The legend of the Jack-o'-lantern, Trick or Treat, and other creepy crawly fun facts.
The word "Halloween" means "All Hallows Eve", the night before "All Hallows day," "All Souls Day," or "All Saints Day."
Halloween dates back to Celtic times when the Ancient Druids of Europe (also known as pagans) celebrated the god Samhaim. Samhaim would gather up every one who had died that year and on November 1 and together they would march off to the land of the dead.
Invading Romans destroyed most of the druid population but the folk memories of Samhain survived to become the root of Halloween which combined over time with the Roman festival of Feralia in honour of the departed spirits.
This merging of cultures combined with the early Christianity's "All Saint's Day" kept the memories of the earlier practices alive.
Family members would help their deceased relatives on the journey the Land of the Dead by placing treats and food on their doorsteps. Trick or Treat tradition arose from the tradition of poor people begging house to house for "soulcakes" in return for promising to say a prayer for the dead. This is the root of the "Trick or Treat" tradition
In the 9th century, Pope Gregory IV claimed the holiday as All Saints Day, or All Hallows. Since then, the night before, or All Hallow's Eve has been known as Halloween.
The legend of the Jack-o'-lantern came later when, in European folklore, a fellow named Jack fooled the Devil and as a result was banned to the netherworld, a place between heaven and hell. Jack was given only a lantern to light his way - Jack-O'-Lantern.
Use Paper Pumpkin patterns to create your own Jack-O-Lanterns to light the Halloween night and help visiting tricksters to find gummy bats, creepy worms, candy corn treats!
Pumpkins are classified as fruit because they develop from fertilized flowers and produce seeds. (yummy seeds!)
Pumpkins originated in southern Mexico.
Pumpkins have been cultivated since at least 8000 BC!
Short History about the pumpkin Pumpkin-Patch.com
Scare your trick-or-treaters with realistic-looking fake blood great for bleeding scars and vampire mouths.
The basic recipe for fake blood is
Mix water and corn starch, then add the remaining ingredients. Stir until the lumps are all gone and the mixture looks like the real thing.
Be forewarned, food colorings stain clothing and furniture. This fake blood is for use on things that won't matter if they get stained.
Paint an orginary lunch bag orange and allow it to dry.
Stuff the bag with newspaper and twist the top of the bag into a stem.
Tie the stem portion off with a rubberband and tape the stem portion with masking tape.
Use black markers to draw a face on the paper bag pumpkin.
