Happy Halloween!

Its that time of the year again when orange pumpkins light up the evening hours. Where everything in the nature bears a orange-ish  golden hue. Its that time of the year when nights get longer and weather gets cooler. There is a kind of aura that surrounds the entire surroundings that makes this holiday a real special one. Though offices and schools work normally unlike a other holiday’s, this festival has its own kind of special charm, but much less is known or discussed on the historical significance of this day. Atleast for someone not born and raised in this country, all I knew was this day the evil spirits come down to earth and people dress and decorate themselves and their homes to appease the dead souls. Part of which is correct. But as I delve deeper into the subject, I get to learn more about what Halloween actually is and why its celebrated and how it came to the United States and alas what we get to see now the modern, televised retail hyped version of the festival.

Halloween also known as "All Hallow's Eve" is the beginning Hallow-mas, a three day western christian celebration which consists of "All Hallow's Eve", "All Saints Day" and "All Soul's Day".

Hallowmas was a time to remember the dead, the saints and all christian faithful departed souls. Some what similar to our Keralite hindu custom to remember the dead ancestors and offer pitru darpanam on specific day's like the Karikida vavu. This is a western and kind of christian version of remembering the dead. Originally a celtic and Gaelic tradition of "Samhain" the end of harvest season and the beginning of winter or the darker days more christianised  as the celtics converted to christianity. It is beleived that it is the time of the year when the bridge between the dead and living thins and when the departed souls descend down to the earth.

In the Unites States originally brought by the scottish and irish immigrants Halloween is now officially the third holiday where consumer spending is high. 

People and kids dress themselves in a variety of costumes usually

scary and it is believed that if you dress this way the dead souls will not be able to recognize you. Home and shopping centers change the decor to match the season with carved pumpkins, fall leaf colored decorations. Legend has it that the Jack 'o' Latern which is the carved pumpkin with a light inside is the soul of Jack who was a stingy farmer who once tricked a devil upto a tree and placed a cross in the bark of the tree so that the devil could not climb down and he freed the devil on a condition that the devil will not claim his soul. God did not let his soul to heaven so it is believed that Jack has been roaming around in the earth with a lamp inside to guide his way.

Trick or Treating is another popular activity practiced by kids who go from home to home in their halloween costumes asking for treats and if the owner of the house denies him the treat, he warns to trick or do some mischief

on the owner or his property.Children love the Halloween season and plan in advance the kind of costume they will wear this year and for the trick or treat where their baskets are filled with colourful and sweet treats. There are also innumerable costume parties organised and haunted trips to spooky places planned on this day.

Over the recent years the American version of Halloween has gained so much popularity that even countries that traditionally did not celebrate Halloween are taking keen interest. It is almost mandatory for me to get my daughter a costume as all her friends at preschool were getting ready for a costume parade. Though the costume can be worn only once, it is a big excitement for litlle ones trying out new outfits and be the character they love. Apart from the scary witch,skeleton and other ghastly figures, girls are also dressed as their favorite fairy tale characters and boys with their favorite action heroes. There is something mystical about fear of the unknown that makes Halloween special. Not sure if the spirits are going to descend down, but i along with my daughter and her friends are sure going to go around Trick or treating. Happy Halloween.........booooooooo

Historical Information Credits - Wikipedia