What does the name 'Halloween' mean?
The name Halloween (originally spelled Hallowe'en) is a contraction of All Hallows Even, meaning the day before All Hallows Day (better known today as All Saints Day), a Catholic holiday commemorating Christian saints and martyrs observed since the early Middle Ages on November 1.
Why do we carve Pumpkins for Halloween?
The name "jack-o'-lantern" is of British origin and dates from the 17th century, when it literally meant "man with a lantern" (i.e., a night watchman). It was also a nickname for the natural phenomenon known as ignis fatuus (fool's fire) or "will o' the wisp," the mysterious, flickering lights sometimes seen at
Why do we wear costumes on Halloween and go Trick- or - Treating?
At least a notional link between the present-day Halloween custom of wearing costumes and trick-or-treating on October 31 and the Medieval practices of "mumming" and "going a-souling" on the eves of All Saints Day (November 1) and All Souls Day (November 2). Mumming took the form of wearing costumes, chanting, singing, play-acting, and general mischief making, while souling entailed going door to door and offering prayers for the dead in exchange for treats, particularly "soul cakes."night over wetlands and associated in folklore with fairies and ghosts playing pranks on travelers.
Susan Buhr, Owner and Broker PDS Real Estate
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