Halloween legends, origins and trivia updated for 2011. (all the things you never thought you needed to know about halloween =^..^=)
The origin of the Jack-O-Lantern:This is a tradition that started in Ireland(hence the green font) and they were carved out of turnips not pumpkins. The story starts with a man named Jack. He was a drunkard and a prankster. He had met the devil in the pub on All Hallows Eve. The devil wanted his soul in exchange for one more drink and one more year on earth. Jack took the offer, got his drink and his last year on earth. The next year he came stumbling home sufficiently inebriated he came across the devil himself on the road. Jack was not ready to go. What a shocker! Somehow he tricked the devil up an apple tree and carved a cross into the trunk so the devil was trapped at the top of the tree unable to climb down. He begged the devil for 10 more years if he let the devil down. The devil was VERY angry at Jack but, in some way, appreciated his drunken ingenuity to trap him and granted him his ten more years. God was not happy with Jack. He was mad at Jack for all his careless treatment of his own body, tricking others and, needless to say, making deals with the devil. But, in some way, God appreciated Jack for tricking the devil using a cross as his foil. Jack died before the year ended. (probably of cirrhosis and lost an extra 9 years) Heaven did not want him nor did hell. Jack was set to wander in darkness between worlds. God provided Jack a turnip rooted from the ground and the devil gave him an ember from the eternal fires of hell. So Jack, being Jack, hollowed out the turnip and cut holes in it turning it into a lantern. He placed the ember from hell inside the turnip to light his way down the path of everlasting darkness. Jack was in "lack of a latern " so he made one.
A Jack-o-Lantern.
(this is my very short version of a very LONG story. It is like the Cliff notes for this legend)
Above is a picture of a traditional Jack o lantern.
The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their New Year on November 1. This marked the end of summer,the harvest and the beginning of dark,cold winter.
Winter was the time of year that was associated with human death. Due to no food except what was stored from the harvest,the bitter cold, darkness,sickness and isolation,everything depended on the final outcome of the Harvest. Everything! Celts believed that on the night before the New Year the boundary, between the worlds of the living and the dead,became blurred.
The night the veil
is lifted between the living and the dead.This night of October 31, Samhain, the end of summer (Nov. 1), the division between the two worlds becomes very thin, when hostile supernatural forces are active and ghosts and spirits are free to wander as they wish.In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future.To the Celts, the bonfire represented the sun and was used to aid the Druid in his fight with dark powers. The term bonfire comes from the words "bone fire," literally meaning the bones of sacrificed animals, sometimes human, were piled in a field with timber and set ablaze. All fires except those of the Druids were extinguished on Samhain and householders were levied a fee to relight their holy fire which burned at their altars. 
During the Festival of Samhain, fires would be lit which would burn all through the winter and sacrifices would be offered to the gods on the fires. This practice of burning humans was stopped around 1600, and an effigy was sometimes burned instead. You may think this an admirable thing to stop it but in reality the practice was extremely beneficial considering the few humans that were being burned had died from disease or just was there time. Either way, in the middle of the winters in this area, you can not bury someone or float them out on frozen ice to sea. And disease in these bundled up little communities spread like wildfire in winter as most illnesses were spread by human contact and, in a dark cold winter, people are going to huddle up! So it was extremely practical in many regards! Unless, however, your neighbor, who had been keeping your wife warm while you were out chopping wood, accidentally fell into the "Sacred Fire".
After years of these long winters the population inevitably rose and along with it what happens whenever you put to many people together:
Jealousy, Greed, and Power.
And what comes next ?
Law from the guy with the most Power.
Hence 1600 and rules by.......from...........you can fill in the blanks!
2. I am going to try to help by giving some suggestions on how to make the little demons that come to your door not go away disappointed. That is the most important part; being HAPPY!!!!! That's a fact!
So here we go with one idea for you
Ghost Halloween Lollipops:
this is my mom's invention
You will need:
2 or 3 bags of round lollipops depending on how many children you exoect
1 or 2 packages of small plain white paper napkins
1 or 2 packages of small plain black paper napkins
1 roll of orange curling ribbon
1 roll of black curling ribbon
1 black permanent marker
1 white gel marker (white out pen is perfect for this)
1 nice plastic cauldron or speckeld roasting pan or any nice big deep dish to put your ghosts in
it is really easy. just open the napkin and put top of lollipop in the middle, twist around stick and then tie with ribbon. Then on the white ones draw a simple ghost face.(you can have a lot of fun with the expressions and the kids can help, just have a window open for the marker fumes.) On the black ones draw a little bat face with ears with white marker, Then just fill up your container with everyone standing up looking pretty and your good to go! I have done this for 10 years and the kids knew my house after the first year and looked forward to their ghosts and bats. The best part is it is very inexpensive as opposed to buying chocolate and it's almost like a little candy toy! 
Other treat options:
Because some of the children had allergies to chocolate and peanuts that is another reason why I chose the lollipops. But you never have enough and someone, (as if they should), will have a problem with the type of candy you give out to their children who are begging AT YOUR DOOR for candy you bought with YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY!!! ANd needless to say, keeping you running to the door from 3pm till 8pm! Unless you are the lucky parent (who I envy) that gets to take them door to door. This is special, you get to see your children so HAPPY AND YOU ARE THERE, so You know they are safe. So here are some good things to have on hand.1. Always have change for the UNICEF box this is important no matter where you live. Just put the change jar we all have by the front door for the night. It is good Karma.
2. have a small stash of alternative treats like granola bars, goldfish crackers, small bags of chips, etc. It's great for the person giving out the treats when they are getting a sugar high. Salt helps. Come on your nerves are fried you've eaten 24 Reeses no dinner and a potatoe chip looks like fillet mingon.
3. for the kid who is allergic to everything. I have learned this is because his parents care what he/she eats BUT IT'S HALLOWEEN!!! The parents can and SHOULD sort the candy when they get home. So I calm down and give them a dollar bill. If they eat it I guarantee they won't get sick. I spray them with antibacterial spray as with all my money.
4. When you go grocery shopping use some of the change in the gumball machine on your way out. You will be surprised how much stuff you can accumulate between now and Halloween and 1 item will make 1 little person very happy. (just make sure that the little person is old enough to know not to eat it!)
this is good advice for people who live in large towns or apartment complexes .
Meow for now,
Catraven =^..^=
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