Wednesday 15 October 2014

The Origin of Halloween . . Big Questions Answered



Halloween what’s that all about then, is definitely one of the big questions of the moment and it is time someone answered it properly. If you search cyberspace you will be bombarded with loads of stuff, but it will all be a bit wishy washy (no not as in Pantomime but as in vague).  This is what always happens when paganism meets religion, but not here no, you will get to know exactly what’s going on.

Firstly it is important to take note of the time of year, and the weather, this year in Britain is a classic to explain why this all started up. We had a fairly good summer and the sun sort of held on over September and then October arrived and the weather has crashed big time, it is dull, damp and getting cold.  So way back in the days when we were all tribal and waved sticks and worshipped the sun and the like (the good old days) what did folk do to get themselves through the long hard winters, remember there was no central heating unless you were a Roman. Well they had parties or as we like to call them now Rituals, yes everyone likes a party but in general we need a reason for them stuff like birthdays, passing exams, catching your first crocodile and the like.  Back in the old days folk would associate these events with their local god and Halloween also got linked to celebrating the dead. Things were different then, death was not all gravestones tears and flowers, it was big fires feasting and dressing up.  Remember the old ancestors did not vanish they were and are still about and it was good manners to show some respect an maybe burn a huge effigy of an Elk and wear a big mask and go and visit all the locals, eat, drink, dance, cheer and wave pointy sticks.

However main stream religion got involved and said it was a Christian event in a cunning plan to get rid of all these other gods and effigies. But old customs are difficult to get rid of and before you know it small children were doing trick or treat all over the world. In particular the whole event appealed to the USA having arrived with the Irish and Scottish way back (they were good at this stuff) and the spirits of the dead were turned into monsters, mummies, vampires, huge things with pointy teeth, witches and the like. This allowed the corporate business world in the USA to make a killing (no pun intended) by selling all sorts of gruesome characters made out of China’s very best genuine recycled plastic. As well as packets of dodgy sugary things that are needed to give to the swarms of trick or treat children that turn up at your door sort of saying things like . . . . .give us stuff or we set fire to the rabbit hutch. . . 

These days with it all being witches and monsters and the like religion has got all funny about it and say it’s the work of the devil. They really should have just left it alone and let the pagans have a party for their long lost ancestors round a big fire and eating and generally having a good time, much like they do at Christmas. . . . . . . AH.


Anyway there you have it that is the Origin of Halloween . . . . sort of        

10 comments:

  1. I hate Halloween more than I hate Christmas. The idea that it is acceptable to go around to your neighbours, unannounced, begging for sweets is abhorrent to me.

    Especially as when I do it at other times of the year, I'm always told to "*%^&$ off" which is very rude indeed.

    It's just one rule for those its one rule for and another rule for those that it is another rule for.

    It's Broken Britain gone MAD!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am not a fan of children wearing a bin liner on their head demanding money on halloween. I dont mind small children turning up if they have made an effort and are polite, but sadly they are thin on the ground these days.

      I take it my plans for this year to turn up and beg for sweets will not go down well then Mr H.

      I watched the Apprentice last night on the TV and you sound just like that Lord Sugar chap . . . only poorer.

      Delete
  2. Each year, we warn our children about the dangers of strangers and about accepting gifts from them. Then Halloween comes along and we actively encourage our kids to go randomly knocking on the doors of said strangers and accepting gifts in the form of sweets. It's a mixed up world I tell ya. A mixed up world indeed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In the old days folk could send children up chimneys, down the mines or lock them under the stairs for weeks on end. OK it was maybe a bit tough, but now the pendulum has swung and you are not allowed to do such things. So when they turn up all smiles at Halloween they know they have the upper hand and unless you hand over a bag of cash in used notes they will eat your goldfish and paint a big red cross on your door to inform the other trick or treaters you are Satans helper and they should let all the air out of your cars tyres.

      Delete
    2. Lily: stranger and danger go together? I would think that would make Rob won of the most dangerous men in the world, and of course I mean that in the nicest way possible, as I used the word won instead of one. All hail to our beloved leader and founder of RATs, from whom some blessings flow.

      Delete
  3. If all the major religions live near the main streams this must eXplain why the minor ones live in the mountains and deserts. There is probably less emphasis on water and more on air. This may eXplain Airy Krishnas and Hin Dews.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Speaking of elk, they had an elk burger on the menu at the Taos Inn for $12. This is slightly more than what I pay at Fuddruckers for a buffalo burger. The neXt time we stay there I wiLL try one. I have had one before at my best friend Susie's house. Her husband is a big game hunter.

      Delete
    2. I think for Halloween I wiLL had out pamphlets on the advantages of Stevia versus the satanic evil known as sugar. That should endear me to the masses eXcept dentists. While on our trip my wife bought me a 2 pound bag of strawberry Twizzler candy. I looked at that bag and thought, "You don't love me, do you, how bizarre. Where have you been living for the last month that would make you buy me two POUNDs, a kilo, of sugar death?" Insanity in a plastic colorful bag.

      Delete
    3. I am rather keen a sugar so strawberry twiizzler candy sounds OK, although two pounds of it is rather a lot. Interestingly the closer to the equator you come from genetically the less tolerant of sugar you are. I originate from the North of Scotland genetically and am probably a Viking so I can tolerate sugar rather well which is good as I like it.

      I have never eaten Buffalo or Elk.

      We do have a very minor stream behind our house so I do have good reason to start a minor religion now. I will proclaim to my followers that I was shown the way by Mr ESB and we will eat candy every Halloween around a stone effigy of you holding a pineapple.

      Delete
    4. Does that sorta make me like a John The Baptist equivalency? I was a Baptist (officially) a veRy long time ago and I have known people named John. Ooooh, no one has ever told me I was going to get to be an effigy, how eXciting!!!! That is like an almost statue! Could I also be riding a buffalo? You wouldn't necessarily have to have any part of the buffalo showing above ground, just teLL people it is below me. I think I can tolerate sugar its just that it has made me tOO large and nOw withOut it I am easily getting smaLLer, mOre than a mOnth. I should cOrrectly say that there is stiLL some sugar in my diet, but only what "naturaLLy" shOws up, as there is none in my coffee and no creamer, which were a veRy significant amount. Yes, you are a great one to start minor religions with aLL your eXperience with the micro-gods. I have some Schottisch as weLL in me (Stewart).

      Delete