I would much rather see a pumpkin with a smiling face than one with a spooky face! After all, a pumpkin in and of itself is neither happy nor spooky so we can look upon it any way we wish.
I googled "Halloween" thinking it had originated in Mexico with their "day of the dead" and was very surprised at what I found.
"Halloween, or Hallowe'en (a contraction of All Hallows' Evening), also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve, is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed." All the ghouls and goblins and other pagan practices came later.
Wow! That really changed the way I will be looking at the date from now on.
Thanks for the info, nlb! The Mexican Day of the Dead celebration is also a 3-day one. The first is for the children, who dress as skeletons and parade up the streets. People hand them sugar skulls, sometimes chocolate coated. The second day is the day to clean & decorate the graves/crypts, set out the special flowers, candles and funeral foods and the devout hold vigils all night long, praying for their loved ones. The 3rd day is a full-out fiesta at the cemetery. The decorations are truly colorful and the flowers are beautiful.
retirenow14
Oct 28, 2016
Thanks for looking this up Nibuchanan. I vaguely remember that we were taught about the origins of Halloween in grammar school, but I love the reminder.
nlbuchanan
Oct 29, 2016
You are very welcome retirenow14. For the record, the name is N L BUCHANAN I can see how the mistake is an easy one to make. In fact, many have made the same mistake. God bless you.
I googled "Halloween" thinking it had originated in Mexico with their "day of the dead" and was very surprised at what I found.
"Halloween, or Hallowe'en (a contraction of All Hallows' Evening), also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve, is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed." All the ghouls and goblins and other pagan practices came later.
Wow! That really changed the way I will be looking at the date from now on.