Origins and Meaning of Halloween

Halloween began 2000 years ago with the ancient Celts in what is now the United Kingdom. The Celts celebration was called Samhain on October 31. They believed that on this night the dead comingled with the living. They wore costumes to scare away these spirits. It was also believed that on this night the future could be seen and fortunes told. The priests or Druids built large bonfires and made sacrifices. The people would light their hearth fires from these sacred bonfires for protection during the winter.

In time the Romans conquered the Celts and added two of their own pagan festivals to Samhain. Then the Catholic Church stepped in and designated Nov 1 as All Saints Day or All Hallows. The 31st then became All Hallows Eve or Halloween. A bit later the Church named Nov 2 All Souls Day which was celebrated with bonfires, parades, and costumes. These three days became known as Hallowmas.

How did all of this find its way to our grand shores? Our ancestors, immigrants from all over Europe, brought Halloween and other traditions with them. Celebrations were limited in the Protestant New England colonies, but flourished in the South. Various European traditions meshed with Native American beliefs and evolved into a very American Halloween experience. There were parties where ghost stories, fortune-telling, dancing, and singing prevailed. The Potato Famine of 1846 brought many new Irish immigrants to America. They brought with them many new traditions that changed Halloween and helped it grow nationally. People began to dress in costumes and go house-to-house asking for food or money. This eventually became trick or treating.

Later, Halloween became a holiday about community and neighbors. Adults and children alike took great pleasure in parties, games, seasonal food, and costumes. I love this idea of community and bringing people together. My husband and I host a Halloween Party each year for our family and friends. We have games for the little ones and costumes are always welcome. I love taking this one night out to play dress-up and be a kid again!

If you would like to learn more visit History!

3/50 Project

I just discovered this project courtesy of Vintage Indie and believe that it is a wonderful idea. Please check it out and give serious consideration to supporting your local businesses.

Dollar General Iffy Store Policy

Last week while I was reading a friend’s blog, I encountered the following story. It seems she was at the Dollar General Store and found a sweet Raggedy Ann and Andy book which wasn’t priced. She took it the register to find out the cost and was shocked when they threw the book in the trash. The cashier told my friend that it is a Dollar General Store policy to throw away anything that rings up at 1 cent. My friend later asked another cashier at another Dollar General if this was indeed a store policy. The cashier confirmed that it was indeed. This cashier even said that clothes had to be cut before being thrown away. After reading this story, I visited the Dollar General Store website. They claim on the website to support families, communities, and environmentally friendly practices. This policy does not seem to fit this description. Books, clothes, etc. could be donated to libraries, schools, thrift stores, charities, and so forth. Families and communities could be benefiting from these items. By donating these items Dollar General would be preventing items from finding their way into landfills thus benefiting the environment. On the menu bar of their website you will find a heading called “Our Stores.” Under this heading you will find “customer service.” Here you can leave a comment or concern of your own. I sent a comment via their website and have received no reply. Perhaps if enough of us send letters, comments, etc. we will get a response and can effect change. Thanks Robyn for making us aware of this policy and how we can make a difference. Click here to visit Dollar General’s website and leave a comment!  You can also write to the Dollar General CEO at the following address:

Richard Dreiling
Dollar General Corporation
100 Mission Ridge
Goodlettsville, TN 37072