Halloween
| Halloween | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Jack-o'-lantern , Halloween iconic character | |
| Official Name | Halloween |
| Observed | Several countries, mainly Ireland , Canada , Australia , UK and U.S. |
| Type | Folk festival |
| Begins | Night of October 31 |
| Ends | November 1 |
| Celebrations | Collecting candy |
| Observances | Passage of Halloween |
| Related | Samhain , All Saints |
Halloween or Halloween (without determining ) is a festival which takes place on the night of October 31 to November 1. This festival is celebrated mainly in Ireland , in Canada , in Australia , in Britain and the United States. The best known tradition is for children to dress up in costumes that are scary or ridiculous (ghosts, witches, monsters, vampires, for example) and go ring the door by asking adults themselves often disguised in candy , fruit or money with the formula: Trick or treat! (" Trick or treat ! ") or simply" Happy Halloween ". Other activities include masked balls, watching horror films, visiting houses, "haunted" and so on.
Halloween is an Anglo-Saxon folk . This tradition was transported to North America in the nineteenth century by Irish, Scots and other immigrants.
The main symbol of Halloween is the pumpkin from the Irish legend of Jack-o'-lantern : it is cut to draw on, and hollow, a face, then place a candle in its center.
Summary |
Halloween is a festival with traditional folk and a distant pagan Celtic origin . During the early history Celtic , was a religious festival - Samhain in Ireland , Samonios in Gaul - which took place under the authority of the Druids , for seven days (the day of Samhain himself and three days before and three days later). "It's a celebration of the past year closing and opening of the coming year. The time of Samhain is one of the Sidh (another world) briefly confused with that of humanity . This is the period of possible meetings between some men and mythical gods of the Tuatha D Danann. Celebrations Druid disappeared from Ireland in the fifth century with the arrival of a new religion, Christianity. The Christian feast of All Saints, which is backed Halloween has been established that the ninth century by Pope Gregory IV. The extensive medieval Irish literature, developed by the clergy between the eighth and twelfth, only mentions the sacred festival of Samhain.
The etymology of the word Halloween belongs strictly to the English language , unrelated to the Gaelic or any other Celtic language. Its current name is an alteration of All Hallows Eve , which literally means "the evening of All Saints', that is to say, before the Christian feast of All Saints (Hallow is an archaic form of the word English meaning holy holy, event is an unusual form which formed evening, at night) . Spelling Hallowe'en is still sometimes used in Canada and the United Kingdom , "e'en" is the contraction of even, become "een". In a horror show episode of the Simpsons series, the origin of Halloween is parodied.
Legend
Jack-O'-Lantern is probably the most popular character associated with Halloween. It comes from an old Irish tale. Jack was a miser, a drunkard character, evil and selfish. One evening, while he was in a tavern, the devil appeared to him and claimed his soul.
Jack asked the devil to give him a drink, a nightcap before heading to hell. The Devil agreed and was transformed into a sixpence. Jack enters and immediately placed in her purse. The latter has a lock-shaped cross, the Devil could not escape. Finally, Jack agreed to free the devil, on condition that he gives him one more year to live. Twelve months later, Jack made another joke at the Devil, leaving the top of a tree (on which he had burned a cross with his knife) with the promise that he would pursue more.
When Jack died, the entry to Paradise was refused, and the devil also refused to admit him to hell. Jack still manages to convince the devil to give him a piece of burning coal to light his way in the dark. He put the coal in a hollowed turnip as a lantern and was condemned to wander aimlessly until doomsday. He was then called Jack of the Lantern (Jack of the lantern in English), or Jack-o'-lantern. It reappears every year on the day of his death on Halloween.
Symbols
Originally, the symbol of Halloween had a turnip containing a candle to commemorate the legend of Jack-o'-lantern (Jack of the lantern), condemned to wander forever in darkness between heaven and hell in lighting up a brand placed in a turnip . The turnip was gradually replaced by a pumpkin itself sometimes replaced by another vegetable: it is cut to draw on, and hollow, his face grimacing, then place a candle in its center. Even if there is a tradition of the British Isles consisting carving a lantern from a rutabaga , a fodder beet or a turnip , the practice was associated with Halloween in North America , where the pumpkin was larger and easier to carve , and a willingness mercantile market that relates to dark and mysterious . Especially in North America, symbolism is inspired by classic horror films, with characters like Dracula , the monster of Frankenstein , the Werewolf and the Mummy. Homes are often decorated with these symbols . In revenues and more recent images, there are also purple, green and red. The use of these colors is in part due to their use in advertisements relevant to this festival for over a century Activities The main event of the festival is the "passing of Halloween" during which children dressed go door to door demanding candy. Small English shouting "Trick or treat! "Which means" Trick or trick! . In this sense, Halloween was originally known as the "Night of the towers" in the first regions of Quebec where it is broadcast, including the Gaspe Peninsula where many Irish and Jers settled in the nineteenth century. Even if it looks like an older tradition from Scotland and Ireland , collection of Halloween ritual appears only in the early twentieth century in North America, and may have developed independently. The inhabitants of the house, often disguised themselves, give candy, chocolate bars, and even soft drinks. Some people use sound effects and smoke to add to the ambience. Collecting for UNICEF has become a tradition during Halloween in North America. Starting in 1950 as a local event in a suburb of Philadelphia , the program involves the distribution of small boxes to school children, with whom they can solicit donations by visiting the houses. It is estimated that children have raised over U.S. 119 million for UNICEF since the program began. In 2006 , UNICEF withdrew these boxes in some parts of the world, citing safety and administrative problems. A tradition that has survived until our days in Ireland is the baking (or buying) a barmbrack (Bairin Breac Irish), a light fruit cake. A ring is placed in the cake before baking. It is said that whoever finds the ring will find true love in the year Popularity in the world In England , Halloween was once called "the night of the Nutcracker" or "night of the apple crisp." Families gathered around the fire telling stories and eating nuts and apples. That day, the poor received cakes called "cakes of the mind" Belgium Halloween has begun to be celebrated in Belgium since the early 1990s. The formula is adapted trick or treat in "candy or a stick," "Trick or thrill," "Trick or curse" or more commonly "Trick or death." There, rural traditions similar to those of Jack-O-Lantern. In Flanders, on the occasion of Saint-Martin , children dig out the beets and cut holes for them include a grimacing face lit by a candle placed inside the beet. In Wallonia , these lanterns were called Grigne 'DINT. These lanterns were made at harvest time which coincides with the beginning of autumn and the feasts of All Saints. This practice tends to disappear since the 1980s. In Canada , the celebration of Halloween is widely celebrated. On October 31 in the evening, children dressed in period costumes of all kinds, funny or scary, and invade the streets to knock on every door and ask for candy. Households participating in the festival decorate their doorsteps on a lighted pumpkin decorations or simply plug to indicate that children are welcome. In recent years, this festival has grown and given rise to many activities for children and adults. The festival also creates a growing passion for creating real horror sets in front of some homes. However, it took the 1960-70 so it is really necessary in areas with large French-speaking majority, like the Lower St. Lawrence. Through its events, Halloween is similar to the Mardi Gras , or Mid-Lent , which gave rise in some parts of the country, costumes and collecting candy, including Goulet , the New Brunswick , and Saint-Antoine-de l'Isle-aux-Grues , in Quebec , . Halloween is celebrated in the Caribbean. In parts of the British Caribbean , there are celebrations in honor of Guy Fawkes Night which takes place around Halloween. On the island of Bonaire , the children of a city come together in groups, and unlike other places in the world, they spend the Halloween candy, instead of going door to door. The Scotia , with Gaelic language and culture common with Ireland , celebrates the feast of Samhain centuries. Robert Burns made a portrait of the different customs in his poem Halloween (1785). Halloween, known in Scottish Gaelic as the Oidhche Shamhna, consists mainly of children dressed (often as a witch or ghost) going door to door and offering varied entertainment. If performance is assessed, children are rewarded with candy, fruit or a little money. There is no tradition of trick or treat in Scotland. In Scotland, folklore, including Halloween, is centered on the belief in the fairies. Children dress up and carry a Neepy Candle, a face carved into a diabolical rutabaga (NEEP English) hollow, lighted from inside, to frighten the bad fairies. A popular children's game that evening is when we should catch an apple in a tub of water using only his mouth. Another game is to try to eat with our eyes blindfolded, a treacle bread mix for the ceiling by a string United States Following starvation, customs and practices are moved, with emigration Irish from 1646 to 1648 , to the United States. In the late nineteenth century that it became a source of celebration with costumes and decorations around the turn of skulls, ghosts, skeletons, witches. Children dressed as witches or ghosts march through the streets knocking on doors and advocating for small gifts (candy) under threat of curse in case of refusal. The custom of trick or treat, which means "you pay or you have a spell," appeared in the United States in the 1930s . Halloween is very popular in Ireland and is known as Oche Shamhna Gaelic (literally the night of late summer), and is celebrated for centuries Japan This party unconnected with the Shinto nor with Buddhism , the Japanese do not traditionally celebrate Halloween. But the event is gaining in popularity and there are now lots of decorations and costumes in stores. Halloween has never been celebrated in Malta until recently, when his popularity has increased because of the many costume balls held on Halloween night, especially faced by adolescents and young adults. There is hardly anyone who distributes sweets or passing through the houses Romania The celebration of Halloween in Romania is related to the myth of Dracula . At the Isle of Man , October 31 is the feast of Hop-tu-Naa . In many countries do not traditionally celebrate Halloween, its introduction was opposed more or less. Some voices were raised to denounce an Americanization of the world increasing, or fear that religious holidays around the 31 October as the Saints , are swept away by the festival. In France , the festival was a great success but passenger around the year 2000. Initially, Halloween was celebrated as in Anglo-Saxon. The celebration of this festival grew slowly but remained widespread. All this changed in 1997 , when the telephone operator France Telecom launches mobile phone orange called "Olaween. A major advertising campaign (8000 pumpkins were distributed at Trocadero ), combined with other business initiatives (including specific events within the theme park Disneyland Paris ) gives the festival an instant media exposure. By 1998, it is adopted by merchants and some media, the festival falls in the slack period before Christmas. Soon, some French critics such importation by denouncing Halloween as a marketing operation. However the stores are filled with articles dedicated (costumes, pumpkins, candy), the popularity peak around 2000. It is necessary then to France in less than four years as the third party commercial of the year, behind Christmas and New Year's Day . But soon, the party is slowing. French supermarket shelves are less supplied materials for the celebration of Halloween. Since 2006 many media as Express and 20 minutes have reported that disaffection for the party. The pure commercial logic and overselling Media Day in France are put forward to explain this rapid swing of the pendulum. Halloween has also suffered strong opposition political or religious party competing with the Saints. In 2008 , this relative disaffection appears almost universal: no decorations in the streets, some advertising on radio or television and articles in the stores. . If there are still ways to celebrate Halloween in France, the festival has become very quiet. Halloween, a pagan festival is also close to two festivals celebrated by the Catholics, the Saints (November 1) and the Day of the Dead (November 2), which has reacted The Catholic Church in France. It was found that with Halloween a population not interested in the Christian meaning of death. To recall the meaning of All Saints Catholic, the diocese of Paris has introduced since 2002, a festive event called, in broken English (and to create a play on words as opposed to Halloween), "Holy wins" (which translated as "that which is holy is victorious"). Hundreds of people attend each year. A study by the Research Center for the Study and Observation of Living (CREDOC), commissioned by the National Association of Funeral arts and dated 2005, shows a parallel increase in the recent commercial success of the festival All Saints. In October, confectioners sell candy index 130 against 100 other months In Germany and France, October 31 is the feast of the reform. The Evangelical Church is distributing sweets to the effigy of Martin Luther to discourage children celebrate Halloween. According to the bishop of Hanover , it is "absurd to celebrate Halloween, Martin Luther had freed the Protestant fear of demons and witches . In Ecuador , President Rafael Correa has asked, in 2007 , officials do not celebrate Halloween because, he said, the Ecuadorian government is nationalist and people should celebrate local holidays . In Russia , the Kremlin and the Orthodox Church are trying to curb the growing popularity of Halloween. It is now forbidden to celebrate the schools in Moscow . In Venezuela , President Hugo Chavez said Halloween has spread terror and the need for the population to resist the encroachment of American culture Health and Safety The party taking place at night, safety precautions are recommended. Thus, it is recommended to wear makeup instead of masks so as not to obstruct the view and cross at intersections, etc. . However, every Halloween party, there are persistent rumors that people introduce poison or dangerous objects (blades, needles) in candy. An urban legend even said that some children have eaten toys that swell in water as a candy . Some police stations even organize a free inspection treats. There has actually never been a genuine case of poisoning or injury, most hoaxes or have been committed by its own family of children. Yet we continue to see annual reports warning people of danger. Some parents will even keep their children in their collections, and require them to travel by car, even for short distances . At Churchill , in Manitoba / A>, a security perimeter is established using cars with flashing lights to allow the children to go trick or treating safe from polar bears , which sometimes walk around the city at dusk from the night , some people take to heart the aspect of "dirty tricks" of the party. There are acts of vandalism such as toilet papering (act of unrolling of toilet paper in trees or on the highway) or the burning of cars. In some places, the police allow themselves to throw eggs in the hope of reducing vandalism . It is advisable to provide children a meal that they eat fewer sweets , or bear fruit instead of candy . In France and Quebec, the practice is that we put the qualifier "of" (example: "It's Halloween!"). According to the Quebec Office of the French language , "despite the capital that characterizes the names in typography civil or religious festivals, the term is sometimes attested with a lowercase letter. On the other hand, even if the word is of foreign origin, the initial h is silent, causing its elision, for example in the expression of Halloween candy. " Halloween is the excuse of a large number of works, including cinematographic Here are some examples: Soap operas and American TV series are often spent on Halloween episode, if not more (see The Simpsons for example, or the series Friends or police series such as NCIS ). In Canada include clip Halloween Ttes claques and many episodes of Goosebumps. In Buffy the Vampire cons , Halloween is the day that the "demons" hate the day they prefer not to leave home, revolted at the idea of not being taken seriously enough and to be devalued by a demonstration commercial. This is a curious sense-cons: in the Celtic tradition, the festival of Samhain was precisely that the meeting of the world visible and invisible world, the day of the year when the living could access the "Other World. In Charmed , Halloween is considered the most magical day of the year, new year sorcerer. It is this magic that demons vanquished during the previous year can return from the dead for the day and move freely among humans festive. To witches, it is a day where magic primitive can be invoked easily. A pointed hat allows them to easily capture the celestial energies while a brush or an apple are being defenses and attack priceless! Halloween is not traditionally celebrated in China, but there is a festival near the Ghost Festival. In Mexico, the festival is not celebrated but the Mexicans celebrate the Day of the Dead. Passage of Halloween
Collecting for UNICEF
Food
England
Canada
Caribbean
Scotland
Ireland
Malta
Countries do not celebrate Halloween
Controversies
Objections and competition with other parties
France
Elsewhere
Spelling
Halloween in popular culture
Holidays similar
References
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