Conference hydra::dejavu

Since Hallowe'en is perhaps my favorite holiday, I feel especially sensitive
to questions about it.

For small children -- why not?  After all, to small children, Christmas is
Santa, Rudolph the Reindeer, presents, etc.  The fact that it celebrates the
arrival on this earth of Our Saviour (even though scripture hints it's not
His birthday; apparently it's just a vestige of a mass to replace the Roman
Saturnalia) is lost on little ones.

Likewise, Hallowe'en should be Jack O'Lanterns, skeleton costumes, bobbing
for apples, trick-or-treats, and ghost stories.

When children are older ("Oh, that's for *kids*!"), then speak of the other
aspect of the holiday.

Steve Kallis, Jr.

P.S.: I, for one, doubt that small children will stumble across _The Sworn
Book_ or other grimoire, so the basic perils they will face are human malice
or indigestion.

-SK

A follow-up observation:

In the Middle Ages, certain things were supposed to frighten off evil things.
That is why Notre Dame cathedral has gargoyles.

The Jack O'Lantern was derived from a legend of Jacky Lantern, who wandered
the world as a spirit, holding a lantern; the best defense for a person
was to carry a lantern at night.  The lantern evolved into the Jack O'Lan-
tern of today, and its power was extended so that it could frighten away
_all_ spirits.  Before the New World pumpkin, Jack O'Lanterns were made out
of hollowed-out vegetables such as large beets; the pumpkin proved ideal,
and has become the standard of such lanterns.

Thus, the basic symbol of Hallowe'en is the device that is supposed to
protect people from the spirits that roam at night.

Conclusion: make sure your little trick-or-treaters have Jack O'Lanterns
with them.

Steve Kallis, Jr.

P.S.: There are ways to conserve plump sugar pumpkins used as Jack O'Lanterns
so they can be converted ino pies, but this information is best posted in
NOTES:COOKS.

-SK

Funny how I should read this note today.

The first time I came across a mention of "Samain" was last night while
watching the movie Halloween II.   :-)

  Regards,
--Martin.

It's often spelled "Samhain."  But it was somewhat incorrectly used in the
film.

Steve Kallis, Jr.

    I heard someplace that originally this was the anniversary of the
    last sinking of Atlantis.  Anybody know anything about this?
    
    Is it considered bad form to reply to months old notes?
    
    Mike Baker

RE: .5

    >Is it considered bad form to reply to months old notes?

*I* certainly don't consider it bad form -- just the contrary.  Sometimes
a discussion, with a lot more life left to it, dies because the people
involved get distracted by other things.  If someone comes along with
an additional thought or question the topic may get resurrected, to
everyone's benefit.

		Topher

    Since it's getting to be that time of year again, perhaps it's worth
    re-emphasizing that, like Christmas, Hallowe'en has its secular
    as well as its religious or esoteric side.
    
    For parents:  Please remember that not all of the evil things in
    the world go "bump" in the night; some like to doctor food and candy.
    Also, bright [or reflective] costumes; plastic, illuminated
    Jack-O'-Lanterns; flashlights, and the like will increase safety
    for youngsters.
    
    It may be late this year, but for next year, how about Hallowe'en
    _parties_ as an alternative to Trock-Or-Treating?
    
    1) The youngsters probably can keep celebrating longer (some towns
    have a curfew on ToT activities).
    
    2) Parents are assured about the quality/quantity of the food.
    
    3) Parents can join in on the fun.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr
    
    [Newciomers might wish to start at the base note...]
    

    What kind of traditional celebrations are performed for Samain?
    How do the people who observe this festival (and not by trick-or-treat
    either) do so?  Or is that something that is not divulged to public
    eyes?
    
    My reason for asking is that ever since I have learned about the
    anicient pagan/wiccan holy days, I've wanted to observe them in
    some way.  (They appeal to me strongly for some reason.)  But,
    not knowing any wiccans, I have no idea how to do so.
    
    Marcia

    A brief explanation would be to thank the God and Goddess for the
    harvest of the previous year.  For us city-dwellers, this does not
    focus as much on the crop harvest as much as for other things that
    we have "harvested" in our lives during the past year.
    
    Also, this is considered a good time for divination, by whatever
    means one is used to using (Tarot, I Ching, scrying, etc.)
    
    The barrier between this world and the next are believed to be rather
    thin at this time of year, so this is an appropriate time to talk
    to the dead, if one has such a need.  Most white Wiccans do not
    talk to the dead frivolously - there must be a need to talk to them.
    
    It's also the new years celebration for Wiccans - something like
    the Jewish new year celebration is for Jews.
    
    Hope this is what you're looking for,
    Elizabeth
    

         According to Starhawk Samhain is the Witchs new year and is,
         as Betty has said, a time of renewing.  Perchance it is also
         a time of remembering that there is not so great a step from
         this world to the next as we all should like to think.  Since
         the veil between the worlds is supposed to be thinner, humans
         with trained awareness should be able to see past it. 
    
         "This is the night when the veil is thin that divides the
         worlds. It is the New Year in the time of the year's death,
         when the harvest is gathered and the fields lie fallow. For
         tonight the King of the Waning Year has sailed over the
         sunless sea that is the womb of the Mother, and steps ashore
         of the Shining Isle, the luminous world egg, becoming the
         seed of his own rebirth.  The gates of life and death are
         opened; the Sun Child is conceived; the dead walk; and to the
         living is revealed the Mystery:  that every ending is but a
         new beginning.  We meet in the time out of time, everywhere
         and nowhere, here and there, to greet the Lord of Death who
         is the Lord of Life, and the Triple Goddess who is the circle
         of rebirth."  _The_Spiral_Dance_, page 181
         
         The King of the Waning Year are the seasons of fall and
         winter, The Sun Child is much the same as any other solar
         deity being born at Yule, the Winter solstice, Dec 20th-23d.
         Which, I suppose, simply means that warm weather is going
         to return (for partying of course!) but hopefull not before
         ski season is over.  B^)
         
         The Lord of Life and Death are simply the divine (?) process
         of birth and rebirth and are not to be confused with anyother
         religions Lords (of whatever). 
                                      
         
           Mikie?

    
    RE:  .3, .4  "Halloween (the movie)"
    
    I noticed the music they played during the final credits in
    "Halloween II" was a pop song with the refrain "o mister sandman,
    bring me a dream...".   Were they trying to suggest some connection
    to the word "samhain"?  The way it was sung it was almost
    interchangeable. 
    
    
    
    This year we had almost no trick-or-treaters at all.  Only one group
    of four kids we had never seen in our neighborhood showed up, and
    going around with my 7 yr. old son in his homemade costume that
    Mom had spent many hours sewing, we found a lot of houses darkened
    and shuttered.  Is it because it was a Friday night and all the
    grownups went somewhere partying?  Or is Halloween just going down
    the tubes due to media scares of poison goodies (probably started
    by the manufacturers of wrapped commercial candy)?
    
      

    Re .11:
    
    Actually, Hallowe'en seems to be having something of a renniassance.
    I have seen more Hallowe'en cards, decorations, and the like, over
    the last couple of years than I have in the past decade.  Additionally,
    I have seen an increase in the availability of adult costumes in
    more places than ever before (even the local supermarket was selling
    costumes!).
    
    In my neighborhood, there generally has been a relatively small
    number of trick-or-treaters; this year was no worse than the last
    few, and the costumes were a bit more ornate than in years past,
    too.  
    
    There have been more Hallowe'en-related ads on the tube, too.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
    
    P.S.:  One of the reasons for fewer trick-or-treaters might be that
    because of the poison scares, more parents and/or schools were holding
    Hallowe'en parties rather than turning the children loose on the
    streets.
    
    
    

    RE: .11
    
    Sounds much to subtle.
    
    			Topher

    	Since it's close to Halloween again maybe we can get some more
    discussion on this.  I had thought that this day came from the 
    Druids.  Were the Druids Celts?  Weren't they a religious group
    that worshiped the land?
    	It was mentioned that a reference was made to this in Halloween
    II.  In what way was it incorrect or correct in the movies use of
    this day- Samain?
    BMW
     
    

    Re .14:
    
    Many of your questions are answered in large part in the first few
    responses.  I believe you'll find that while Druidism was Celtic
    in origin, it spread to other cultures, and there is at least one
    reference to Julius Carsar having Druids among his advisors (didn't
    stop the Ides of March, to be sure, but then Caesar was a bit
    preoccupied to listen anyway).
    
    >	It was mentioned that a reference was made to this in Halloween
    >II.  In what way was it incorrect or correct in the movies use of
    >this day- Samain? 
    
    It embarrasses me, but I put that film so _thoroughly_ out of my
    mind that I forget the context; I'd seen it only a few weeks before
    I made the previous entry. <blush!!>
    
    On Hallowe'en these days.  My heart lifted when I saw that stores,
    who traditionally "rush" Christmas are at least giving Hallowe'en
    a better shake these days.  The decorative pumpkins began appearing
    in stores a week ago, and "harvest mix" candies, Hallowe'en cards,
    and other festive items are beginning to surface.
    
    This is going to be a _good_ year for Hallowe'enophiles.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr. 
    

    Reply to .14; Whealton,
    
    Samain is perhaps improper, just a guess on my part of course. I've
    been told that in Gaelic the "mh" is pronounced as a "w", and the Sa is
    pronounce as So. Hense "Sowan". I'm not sure this is fully correct so
    I'm open to other interpretations. 
    
    Samhain was the last day of summer and had another holiday that
    opposed it in the year, Beltane. I guess that Samhain marked the
    beginning of transit into dark half of the year and Beltane marked
    the transit into the light half of the Celtic year.
    
    Just like the Hebrews, the Celts started their day at sundown.
    Consequently the Celtic new year starts out in the dark half also.
    Samhain is the twilight starting the New Year and Beltane marks
    the twilight during midyear.
    
    Supposedly on these days the veil between the worlds are thinest and
    the honored dead were invited back into the home for a short visit.
    Beltane seems to be the day when the Sidhe (sometimes pronounced as
    Shee) walked among humans and Samhain was the Feast of the Dead. 
                              
    Some Circles have or are trying to reintroduce the eating of soul cakes
    (food) for the honored dead. I'm not familiar with how well that is
    being taken. Others will perform divination on Samhain claiming better
    success because the worlds are so close together. 
    
    Any other ideas, wildstories or historical resources?

    
    re .-1
    
    Could you talk a bit more about soul cakes?
    
    Tananda
    

    I don't know about anyone else, but I've always loved Halloween!!!
    I dress up every year with my son, now 7 and
    we go out together while dad gives out candy.  I also dress up and
    come to work to pass out candy.  I hope everyone keeps this Holiday
    "ALIVE"!!!!!!!!!!  Get out there in your costumes.................
    
                                                 Kim