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About Halloween

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:46 pm
by hauntmaster
Behind the name of Halloween, or the Hallow E'en as they call it in Ireland, means ALL HALLOWS EVE, or The Night Before All Hallows, also called ALL HALLOWSMAS, or ALL SAINTS DAY, or ALL SOULS DAY, observed on November 1. In old English the word HALLOW meant "sanctify". Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherians used to observe All Hallows Day to honor all Saints in heaven, known or unknown.

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:23 pm
by tantraman
that is interesting then why is it on oct 31st?

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:53 pm
by hauntmaster
tantraman wrote:that is interesting then why is it on oct 31st?

Good question. I actually don't know why it is on October 31... my guess is mostly Irish believed there is Halloween on Oct 31. Remmy, All Saints Day is on Nov 1. :D

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:57 pm
by tantraman
sorta like christmas eve lol

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:06 pm
by hauntmaster
tantraman wrote:sorta like christmas eve lol

Haa ha ha... Yeah, something like that!

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:25 pm
by BlackCat
I read up about Halloween and it's origins awhile back. It's funny how it has been turned into a "scary"holiday when that's not what it was intended for.

I also heard somewhere that people used to put candles inside of turnips, but in America they used pumpkins cuz they were easier to find or something like that.

Anyway, that was the start of the Jack-o-lantern.

Here's a cute little site that explains some of the origins and folklore of Halloween.

http://wilstar.com/holidays/hallown.htm

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 10:57 pm
by hauntmaster
Jack O' Latern


Ohh, yeah! About jack-o-laterns. Many Irish people have a tale about the origin of jack-o-laterns. They say that a man named Jack was unable to enter Heaven because of his miserliness. He could not enter Hell because he had played practical jokes on the devil. So he had to walk the earth with his latern until Judgment Day.


...pretty interesting tale! I will see if I can find more information about Jack O' Latern story, then I will post here some of these days. :D

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:44 am
by tantraman
wowo intresting story I like it.

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 4:45 pm
by BlackCat
Hauntmaster-

Any other folklore you know about Halloween , I would love to hear. I always find it interesting how the meaning of it has changed through the years. The history is very interesting. Do you know of any good websites that explain any of this?

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 11:21 pm
by hauntmaster
BlackCat wrote:Hauntmaster-

Any other folklore you know about Halloween , I would love to hear. I always find it interesting how the meaning of it has changed through the years. The history is very interesting. Do you know of any good websites that explain any of this?
BlackCat,

You have a good question, so there is no way of knowing there is some website about jack-o-laterns. I'll see if I can find some informations later. I suggest you do the search via http://www.google.com or http://www.yahoo.com

I'm so certain you will find it. :D

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 1:59 am
by tantraman
there is a cartoonn abotu jack on nick jr

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:42 am
by hauntmaster
tantraman wrote:there is a cartoonn abotu jack on nick jr
Cartoon about jack o' latern on NICK channel? What time? What day?

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 11:29 am
by tantraman
look for the nick hallowwen dvds and get the first one. the first show is like the grimm reeper one.

Jack O' Latern Story

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:14 pm
by hauntmaster
JACK O' LATERN


An Irish myth tells of a man named Stingy Jack, who one day invited the Devil to have a drink. He convinced the devil to change into a sixpence in order to pay for the drink, but instead of paying for the drink he pocketed the sixpence beside a silver cross which prevented the devil from changing back. Jack made a deal with the devil before letting him free. For one year, the Devil could not harass Jack. Next Halloween, the Devil met up with Jack again, and Jack made another deal with the devil to be left alone. Jack died within the year and was turned back from the Gates of Heaven. He went to the Gates of Hell and the Devil told him to go away, as Jack had made promise not to claim his soul. Jack didn't want to leave because it was dark and he couldn't find his way. The devil tossed Jack a glowing coal and Jack put it inside a turnip, and ever since with this jack o' latern, Jack has been roaming the faces of this earth. Scottish children hollow out and carve large turnips and put candles in them. Irish children use turnips or potatoes. In parts of England, they use large beets. When the Scottish and the Irish came to USA, they found pumpkins, of course make a perfect jack-o-latern. It is also said that a jack o' latern protected homes from the evil spirits lurking about on Halloween.


So, very interesting story!! :wink:

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:20 pm
by BlackCat
Oh thank you for that story! My father used to tell it very similar when I was a young child. My father is Scottish and I knew the tale came from Europe. I haven't heard any of it's variations for years though, so thank you for sharing!