Halloween: Randomness Round-Up
It’s almost Halloween, in real life and also in that bizarre through-the-looking-glass world of social media where every holiday needs 20 specialty baked goods to celebrate it. I’ve cherished seeing the cute and inventive snack ideas (love the ghost bananas!), all the while knowing I’m far too lazy to be more festive than eating just candy corn on its own.
Our neighborhood is definitely ready for the holiday: I love walking around and seeing all of the blow-up decorations. One could say it brings out the kid in me, but considering it’s adults purchasing this festive decor I’d say we are all on the same page. Sure, Jim, you did it “for the kids”. Who are now in their 20’s. And away at college. Just admit it, everyone likes a giant inflatable skeleton dinosaur and that’s ok. We dig it.
No these asters are not mine, just admired on my daily walk.
It’s also aster season, which I love. Purple and orange and white are such glorious fall colors. I had grand plans of an insta-worthy display at my own entryway, with pumpkins and asters and overpriced plastic-wrapped straw bales (no mice nests here). However, my plans unraveled faster than I could say “under-watered perennials.”
If my puny flowers hadn’t given up the ghost by October I’d be reveling in Autumn bliss. As it is I gave up and chopped them way down partly in hope of new blooms and partly out of spite.
Next Fall I will have patience and wait til the outdoor temperature behaves reasonably to purchase more and a better quality.
Halloween night is fast approaching! I do enjoy the holiday from fun, seasonal, and religious points of view. We weren’t really a family to visit gravesites often, so as an adult the triad of All Hallows’ Eve, All-Saints’ Day, and All-Souls’ Day (Oct. 31, Nov. 1, and Nov. 2 respectively) is a time I choose for remembrance and recollection.
The Christianity-based version of what’s now called Halloween began when All Saints’ Day started in the 7th century A.D. in May as a remembrance of martyrs. Pope Gregory III moved it to November 1 during a dedication of a chapel in St. Peter’s, Rome in honor of all Saints. All Souls’ Day became a time to honor all the faithful departed, and churches in communion with Rome retained these holidays.
The tradition passed down into some Protestant churches as well in the form of All Saints’ Day, which for these groups include all the departed.
Many Eastern Orthodox churches still celebrate All Saints’ Day in May, and some other Orthodox have their own dates with significance to their own cultural backgrounds.
Many areas affected by Christian expansion had their own death celebrations changed to match the November 1st date.
Some say that in the farthest northwest reaches of the ancient Western church, All Hallow’s Eve and All Saints Day were actually placed on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 to occur simultaneously with (or possibly usurp the importance of) the Celtic festival of Samhain. This was a harvest festival during which the darkness of the next part of the year is welcomed, and the barrier between the worlds became thin.
Wouldn’t it be bonkers if instead of religious imperialism, some ancient Christian woman named Jane simply became jealous of her Celtic pagan neighbor Maeve’s traditional carved turnips and cute little cookies with bat wings made from Oreos (so adorable!), and put up an almighty fuss about being allowed to participate in the festivities until the beleaguered menfolk all the way up to the Pope agreed to coordinate the holidays?
Because clearly that’s what happened.
Especially the Oreos.
This Halloween season I’ll probably just put on Harry Potter for the billionth time, look at some old photos of deceased loved ones, then head to church to sing a rousing chorus of When the Saints Come Marching In, and call it a day til next spooky season. A solid segway to Thanksgiving and what’s left of Autumn.
What are your Halloween plans?
