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Halloween is one of the oldest holidays, second only to Christmas. Most of us view Halloween as a time for putting on costumes, trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins and having theme parties.  Some believe in ghosts, goblins and evil spirits that should be avoided.

Halloween is on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday (All Hallows Eve) dating back over 2000 years. Halloween can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Many of the practices involved in this celebration were based on superstition.  The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed village roads at night and since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil spirits. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating.  I recall having a lot of fun on Halloween, traveling blocks and blocks with friends in our neighbourhood calling out ” Halloween Apples” and in turn receiving more apples  than candy as is today’s practice. In recent years, due to safety issues for children, communities often organize Halloween events  where children do not need to go door to door.  Sad commentary on today’s society I think.   There are many websites with information on the history of  All Hallows Eve.

Enjoy!

~Sharon