How did the pagan new year cross itself on All Saints' Day?
The origins of the holiday take us back to a time when there were still hundreds and hundreds of years left before the coming of Christ. At that time, the lands of Ireland, Northern France and England were inhabited by Celtic tribes. The pagans, in order not to become prey to the shadows of the dead, dressed up in animal heads and skins on Samhain and scared away ghosts with all their terrifying appearance. They appeased the spirits with treats displayed on the street, while the residents themselves gathered around the fires lit by the Druids.
On this night they used to tell fortunes about the future: marriage, weather and luck during the year were what people were interested in, as they are now. Predictions were made using apples (apples were considered associated with the other world). By throwing apples into a crowd of girls, one could find out who would be the first to get married this year - it was the one who was the first to catch and bite the thrown apple. Doesn’t it remind you of anything from modern Russian customs? That's right, the custom is recognizable - now the bride throws the bouquet into the crowd of bridesmaids. The “apple” prediction was not limited to marriage. You can find out how long your life will be - the longer the skin cut from the apple, the longer your life.
The tradition of celebration was passed on for centuries until, in the 1st century AD, the Romans conquered the territory of the Celts and converted them to Christianity. In the 9th century, Pope Gregory III moved the celebration of All Saints' Day from May 13 to November 1, and Samhain again came to the autumn streets of cities. The night preceding the holiday in medieval English was called All Hallows Even, abbreviated as Hallowe'en, and very briefly Halloween.
Makeup
Makeup is a must for everyone attending Halloween. Be sure to apply cosmetics to yourself and your husband. Give him a white face. Expressive eyebrows. And highlight other parts of the face to make his image look as intimidating as possible.
If you have a small child, then it is better not to use cosmetics. It can trigger allergies. You can use face painting instead. It is easy to apply, safe for the skin, and rinses off very quickly.
“No cats until November 2!”
The sinister atmosphere of Halloween has stirred the blood of people for many centuries. “Trick or Treat” is shouted by children going from house to house in search of sweets, women seem even sexier than a witch this evening, and men can genuinely scare their friends. Apparently, thanks to this “magic,” the holiday continues to create intrigue and remains popular to this day. Moreover, the holiday is so impressive that many people, one might say, went crazy over it. Some people psychopathically insert pieces of a sharp razor into candy, while others are afraid to stick their heads out of the apartment. Indeed, there is a mental disorder called Samhainophobia - a panicky fear of Halloween (Samhain).
Let us tell you about several facts that are little known to the general public. Everyone knows that they make “jack-o-lanterns” for the holidays. But previously, for centuries, they were made not from pumpkin, but from turnips. The Owl image is very popular during Halloween. In medieval Europe, owls were mistaken for witches and these necessary and useful birds were massacred. Hearing an owl hoot meant that someone was going to die soon. The tradition is still alive in fairy tales: be it Guamokolokint in “The Wooden Soldiers of Oorfene Juice” or Hedwig in Harry Potter. An owl is a wizard's best friend, but not a Muggle's.
Halloween traditionally has two colors: black, which represents death and the darkness of the night, and orange, which symbolizes the harvest of the year. Although today's youth add their own variations: purple lips, acid green skeletons, white powder on the face, bright red shoes and earthy brown nail polish - and why not?
By the way, about black. You can find information on the Internet that a few days before Halloween, all animal shelters in the United States stop giving out cats, especially black ones. This is due to the fact that people take animals to perform various rituals, which usually end badly for the animal.
The American city of Salem (Massachusetts) is considered the “capital of Halloween”. In Salem in the 27th century, a large-scale hunt for sorcerers and witches unfolded, and then their mass execution took place. To this day, three or four thrillers are shot a year on this topic. The eerie atmosphere of the city is still willingly maintained by local residents for tourism purposes.
Now that we are briefly familiar with the history of the holiday, it’s time to decide how we will celebrate. As we wrote above, Russia does not have its own holiday traditions, so you will have to borrow them from one of the countries to suit your taste.
Organization of a holiday with preschoolers
How to celebrate Halloween at home with young children? Children from three to five years old are most susceptible to everything fabulous. But even such a frightening holiday as Halloween can be filled with fun and kindness. You shouldn’t frighten the kids too much, so preparations for the celebration should be gentle. Children's participation in it often brings more pleasure than the celebration itself.
First, you should think about a carnival costume that can match absolutely any evil character familiar to your child. The easiest option to perform are evil wizards and sorceresses. It is enough to put on a black robe and a black cap, and the formerly kind fairy immediately transforms into a completely suitable fairy-tale hero.
The second most important attribute of the holiday is decorating the house in the best Halloween traditions. There is no limit to the scope for imagination here. Lanterns, bats and spiders, balloons, various applications and, of course, a pumpkin face with candles. All you need to prepare is scissors, paper, stencils, phosphorescent paints and a lot of imagination, which your child will be happy to share with you.
No holiday is complete without a treat, and Halloween is no exception in this regard. Prepare a traditional holiday pie with fortune telling filling. The secret of this filling lies in the fact that in addition to pumpkin, nuts and apples, small pieces of fabric, rings and coins are added to it, by which they predict their fate. To prevent kids from accidentally swallowing the item, since the cake turns out very tasty, add edible cake decorations, which are sold in abundance in stores.
Be sure to tell the story about a brave girl who got lost in the forest and returned home safely only thanks to her resourcefulness.
Commemoration of the dead or daring dance?
Germany
In Germany, Halloween is celebrated in a very colorful way. But alas, centrally. The main place of the holiday is Frankenstein's Castle, located in the city of Darmstadt. Thousands of people dressed in monster costumes are waiting for the ghost of the owner to appear on the roof of the castle. If you decide to join the celebration there, you should take into account that dry, pedantic and disciplined Germans celebrate some holidays... not exactly like pigs, but very recklessly - until they fall.
Spain
This also includes Spanish-speaking Latin America.
There the holiday is called differently - El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). This celebration lasts three days and celebrates the return of the dead to earth. It may seem like a gloomy event, especially for visitors, but on the whole it is an ordinary festival, in which the views of ardent Catholics, as the Spaniards have always been, and local residents, once crushed by the conquistadors, intricately merged. The holiday is fun with national costumes, good cuisine and local flavor. There's a lot of pepper and spices, though.
France
The country of winemakers is famous for its taste in costumes and the scope of its celebrations. The most impressive "Parade of the Dead" takes place at Disneyland. It is there that tens of thousands of vampires, ghosts, zombies, leprechauns, werewolves and other goblins come every year. On this night, cafes in French cities offer “witch” dishes, and visitors dress up more colorfully than parade participants. You can eat once every three days, but you must dress as if you could buy the Louvre without even going to the bank.
By the way, bell ringers walk along all the streets and before midnight announce that everyone needs to go into the house - spirits are wandering in the area.
Britannia
The holiday never really caught on in Britain. The British are too busy preparing for Guy Fawkes Day (November 5). Saving their beloved monarch and parliament is much more important to them than the opportunity to stare at zombies or dress up as a witch. But in Ireland, whether English or independent, it is very emotional, which is facilitated by a fair amount of...
Ireland
As soon as it gets dark, fires flare up all over the country. Ominous lights are coursing through the skies, the streets are filled with dancing evil spirits, and it all ends with a grandiose fireworks display. At night, you can see performances by street performers who will demonstrate their art to everyone (and even those who don’t really want to), if they are not afraid to make a desperate foray on Halloween night.
The country of St. Patrick is always benevolent and hospitable, this is perhaps the best place to celebrate.
USA
On Halloween, Washington DC hosts holiday events for every taste: parties in nightclubs, tours of crypts and haunted places. It is especially lucky to see the ghost of President Abraham Lincoln; he can sometimes be found in the White House. Even at the National Zoo, located in Washington, you can feel the Halloween atmosphere: a section is opened specially for the holiday where you can see bats, owls, spiders and other animals that are associated with evil spirits.
Suits
The next item to consider when preparing for Halloween is the costume your child will wear. And all the members of his family.
We recommend giving preference to costumes that are as unusual and scary as possible. For example, you can purchase the uniform of Jigsaw, Count Dracula, or dress up as a Zombie.
If you have a small child, then he doesn’t have to buy a scary outfit. You can purchase the uniform of a character from a cartoon (for example, Spongebob). Or kugurumi.
During Halloween celebrations, it doesn't matter what costume your child wears. Scary or not.
The main thing is that he just has a suit.
How to celebrate Halloween in Russia? Homemade and tasteful
Why should a Russian person do literally “the devil knows what”? Because on dull autumn days, when the New Year is still far away, and the summer frenzy has already ended, something bright, exciting, daring and carnival is required. If finances do not allow you to travel abroad, the holiday can be celebrated well in the blessed Fatherland. True, there are only two options - at home or in a nightclub.
In principle, you can organize a themed party yourself - say, “zombie uprising” - equip the room as a crypt with bones and skulls scattered everywhere. Or a vampire Sabbath - then there should be glasses of tomato juice everywhere, and, of course, no mirrors.
The menu for “evil spirits” welcomes red drinks - tomato juice, red wine, mulled wine. The favorite delicacy of all evil spirits is worms, which you can make yourself - from pate or chocolate. A hollow pumpkin filled with cottage cheese with sour cream and whipped cream will look beautiful; you can make traditional pumpkin soup.
On the eve of the holiday itself, it is better to stock up on a large number of candles, since during this celebration there is no electricity, and the room should be well lit so that evil spirits cannot harm.
A film or music will help you create the atmosphere (the most incendiary composition is “This Is Halloween”), a pumpkin bought at the market, which you can carve with gusto (what if the great pumpkin carver awakens in you?) and gloomy make-up. And remember not to follow the crowd: besides vampires and zombies, there are many less well-worn Halloween images. For example, a “living” wooden doll, Plague Doctor, Darth Vader, black angel, Dead Bride, spider or hanged man. But for children, costumes of various monsters or dolls from the cartoon “Nine” are suitable... If you want something Russian, then try the “ghost with a motor”.
Design details
Let's share a few non-obvious life hacks:
- Use not only light, but also sound. Yes, you can probably put something thematic in the background, but nothing prevents you from hiding small speakers in secluded corners that will periodically play something frightening: the sound of drops, the gurgling of potions, a blood-curdling howl... It’s cool if you can only hear it up close from the sound source: you can hide a small sweet prize nearby for a daredevil who will try to find out what’s going on.
Wireless speaker with radio Marley - A huge pot with dry ice in the bottom plus a smaller pot of punch or lemonade inside the big pot is always a good move. The “smoking” brew will be successfully complemented by unusually shaped ice cubes; you can even mix different ones in a saucepan and make a wish that portends the appearance of a star or, for example, vampire fangs in your glass.
Ice mold Vampire fangs - Another easy way to decorate your room for Halloween is to collect branches and paint them one color: black is the most neutral, but you can play with other options. And when placing them, do not forget: the decor cannot be placed at floor level, there it will get lost and will more likely cause confusion than interest.
