Happy Halloween!

Funny Halloween Graphics provided by MySpaceGraphicsandAnimations.org

I found the following definitions for Jack-o-lanterns.

1. A lantern made from a hollowed pumpkin with openings representing eyes, nose, and mouth to make it look like a face—a symbol of Halloween.

2. The light of burning marsh gas.

The symbol of Halloween in North America is the reduction of an old phrase, "jack with a lantern."

In Play: The custom of putting carved vegetables out on Halloween did, however, originate with Irish Catholics. The Irish once placed carved turnips and rutabagas containing candles in their windows to ward off the dead souls they presumed wandered about on the eve of All Saints Day, originally known as All Hallow Even(ing). They switched to pumpkins when they immigrated to America since turnips and rutabagas were more likely to be served for dinner.

(Somehow, I doubt my kids would be satisfied with carving rutabagas and turnips instead of pumpkins.)

Jack-with-a-lantern originally meant "man with a lantern" (jack, as in the phrase, "every man, jack of them"). It referred to a night watchman. Its later structure, jack-o'-lantern, is analogical with that of will-o'-the-wisp, which originally meant only "a man named Will with a wisp (whiskbroom)". Both will-o'-the-wisp and jack-o'-lantern were later used to refer to what the Romans called ignis fatuus "crazy fire", the pale, mysterious fire from gas that sometimes faintly burns over marshy areas. A will-o'-the-wisp was then taken to be a sprite carrying the wisp of a torch across the swamps. A jack-o'-lantern was assumed to be a man with a lantern engaged in the same activity.

And that's the rest of the story.

Everybody have a safe and fun Halloween. We'll be trick-or-treating and then watching scary movies. Oh! And of course OD'ing on chocolate candy.

Halloween around the world

I just read a post where the author presumed those of us in the US go way more out for Halloween than people in England. This makes me wonder who all celebrates Halloween, how, and how much? (BTW, DD#2 calls the pumpkin to the left a "cannabalistic pumpkin".) Halloween is pretty much a month-long celebration with the crescendo on October 31st in the US - at least everywhere I've lived (Ohio, Nebraska, Mississippi, and Florida). But we build up to it with month-long scary activities like scary movies, scary books, parties, pigging out on Halloween candy, and spending a fortune on costumes and the hunt for the best costume. Oh! And of course carving jack-o-lanterns and decorating our houses. Of course some people don't celebrate Halloween in the US. At my day job and at my church a lot of people believe it is truly pagan and so evil they want nothing to do with it. They don't want jack-o-lanterns or even a costume party in the building. I tried once to coordinate a Halloween party at work and several people started passing around literature about the evils of Halloween. They decided to have a "Harvest Banquet" instead. I used to love to Trick or Treat. My youngest two children still love to go door to door to demand candy. I love to see my neighbor wear his fat ballerina outfit with the tutu. He's hilarious. I also love the pumpkin patches. I like to go and hang out and take lots of pics of the kids. I love autumn and that's about the only thing that truly feels and looks like autumn in tropical South Florida. My younger daughter wants to have a scary movie fest at home on Halloween this year. Maybe she's finally getting too old to Trick or Treat. She's only about 5'8" and taller than most of the adults passing out the candy so it's about time. I suggested having a seance also. I haven't had one since I was a kid at a slumber party. Ooh! A Ouija board would be fun, too. I also used to do that, too, but I admit, I always asked who I'd marry when I'd grow up and it was always the same boy - I helped push it, I'm sure, to spell his name. Yes, I remember his name, and no, it's not my hubby. No, I never got to even date him, just have a crush on him for many years, from 2nd grade through the end of elementary school. I have no clue what happened to him after that. But maybe I'll buy one and bring it out for Halloween. And maybe I'll drag out my tarot cards. I'm getting lots of good, fun ideas to do inside the house. I'm not really into Trick or Treating anymore unless I go with my grandchildren. My 13 year old who is taller than me now, seems almost too old to do it. He's not sure and is still debating whether or not to go door to door. I think he'll decide it's still fun and drag me with him. I'm not ready to let him go by himself yet and even if the 18 year old decides to go, she doesn't like for her bratty little brother to hang around with her and her friends. He delights in torturing them. If I had the money, I'd visit Disney World's haunted Halloween nights. I've never been yet. Maybe next year if the economy gets better. This year I'm struggling just to fill my gas tank and keep the family in groceries. The kids might have to put Halloween costumes together from things around the house if they decide to dress up. (I used to - you know, characters like hobos and go go girls and housewives in housecoats and curlers and baseball players and ghosts and Airmen). Actually, I had more fun making up my own costumes than buying those cheap things from Kmart. We also have a lot of old costumes and pieces in storage - if they still fit anyone. I gave the Ninja Turtle costume (a really nice handmade one) to my grandson a few years ago. I wonder if my daughter in law kept it and will use it for my granddaughter. It should fit her in a couple years. I need to see if I have other costumes in the closet still that would fit the grandchildren that are too little for my 13 year old. It's time I go hang out in the pumpkin patch again and maybe this year I'll try carving some nifty design like the pic above or like the one I posted the other day. What are you doing for Halloween and how (if at all) are you going to celebrate? How do you usually celebrate?