn gums that leers beneath a battered, disfigured nose. The dishevelled hair conceals bleeding gaps of torn scalp from whence cruel hands had torn away the lovely tresses. Broken, twisted hands clutched the wagon for support. Fractured fingers locked like groping claws to steady her broken body. All semblance of humanity gone. This now was truly a demon, a supplied bride of Satan, a proclaimed witch.
I revere this Halloween crone and hold her sacred above all. I honor her courage and listen to her warnings of the dark side of humanity.
Each year I shed tears of respect for her sufferings.
Author Unknown”
