halloweenIts history and practice

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halloweenIts history

Halloween is believed to have its origins in the Celtic seasonal festival of Samhain (pronounced Sow-en). This celebration was the Celtic new year, and was a time when the dead were thought to visit the living. In the eighth century, Samhain traditions were incorporated into All Saints Day, a time of honoring and remembering the saints and martyrs, and into All Souls Day, a time for remembering the dead. These traditions included guising (discussed in the next section), jack-o-lanterns, and trick-or-treating.

Halloween

Trick-or-treating

Trick-or-treating has its origins in the late medieval British and Irish practice of souling. As part of the celebration of Hallowmas (November 1) and All Souls Day (November 2), the poor would go from door to door offering to pray for the souls of the dead in exchange for food. Later on in history, souling morphs into guising in which masqueraders carrying hollowed out turnip lanterns went door to door on Halloween, receiving cakes, fruit, and money as a reward.

By the early 1900s, guising had reaches the shores of North America. In 1927, the words “trick or treat” first appear in print. By the 1950s, trick-or-treating is firmly established in popular culture, appearing in comic strips, radio shows, and television programs. Currently, many neighborhoods have trick-or-treating as well as fall festivals and trunk-or-treating (alternatives often put on by churches and civic organizations in which participants are offered a safer alternative to door to door treating by being able to obtain treats from car trunks or activity booths). Some malls, libraries, and office buildings also provide trick-or-treating opportunities.

Although in the past tricks were often played on people who failed to provide treats, usually these tricks were mild such as moving wagon wheels or tools into the street, or in later days, unrolling toilet paper into trees and bushes. Today, the “trick” portion of trick-or-treat is virtually lip service. Occasionally pranksters will still toilet paper a house or smash pumpkins, but most trick-or-treaters are there for one thing: candy.

halloweenIts practice

Costumes

Costumes are as varied as individual imaginations. Even so, most costumes

contain one or more of the following:

• Clothing or some form of outer wear that is a distinguishing factor of the look

• A mask or painted face to disguise the person

• Accessories to complete the look

For a closer look, see the next slides.

Accessories Costume

Mask or Face Paint

Child’s witch costume. [Online image]. Available http://www.childcostumes.com/deluxe-girls-witch-costume.html

homemade costume• Shirt already owned

• Hat and eye patch gathered from pirate play set

• Cutlass made from broken toy, cardboard, and spray paint

• Gun bought at dollar store

• Result = One homemade pirate costume

liampirate.jpg © David Dean. Used with permission

Costume safety

glowsticks• After activation glow for hours on

their own• Can be worn, carried, or attached

to costume• Colors bright and noticeable• Will fade after time• Can be dropped or lost

Reflective tape• Reflects lights• Can be strategically placed on

costume• Does not fade• Can leave sticky residue• Cannot be dropped or lost

Glow sticks. [Online image]. Available http://partywirks.com/store/skate_country_waco/show_add_on/1541?add_on_id=1847

Reflective tape. [Online image]. Available http://shop.advancedws.com.au/productdetails3.aspx?productid=75951

halloweensafety

Trick-or-treat options

• Fall Festivals/Trunk-or-treat

• Malls, Businesses, Libraries

• Door to door

Door to door rules

• Choose well lit houses, preferably people or neighborhoods you

know

• Ring the door bell or knock no more than twice before moving on

• Give a simple greeting such as, “Trick-or-treat!”

• Be polite and say, “Thank you.” even if you do not like what was

given

• Only trick-or-treat on designated days and during designated

hours. This is usually Halloween or the day before, and from dusk

until about 8 or 9 pm.

Door to door safety in pictures

Go here . . . Not here . . .

amyshouse.jpg © Amy Leslie. Used with permission Bad house. [Online image] Available http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheila_dee/4966179008

Door to door safety in pictures

Go here . . . Not here . . .

sarahshouse.jpg © Sarah Conway. Used with permission Trespassing sign. [Online image]. Available http://www.flickr.com/photos/bullfrogphoto/3434348649

resources• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trick-or-treating

• http://vygotsky.ced.appstate.edu/all_about_me/Halloween/History%20of%20Trick%20Or%20Treating.htm

• http://www.essortment.com/trick-treat-halloween-history-21106.html

• http://www.trueghosttales.com/history-trick-or-treat.php

• http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/414561/the_history_of_trickortreating.html?cat=71