10/4/07 Ode to Halloween- Part 1

Oh ya'll, it's October, and that just makes me so happy. First, the temperature drops below 50 bazillion degrees (eventually...I hope) and secondly, it's time for Halloween. And I loooooove me some Halloween. Despite growing up in an upstanding Christian household where we technically didn't celebrate Halloween and instead we dressed up and gave out candy at the church for "Noah's Ark Fest", I still love the holiday (no matter what you call it). What other holiday allows you to dress up and pretend to be something you're not, and carve faces and shapes into oversized vegetables, and get candy for it? This is a win-win-win holiday! I've had my killer costume all planned out since last March (homemade, thank you very much. Not store bought, which is so totally cheating) and pumpkin carving is scheduled for this Sunday, and we'll hit up Boo at the Zoo for the free candy, since my neighbors have this thing about giving candy to a fully costumed adult showing up at their door and begging for chocolate. (Age discrimination! Age discrimination!) Anyway, I could go on and on about the joys of Halloween, but then the post would be crazy long, so I've decided to split it up into categories and do a whole "Ode to Halloween" series. (Plus, that gets you hooked and coming back for more, which is a shameless manipulation of my visitor numbers. Mwu-ha-ha-ha-ha!)

And since we have some international blog visitors, I did a little research to find out what the rest of the world does with Halloween. I've picked out my favorites below, but you can read about a bunch of different countries on http://www.jackolanterns.net/traditions.htm

"In England the black cat was considered to be good luck were as a white cat was considered to be bad luck. In England children make "punkies " out of large beets. They cut out a design of their choice into the beet. Then they carry them through the streets and sing the Punkie Night Song. They knock on doors and ask for money. In some parts of England turnip Lanterns are place on gateposts to protect homes from the spirits".

Quirky Editor's Note: "Punkie" is now the official word of the day. Try to use it as many times as possible, just because it's fun to say.

"In Mexico they have picnic lunches on the graves of their relatives. As this is a day of remembrance, happiness and celebration. They bake bread and make candy in the shape of skull and crossbones, a casket, or a skeleton. The children run through the streets with lanterns and ask for coins. People light bonfires, set off firecrackers, and hang lanterns on trees to guide the souls of the dead home".

"In China the Halloween festival is known as Teng Chieh in which food and water are placed in front of photographs of relatives of people. Bonfires and lanterns are lit to light the spirits path back to earth. In the sacred ritual of the day, the spirits are offered joss sticks, food and gifts. The gifts, made of paper, represent objects with which they were familiar while on earth and are intended to make them feel at home. Paper money is burnt on their behalf, to pay for their expenses in the netherworld. Fires are lit to light the way for the hungry ghosts and a gesture of welcome".

In Germany, "On All Saints' Day Catholics attend church services in honor of the saints, the martyrs and those who have died for the Catholic faith. People may also visit their family’s graves to beautify them with wreaths and small lanterns. Sometimes a mass is said at the grave site and the grave sprinkled with holy water. On November 2 or All Souls' Day, Catholics attend a special Requiem masses, where they remember those who may be close to them that have died. Prayers for the dead are said and votive candles are lit to honor their memory".

There you go. A little trivia to impress your friends with. Or win final Jeopardy.