http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmZjWeXsaL0
halloween.
Originally spelled hallowe'en. This is shortened from All hallows E'en. E'en meaning Even, which is a shortening of evening. All Hallows Evening.
Hallow translates to mean holy.
also called: All Hallows Eve, The Feast of the Dead, Samhain, The Celtic New Year, The Day of the Dead, Devils Day, All Hallowtide, Hells Night, and Nos Calan Gaeaf.
Where does this dawn of the dead, masked celebration spawn from?
Halloween is rooted in Ancient Ireland and Scotland as the festival of 'Samhain', meaning 'summers end' in Old Irish.
It is said to celebrate the lighter half of the year and the beginning of the dark half.
The ancient Celts, and many of the modern day traditionalists, believe in the otherworld. Tales and folklore exploring the realm of the dead, the home of the deities. Existing over the Western Sea and alongside the world of the living.
During All Hallows Evening, this border between our world and the otherworld is thin, allowing spirits to pass through.
bad spirits and good spirits. ancestors and family spirits were honored and invited home, while the evil spirits were warded off.
the disguises?
the need to ward off these harmful spirits led to costumes and disguises. the thought was if one was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit, they would avoid harm by scaring off demons.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAOmx2fRyck&feature=related
