Halloween 2010 Costumes and Ideas
Halloween Trick or Treat and Invitations Halloween Party
Halloween Trick or Treat and Invitations Halloween Party
The best part of the fall season is planning and going to Halloween celebrations. Most of October is celebrated all around the world with spooky events and adrenaline raising parties. In the United States people love celebrating Halloween, one way 60% of people celebrate is by decorating their homes with ghosts, witches, and of course jack-o-lanterns. Also Americans spend more on candy during the Halloween season than any other time of the year besides Christmas time. Many people have parties and will send out invitations Halloween party, http://www.invitations-shoppe.com/halloween-party-invitations/ProductList-1.htm or have a movie night, but other options are available.
Origins of the Holiday
Many people wonder why during October people decide to send out scary Halloween invitations, http://www.invitations-shoppe.com/ ? Well the answer is that Celtic people had a holiday on October 31st called Samhain. This holiday was mainly celebrated with a giant festival that honored the Lord of the Dead. The 31st was so important to the Celtic people because they believed the dead would be able to enter the living world. Without ghost invitations or anything, spirits walked the world for this one night every year.
Costume invitations for Halloween parties can be traced back to the Celts, too. Because not all of those free roaming spirits were nice folks, the festival involved wearing costumes so the evil spirits couldn’t find them.
Trick or Treating
Another important aspect of the holiday is sending children door to door begging for candy – a practice known today as trick or treating. While modern kids don’t think anything of this fun activity, it’s only been widely practiced here since the 1930s. Some suggest that trick or treating was encouraged by adults to prevent kids from vandalizing property on Halloween night. But no documentation of such a reason has been produced and sending out Halloween party invitations would seem to take care of that problem.
But trick or treating could stem from a practice known as souling that was practiced throughout the UK and Europe on November 1st. People with no food or money would go door to door for a handout in exchange for prayers for their deceased relatives. This might have inspired some of these modern Halloween celebrations in the U. S.
All Over the World
The United States is certainly not the only place sending out invitations Halloween party. Other countries also celebrate the 31st with many Halloween celebrations. One place that is known for spooky horror is Romania, home to Dracula’s castle and where visitors can watch witch trials while touring Transylvania. South America and Denmark are also places to go where trick or treating is common, too. Or they can go to Mexico and enjoy the Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead festivals, which have a similar purpose as the old Celtic Samhain festival.
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Halloween‘s Most Popular Symbols: Witches
The term “bewitch” makes us typically think to a very old woman whose skin is grey or green, poring over a bubbling black cauldron that contains disgusting ingredients, pronouncing some kind of strange enchantment and worshipping the devil.
Fairy tales as well as derivative movies made in Hollywood are generally responsible for such untrue idea of those characters only because it makes the movie more exciting.
Witches are also frightening characters of Halloween celebrations. But what is the truth about them?
Basically, the term “witch” originates from the words wicca, wicce or wiccian; which all mean in reality ‘wise woman’, ‘wise women in the plural form. There always have been people interested in learning the special virtues of medicinal plants, the course of the moon, stars and other planets, and by many other aspects of the nature.
In general, witches are associated with a well-known earth-based religion: the Wicca, but a lot of others can be called “witches” no matter the fact that they do not follow this particular religion. A great number of these people practice a mingle-mangle of ancient pagan rites. These rites existed a long time before the advent of the Christian religion whose originated the term “witch” and launched the idea that those who lived under the cycles of nature were revering the church of the demon.
It was the Catholic religion which introduced the concept of Satan or any other demon. The term “pagan” itself in reality signifies “country people” – not devil worshippers.
Men can be witches also, but the term makes us think to women. There is a misconception of the word that male witches are supposed to be called ‘warlocks’ – this also is another of those Hollywood driven ideas because the term has a more virile consonance.
“Warlock” is a term of derision and loathing that was originally used by the pagan people to describe someone who betrayed his people and the ways of Nature. Actually, the term “warlock” comes from the Middle English “warloghe”, and from Old English “wrloga”. The real meaning of these terms is: “the one that breaks faith” or “betrayer”.
Everyone knows that witches are able to cast spells. “Spell” is a word that actually derived from the old German “Spiel” and means “prayer”. Essentially, Christians, Moslims, Buddhists, Hinduists do pray for a certain outcome; and so witches cast spells for a certain outcome too. The belief is that one can harness the power of the life force of the universe to call into being what they desire.
Just like in any other religion, it is necessary that witches set the mood and state of mind in their practice. And so, they use some tools in order to cast spells such as Athame – a ceremonial knife, book of shadows (spell book), scented oils, herbs, etc.
While witches are supposed to be evil by a lot of people, truth is, whether or not anyone is good or evil is up to the particular individual. Witchcraft is neither black nor white, but merely is and how it is used depends on the user.
And in witchcraft, as it is the case in many other religions, we can do what we want for as long as we do not hurt anyone.
“For as you send, so shall it return to ye thrice-fold.”
Always remember this and happy spell casting on Halloween!
D. Halet is an European history, Holidays and Tarot Cards passionate; she writes articles and creates websites dedicated to these subjects.
For more info about Halloween Costume ideas, visit Happy Halloween and receive a free Halloween Costume Ideas Guide.
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Halloween Masks: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
If you have already started to plan this year’s Halloween costume, you might have taken some time to look in a costume store or two or check out the selections online. A major part of the costume industry includes Halloween masks. A popular part of Halloween celebrations, Halloween masks are not the answer to everyone’s costume needs. Here is a look at the good and bad of this Halloween accessory.
The good
One of the best aspects of Halloween masks is that they disguise who you are quite thoroughly. Whether you choose a Halloween mask that covers your entire face and head, or just a portion, the final effect of either is that it alters the shape of you face. This can make it even more difficult to recognize you than it would be with merely face paint.
Another positive of Halloween masks is that they are very simple to use. If you paint your face, you will need a good deal of time, patience, and some artistic talent to get the right effect. With a Halloween mask, you simply slip it on and you are ready to go.
Masks can also be an inexpensive costume idea. By wearing a solid colored outfit and slipping on a mask, you can instantly become the character that the mask represents – other accessories are optional. You can even combine Halloween masks with your everyday clothing to become a zombie doctor, a cat who is a chef, or other unique idea.
The bad
Halloween masks can be dangerous if they are worn improperly. Special care should be taken to make sure that the mask does not block your vision or your breathing. This is particularly true with children’s costumes, since an improperly fitting mask could cause them to injure themselves while out trick or treating. You will want to try the mask on to make sure that it fits properly before wearing it on Halloween night. Remove masks when driving to ensure that you are able to see properly.
Halloween masks can also be hot, so if your Halloween evening will be spent in a warmer climate or a crowded party room you may become uncomfortable rather quickly. If you feel that you are overheating, remove your mask. Also make sure that you drink plenty of water during your Halloween celebrations.
While Halloween masks can be an inexpensive alternative to a full costume, they can also become quite pricey. The more detailed a mask is, the higher the price tag will often be. So if you are on a budget, you may have to settle for a less detailed Halloween mask, or an alternative like face painting, to achieve a similar effect.
Halloween masks can be an excellent addition to your Halloween costume, but they are not the perfect solution for everyone. Only you can decide if this Halloween accessory is right for you. If you purchase a mask and decide later on that it is not as comfortable or as safe as you would like, you can also use it as a creepy way to decorate your home.
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Some of the best Halloween mask ever
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