History Of Halloween
Halloween has been deeply embedded into the culture of America and many other areas of the world for centuries. Children dressing up in costumes, tricks, treats, parties, Haunted houses and many other scary things have been common on Halloween throughout history. Some even believe that the holiday is an evil or even Satanic celebration. But when did it all begin? What is the real meaning of halloween?
The Origin of Halloween begins with the ancient Celtics (or Druids) and a festival known as Samhain that ushered in the winter season. This festival was held on October 31st, when the ancients believed that the lines between the world of the living and the realm of the dead would become blurred. They believed that the non living would come back to life and cause harm to the living such as sickness, loss of crops and more.
Are you superstitious? have you had an encounter of the third kind....
Dover is an ancient town.....with many ghosts ....will you be recognising this festival etc
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Indeed us Celts have been celebrating this event for years and years...we didnt get it from the americans as is sometimes assumed. It was spookily followed by All Souls Night. Used to scare the bejayses out of me as a kid. Not that I believe all that stuff now..no sir..cough..
.........Jeez what was that! Im sure I heard something behind me.
Ive just put up some super spooky stories from our own spooky psycho..ooops I meant psychic.. Jeane on our frontpage. Just there for 24 hours....so dont miss 'em.
Many thanks Jeane...you're a star.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Psycho
Speaking of spooky I spent yesterday in West Norwood Cemetery Catacombs in London again. I say again, on my first visit my camera decided to join the deceased half way around and promptly died, this time I came prepared - three cameras! Now I might be a little bias here but I consider these catacombs to be finest in London. I am lucky enough that my work has let me go behind the scenes as it were in many catacombs and I have visited those at Nunhead, Brompton and Kensal Green cemeteries. They are all pretty amazing but nothing in my opinion compares to West Norwood. Incidentally in Kensal Green catacombs there was a power cut and I had to wander around in the dark with several people sharing a miniscule pocket torch, that was interesting, but I digress..... On a gloomy sunless day in November right before Halloween I found myself descending the slippery steps into the dark underground cavern. As my eyes became accustomed to the yellowish lighting I made out the familiar corridors.
Opened in 1837 they include a group of 95 vaults with private and shared loculi (coffin spaces) with a capacity of 3500 coffins. The Anglican and Dissenters' chapels above the catacombs suffered bomb damage during World War Two and were subsequently demolished. No coffins have been interred since the 1930s. Some were moved at relative's requests, however most remain untouched. The catacombs are laid out in six narrow vaulted passages, either side of the main vault, each with seven bays. Some bays contain gated vaults or are individual loculi with either cast-iron gates or stone memorial tablets, others were left open. Also visible are the remains of funeral tributes or 'immortals'. At the end of each of the vaulted passages there is an open grating designed to allow air flow through the catacombs. In the middle of the central area is a hydraulic catafalque (coffin lift) designed by Bramah & Robinson dated 1839. This was used to transfer coffins into the catacombs from the chapel above.
I don't find it creepy - interesting yes, damp yes (the catacombs have regularly flooded) but creepy no. Coffins that are not buried in the ground are required by law to be lead lined, just as well considering some of them died of smallpox, although as you go around you find coffins in various states of decay and one or two which have completely collapsed into themselves.The children's coffins of which they are sadly many are slightly un-nerving. Did I just imagine someone pulling at the bottom of my jacket or hear a tiny giggle or was it just the echo of my footsteps. I was allowed access for around an hour and a half and wandered up and down each section to photograph as much as I could.
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
Traditions developed since Celtic times:
There are many folk traditions associated with Halloween. It is possible that some had their origins in Celtic times.
Jack-o'-lantern: The term "Jack-o'-lantern" came from an Irish folk tale of the 18th century. Jack was an Irishman. He had tricked the Devil into climbing an apple tree. He then cut a cross symbol in the tree trunk, thus trapping the Devil in the branches. When Jack died, he was unable to again access to Heaven because of his meanness. The Devil, having a long memory, would not allow him into Hell. So he was forced to walk the earth endlessly. The devil took pity on him and gave him a piece of coal to light his path. Jack put it inside a hollowed-out turnip that he had been eating.
Apples were considered have long been associated with female deities, and with immortality, resurrection, and knowledge. One reason is that if an apple is cut through its equator, it will reveal a five-pointed star outlined at the center of each hemisphere. This was a pentagram -- a Goddess symbol among the Roma (Gypsies), ancient Celts, ancient Egyptians, modern-day Wiccans, etc. There are many Halloween folk traditions associated with apples:
Unmarried people would attempt to take a bite out of an apple bobbing in a pail of water, or suspended on a string. The first person to do so was believed to be the next to marry.
Peeling an apple in front of a candle-lit mirror was believed to produce the image of one's future spouse.
Attempting to produce a long unbroken apple peel was said to estimate the number of years you had to live. The longer the peel, the longer your life expectancy.
In All Souls' Day, European Christians had a tradition of going from home to home, asking for soul cakes, or currant buns. In return, they would pray for the souls of the homeowner's relatives.
A LOCAL TRADITION:
At one time, years ago, all the graves in Tilmanstone churchyard, on All Souls Day had a small posy of flowers put on them. (early 1900s perhaps - 1920s)
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Lincolnshire Born and Bred
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
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Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Awww, Halloween can be cute and cuddly too -
As of celtic origins myself (scots/manx) I have always been blessed with a certain amount of psychic ability and I am sure that I have seen a ghost on several occasions. It was well known that the old Royal Vic hospital was haunted, apparently by a nurse who fell ill and died there and many, including me, smelled her perfume (Avon Topaz for those who like details). However my most clear experience was at Buckland Hospital which is also known to have several ghosts. We used to take some of our night duty breaks in the X Ray waiting room (now the minor injury unit) and I was called back to work one night by ... well, no-one actually, but I know I was shaken and woken up. On another occasion on Female Surgical night duty I looked up from the office to see my junior nurse leaning over a patient at the far end of the ward. As you can imagine I was more than spooked when she came up behind me and when I checked down the ward again the "visitor" had gone. The other place was the waiting room to the then Almoner's office, this was just along the corridor from the entrance hall. It was said that you can hear the breathing and groaning of the men who were accommodated there during WW2.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Diana, how fascinating. Many old hospitals do have a certain amount of 'atmosphere' and undoubtedly ghosts - well it's a sort of gateway to life and death after all.
I like to think there is something more out there.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Two men, both deformed from birth, meet nightly in the pub to sip their half pints of bitter and bemoan their lot in life.
One is a hunchback, the other has a club foot.
One night, they leave the pub as normal and go their separate ways home, the guy with the club foot down the High Street and the hunchback takes his usual short cut through the churchyard.
As he approaches the back of the church, there is a pure white light, and before him in mid-air appears a vision of loveliness, all angelic, wings and trumpets and cherubs and stuff.
"I am the Archangel Gabriel." He/she/it announces, "And I have come to Earth to relieve suffering tonight. You have been Chosen. Name the suffering you wish relieved, and it shall be Done."
The hunchback has no doubts or hesitation as to what he wants. "I"d like to be rid of this hump."
"So be it." says Gabriel, and the hunchback stands straight and proud for the first time ever.
The next night in the pub, he"s absolutely unbearable, especially to his mate with the club foot.
They make it to closing time without coming to blows, just.
The former hunchback walks proudly home, whilst the by now rather miffed guy with the foot limps reluctantly down the High Street until the other fellow"s out of sight, when he turns around and heads sharpish for the churchyard.
He lurches slowly through the churchyard towards the back of the church, dragging his bad foot behind him, looking all around, and calling softly, "Gabriel, ... Oh Gabriel, where are you please Gabriel?."
Suddenly there is a pure white light, and before him in mid-air appears a vision of loveliness, all angelic, wings and trumpets and cherubs and stuff.
And Gabriel speaks to him,
"Have a hump!"
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
tom
the late much loved sir bernard manning told that one on stage in harlow back in the late seventies.
we all creased up at it.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
surprised that there were no comments on trick or treaters from yesterday evening.
i can only assume that members did the same as me and saw them off with a combination of flour and eggs.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
no howard i had a vickers mashine gun and the wife in her face pack.
