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Taken from The Writer’s Almanac;
Today is Halloween, one of the oldest holidays in the Western European tradition.
Today, 70 percent of American households will open their doors and offer candy to strangers, most of them children, 50 percent of Americans will take photographs of family or friends in costume, and the nation as a whole will spend more than 6 billion dollars. In terms of dollars spent, it is the second most popular holiday of the year in this country, after Christmas.
For the Celtic people of northeastern Europe, November 1st was New Year’s Day and October 31 was the last night of the year. Celts believed it was the night that spirits, ghosts, faeries, and goblins freely walked the earth. It was Pope Gregory III in the eighth century A.D. who tried to turn Halloween into a Christian holiday. Christians had been celebrating All Saints Day on May 13. Pope Gregory III decided to move the holiday to November 1st, to divert Northern Europeans from celebrating an old pagan ritual. Instead of providing food and drink to the spirits, Christians were encouraged to provide food and drink to the poor. And instead of dressing up like animals and ghosts, Christians were encouraged to dress up like their favorite saints.
In the United States, Puritans tried to outlaw Halloween, in part because of its association with Catholicism. So it was the Irish Catholics who brought Halloween to this country, when they immigrated here in great numbers after the potato famine in the 1840s. By the late 1800s, Victorian women’s magazines began to offer suggestions for celebrating Halloween in wholesome ways, with barn dancing and apple bobbing. And by the early 20th century, it became a holiday for children more than adults. In 1920, The Ladies’ Home Journal made the first known reference to children going door to door for candy, and by the 1950s it was a universal practice in this country.
By the end of the 20th century, 92 percent of America’s children were trick-or-treating.
Happy Hallowe’en or Blessed Samhain to Spo-fans far and wide!
I grew up in the Detroit area; October 30th was called Devil’s Night. I don’t know when it started: it was always there when I was growing up.Kids would go out at night and toilet-paper the trees and soap windows and ring doorbells. In the 70s the fires started. In downtown Detroit; they became world famous.
I was not allowed to go out on this night, and truth be told I did not want to. I wanted to stay home and guard the house from kids in the neighborhood I knew were plotting an attack. My parents never seemed alarmed by this night, which left me with the anxious obligation to ‘stand guard’. I recall our house was hit only once – and I was literally hit with an egg while outside guarding the front. On this night father turned on his police radio for our entertainment. We heard of the various goings on in the suburbs.
We lived next door to a couple who did not have kids. we kids liked this couple and vice versa. They were interesting as they were our parent’s age but had no kids – what a concept.
Mrs. C was fascinated by Devil’s night, not having it where she came from.Apparently she wanted to go out to see the event. I don’t remember how it started, but my brother and I started an annual ‘date’ with this lady. We 3 would go out on patrol on Devil’s Night, looking for happenings. Armed with flashlights, we were both sight-seeing and on patrol. Mrs. C found it all fascinating, like Margaret Mead observing tribal behaviors of the Bantus.
A few times the police would stop us – kids were not supposed to be out on this night. Whatever she said ‘worked’, as we were never told to go home or worse, arrested.
I think Devil’s night has calmed down now, a fad of the past. I don’t know what happened to Mrs. C. But it would be fun to call her this day, to wish her a Happy Devil’s Night.
Reading blogs is becoming overwhelming.
I like reading blogs. I like to check in daily on everyone on my blog roll. As the blog roll increases, and free time decreases, this pleasant past time is becoming more time consuming and less fun. I find myself skimming blogs way too quickly, rather than “reading” them. And I catch myself feeling relief when someone has not posted anything new.
So this is not good. Hobbies should be fun, not another ‘should’ chore.
I suppose if I had more time, a faster computer, and less blogs I want to read, it would not feel so much. But there it is.
I have only so many hours of free time. So I apologize for not being more regular in dropping by the blogs. I think I should split up the blog roll and visit people every 2-3 days. I am going to give that a try.
I will try to leave a comment to let you know I stopped by.
Do you have any other suggestions to keep reading fun and sane?
1. Taken a picture completely naked? Does this mean Itook the picture naked – or there are naked photos of me? either way – no.
2. Made out with a friend on your MySpace/Facebook page? No
3. Danced in front of your mirror naked? Sure, some time ago though.
4. Told a lie? Yes but i hope not in a long while.
5. Had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back? Yes
6. Been arrested? No
7. Made out with someone of the same sex? Sure lots of times; jolly good fun
8. Seen someone die? Yes, particularly when on call as an intern
9. Slept in until 5pm? I may have done such from jet lag; not too sure.
10. Had sex at work? no
11. Fallen asleep at work/school? all interns/residents have done this
12. Held a snake? yes
13. Ran a red light? yes
14. Been suspended from school? No
15. Totalled your car in an accident? Yes when i was a teenager
16. Pole danced? No.
17. Smoked? no – no tobacco, MJ or herbals
18. Been fired from a job? Ye
19. Sang karaoke? no
20. Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t? sure, lots of times
21. Laughed until a drink came out your nose? Yes
22. Caught a snowflake on your tongue? of course; sad to think of people who have not done so
23. Kissed in the rain? Yes
24. Sang in the shower? lots of times
25. Given your private parts a nickname? only in mixed company
26. Ever gone out without underwear? ah youth!
27. Sat on a roof top? the house in which i grew up was ideal for that
28. Played chicken? you mean with a car? no. with people? yes
29. Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? no
30. Broken a bone? yes, my R Wrist.
31. Mooned/flashed someone? no
32. Shaved your head? Yes; Spo fans have seen the photo last 10/31/06
33. Slept naked? most nights
34. Played a prank on someone? yse
35. Had a gym membership? yes
36. Cried over someone you were in love with? yes
37. Taken more than 10 shots of alcohol? no; i am a panty-waist and can only do a few before falling asleep
38. Had sex today? No
39. Played strip poker? No.
40. Donated Blood? i was over the 2 litre mark when the ‘no gays’ rule started
41. Video taped yourself having sex? no
42. Eaten alligator meat? no, nor to i wish to do so
43. Ever jump out of an airplane? same as #42
44. Have you been to more than 10 countries? no
45. Ever wanted to have sex with a platonic friend? Yes
This is Halloween
My cousin, Ann, worked on the team that created this movie. She is proud of it. This opening scene is jolly good fun. It captures the ’spirit’ of the season……..
Samuel Johnson wrote about ghosts.‘All evidence is against it but all belief is towards it’. I suspect most people – including ones who declare themselves quite rational – believe in ghosts. Perhaps we are ‘wired’ to believe in spirits.
If ghosts exist, my house in Chicago by all accounts should have been haunted. It had an owner a few owners back who was crazy/paranoid and eventually fell down the basement stairs and died. However I encountered no evidence of a haunting – except one incident.
Soon after I moved in, one night I woke up to a very loud crash. It was coming from the kitchen.It sounded like someone had smashed in the windows. Or a large breakable item had been thrown against the floor or wall. I was instantly awake. I suppose part of me thought it was somebody breaking and entering. Another part of me thought it was the cat breaking something. Another part of me thought ‘I have a ghost!” These blurry thoughts came too quickly for analysis. I jumped up, ran down stairs into the kitchen.
No broken glass; no broken object. There were no signs anything was amiss. I went through the house but located no broken or misplaced object. Even the cat seemed ok. He did not have that tension cats have when they know they are being accused something bad.
So that was my ghost. If it was a ghost. I suspect it was fleeing the house, as it never came back.
Have you ever encountered a ghost?
Hallowe’en has a lot of good memories for me. My best friend growing up was my brother, Brother #2. He and I would plan Hallowe’en starting in August. When Brother #3 arrived we got him excited for it too.
Back then we lived on a dead end street, shaped like a large needle. To the south in parallel was a similar street. The heads of the needles were linked by a small municipal park. Both streets were lined with large elm trees, which formed a sort of gothic cathedral arch on both streets. I am certain the streets were not long or large but when we were little they seemed enormous. And everyone knew everybody. Trick or treats were generous and there was always some pause for conversation with the neighbors.
The darkness and the park were ideal settings for Hallowe’en. Going through the park to get to the other street meant going into the woodsy dark; one year some older kids jumped out from trees to scare us. Every year we looked for them to do a repeat performance but it never happened. I think in some way we were disappointed.
Father would accompany us. He called trick-or-treating ‘going begging’. The night was ‘Beggers’ Night”. He wore a mask while we wore homemade costumes. (Being the fag in the family, I was in charge of design and production of everyone’s costumes).
One house always had out a manikin out with a bowl of goodies; there was a sign that said ‘sweets and candies for the needy, but take just one, and don’t be greedy!” We were good boys, so we always took just one item. I think we imagined a goblin would follow us home if we misbehaved.
I still have the plastic pumpkin that held my trick-or-treats.
So this is why Hallowe’en has always been a pleasant time for me. it reminds me of good memories with my brothers and father. Halloween was magical and delightful. It helped celebrate the passing of time and season.
Carving pumpkins was a big event when we were growing up.
The family would have a weekend drive in early October to see the fall colours and eat doughnuts at a cider mill. The last step in this ritual was finding some pumpkins. Where the pumpkins were was called ‘Pumpkin Alley’. Eventually Pumpkin Alley settled into one place but when growing up wherever the latest cider mill was, there was Pumpkin Alley.
In the beginning we got only one pumpkin. Father called it Peter Pumpkin. Peter had to be found amongst all the others. It had the emotions of finding the right puppy. We would pull out possibilities ‘is this Peter Pumpkin?” he would shake his head no, that wasn’t he.Then, he would say ‘that is Peter Pumpkin!” and we would take him home.Later, we got one pumpkin per child and a pumpkin for the dog. Peter Pumpkin and friends.
Usually a night or two before Hallowe’en we carved them. Newspapers were put on the basement floor. Father always cut open the tops. He would hold out the top towards us and ask if it was ‘fresh’. We would take a whiff and declare it so. To this day the aroma of freshly cut pumpkin is one of the most pleasant smells I know.I insisted on a scary face. After all, pumpkins were to scare of bad things on Hallowe’en, no? I tried to make the most frightening face imaginable.
We used long taper candles. Getting the candles to stand up was a task; they would continually fall over. It made me cross.
Father is a photographer. The end products of our industry were lined up on a counter and photographed. I am sure if I go through 25 years of slides I would find every year’s pumpkins.
After Hallowe’en the pumpkins were left to rot in the backyard. My mother did not like this, but we thought it was good for the garden soil. Chipmunks would nibble on them. Sometimes in a snow we would see the contrast of orange to the white.
In spring time we would find the stems, Peter Pumpkin now gone – back into the earth from whence he came, only to reappear later that autumn in his next incarnation.
As it is the season to do so, I am reading ghost stories. I just finished rereading “The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson. As a consequence, my sleep is spoiled. I am waking at 2AM and the house feels creepy. I am easily startled by shadows and noises. A certain lamp in the hallway moves around in the night time, no doubt creeping up on me while I sleep.I suppose I deserve it; reading scary stories at night time.
Oh well, ‘tis the season hohoho.
The sun is setting early now. It is the time of year to wake up in the dark. I only see the sun rise when I get to work. The winter months are arriving. Apparently I am wired differently from others. Just as folks are developing winter seasonal affective disorder and getting out their light boxes, I am cheering up. It took a longer while to get over this year, but past weeks of gloom and insomnia seem to be dissipating.
Winter nights and feeling comfortable with them is about a sense of security. I was able to translate dark long nights as cozy and safe. Perhaps I am more ‘bear’ than I realize – I sleep longer but it feels good. Oh the weather out side is frightful but inside it is delightful – fireplace, hot drinks, books, and warm covers. No where to go; and a blizzard made it even more cozy to stay at home and sleep. Never wake me up again.
Alas, the present house was designed with high ceilings and open areas, so there is no small room in which to crawl into a ball. I sleep better in small spaces. And there are no blizzards anymore. But I still sleep better in the winter time.
So I gladly wave the sun good bye for several months. I am looking forward to the pending hibernation.
I have the usual symptoms of a bad cold. No fun in this.
I will return after I feel better. I hope soon.
Everyone do better this weekend than I !
