I don’t know you guys who are following me, where you come from, what your thoughts are about Halloween or if it’s just a date?! But I know I did change my thoughts about 20 years back when I was working in a yought club in Sweden and Halloween got closer. What the yought thought about Halloween and what they thought was the truth, which it wasn’t. Because what they though was what they had learn from social media at that time and not the background. Where does the halloween fenomen comes from? And how was is it before Americans changed it? Well I asked the youth and told them to search. And learn about the orignial halloween day or weekend when that happends.
The conclution was, “Oh it isn’t from America!”. No it isn’t. So where does it comes from? Well, the tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain – marked the end of the Celtic year and the beginning of the new one – were people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts, in the 8th century. And November 1 is designated to honor saints. October 31st was known as All Hallows eve and later become Halloween. Over time Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick.or.treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats. October 31st is also marked as the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of the year that was often associated with human death.
So you can choose how or what you do on October 31st! I choose “Harvesting” and celebrating that the summer is over and the winter is coming. I decorate with things that is for me Autumn or connected to harvest. I have been working on farms so I have the knowledge of what we can harvest this time of the year. This year – which is the first for me – I bought a pumpkin and did a very easy carving decoration mostly for fun cause I have never done it before. I also bought a typical autumn flower Heather flower which I have outside my door on a small table. I will put up the rest of my decoration this evening and put a sign on my door tomorrow. “DO NOT RING THE DOORBELL, SCARRED CAT INSIDE & I’M OUT.” because I will be out tomorrow evening. I don’t think that will be popular…
Have a blast October 31st!
mia-simone. svenberg 