Halloween, I shall not be riding my broomstick this year, but (Halloween 2006)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Halloween 2006
Date:	27/10/06 (235 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: fun

Disadvantages: Some people do not like halloween

Halloween , After all my opps on Halloween fun this month I thought I would show my serious side and write an article about being safe on Halloween.

1. If you have young children who wish to go trick and treating. Ask your neighbours and family if it is ok for them to call. Go with them either dress up to add to the fun or keep a distance keeping the children in view.
Ideally accompany children under 12 yrs old.

2. If you are given treats that are home made, show them to your parents and tell them who gave them to you before eating. Some evil people may spike them. Parents tell your kids to bring their treats home.

3. If you are going trick and treating on your own tell someone where you are going and plan a route stick to that route.

4 If you are trick and treating in a group recommended stick together its more fun as well as safer

5. Take a torch not only will you be able to see where you are going a torch shone up your face will identify you and make you look more scary with the shadows it forms.

6 most Halloween costumes are dark so carry something reflective or wear a reflective strip , you could cut out a scary shape from reflective material to put on to your costume

7. If you have one takes your mobile phone.

8 Only go to houses that have lights on People who do not want spooks often switch of their lights.

9 Do not go into peoples houses unless you know them really well.

10.
If you are trick and treating and people do not give you treats do not do tricks that will upset them. You could just trick them with a verbal joke: - ask them a few riddles

Q How do monsters tell their future……?
A/ They read their horror scopes...

Q/Why do witches ride on broomsticks? …….
A/ because the vacuum cleaner has only a short electric lead

Q/What do birds say on Halloween?
A/ trick or tweet.

Q/ What do ghosts put on top of an ice cream sundae?
A/Whipped scream.

11. Arrange a time when you will get home ands stick to it.

12. Do not wear over long cloaks as you may trip over them.


Now I have finished with my warnings enjoy your Halloween take care.
I shall now tell you a little about Halloween so you know what you are celebrating.

The origin of Halloween comes from the fire festival Samhain a Celtic festival celebrated in Wales Scotland and Ireland by the Druids in ancient pre-Christian times. Samhain was the Celtic lord of death. With the immigration of many Irish to America in the 1800’s the festival went with them and is celebrated in America.
It was believed that ghosts of the dead came that night and caused trouble and damaged crops.

When in AD43 the Romans Ruled the UK for about 400yrs their Autumn festivals combined with the Celtic festival One Ferala was a festival to honour the dead The other a festival for Pomora the goddess of fruit and trees.

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In the A.D. 1800’S the Christian church created an all saints day on November 1st so that people could continue the celebrations of the dead. The mass said on this day was called Allhallows mass. The evening before all saints name was known as All Hallows eve, All Hallow e ‘en slowly getting shortened to Halloween,

The Catholics honour their dead on all souls day the 2 November
Over the years various customs and ways of celebrating evolved.
In Ireland people paraded to honour the god Muck Olla. They begged food as they paraded through the village and towns
In England on Halloween people told stories around the hearth while they ate apples and nuts. On All souls day the poor went begging and received soul cakes and pastries in exchange for promising to say prayers for the dead.

This custom has a change over the years to the trick and treating that happens now. I am sure the young trick and treaters do not know the history behind this festival.


On Halloween you might meet witches, ghosts, skeletons, black cats, a mummy, Devils, vampires, bats,

Rather than describe how to make costumes here I found you a good website here the ideas are similar to mine just add and adapt these ideas and you will have a super time.

http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/party_ide as/witch_hat/index.htm

Some super ideas at http://www.underfives.co.uk/hallown.html
Some great ideas for craft, how to cut pumpkins how to make jack’o lanterns skeletons and other good craft ideas at

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/halloween I often check this sit out for craft ideas for my work with children, and have used many of them.

Halloween food for that meal or party , well there is always blood (tomato)soup , slime dessert with eyeballs (green jelly with grapes) or spider cakes , ( little cakes with chocolate icing and liquorice string legs) biscuits are easy to decorate with writing icing or find some spooky biscuit cutters I found some on line at http://thecookskitchen.com/browse_7403.
In fact just put Halloween food into your search engine it will provide lots of ideas,
As for scary Halloween decorations http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/halloween has all the info you need, a printout of skeletons, spider’s instructions for a black cat hat I really like that one. There are lots of ideas here.

If you are having a party there are lots of ideas for games Apple bobbiong or murder in the dark.

Anyway I hope you have a happy safe Halloween Sadly I shall have to rest my broomstick this year as I am in hospital Monday for an operation on my foot they are going to shave a spur of bone off I have been suffering with pain from Achilles tendonitis for 2 years now, so no witching for me this year.

Summary: Some safety tips for trick and treating on Halloween, a history lesson and some fun ideas.