Autumn and Halloween

[slohairt]

Oíche Shona Shamhna!

Hallowe'en/Autumn is my favourite time of the year as well. My family combines traditional Irish customs such as a big supper with various Irish delicacies like Colcannon and Barmbrack with the usual North American ones. People tend to think of Hallowe'en as a North American holiday, and forget its roots in Ireland and Scotland. In Ireland, it is a public holiday.

Costume-making was a labour of love that began in early September until the last moments before All Hallows Eve. Even today, I still spend a lot of time making costumes. (and even occasionally win money!) Now, I have a two-year-old daughter and look forward to helping her with costumes as she gets older. This year, my wife will be the Wicked Witch of the West, I will be a Winkie Guard, and my daughter will be a flying monkey!

[wsk]

I really enjoyed Halloween as a kid. But then I didn't really participate in Halloween after I got out of the Navy. Moved into the country where we were too far away from the rest of civilized society.

Then my wife and I divorced so now I'm in the city. A single man living alone in the city. I know that my neighbors' kids have been warned about me. When a couple of the neighborhood children discovered that I don't bite, they would come visit when I was working in my yard. But then one day one of them let slip that they were supposed to stay together - this when one of the girls wandered into my garage.

I don't blame the parents for imposing these kinds of restriction on their children given the stories one hears - though the rational part of my brain notes the relatively tiny percentage of children who are actually harmed by strangers is well, tiny.

So, for me - if I'm home, Halloween is a time when I keep my house dark and hide in the basement. I don't want to take any chances. Sad really.

[PiobBear]

So for those of you among the good members who also delight in this time of year, here his a place to share what you do to put you in “the Spirit” of the season.

Changing leaves; all the colors. Picking late blueberries. The first really cool days; especially at night, and at sunrise. The feeling of my favorite tweeds, cords, and sweaters. Migrating geese. The apple harvest; the smell of an apple house, the taste of fresh, right-out-of-the-press cider.
Wood smoke; the warmth of a fire in a cold room. First frost....

Oh yeah...I live in Florida now...*sigh*

[beloitpiper]

Oíche Shona Shamhna!

Hallowe'en/Autumn is my favourite time of the year as well. My family combines traditional Irish customs such as a big supper with various Irish delicacies like Colcannon and Barmbrack with the usual North American ones. People tend to think of Hallowe'en as a North American holiday, and forget its roots in Ireland and Scotland. In Ireland, it is a public holiday.

Costume-making was a labour of love that began in early September until the last moments before All Hallows Eve. Even today, I still spend a lot of time making costumes. (and even occasionally win money!) Now, I have a two-year-old daughter and look forward to helping her with costumes as she gets older. This year, my wife will be the Wicked Witch of the West, I will be a Winkie Guard, and my daughter will be a flying monkey!

I know that Halloween has it's roots in Ireland, but it's not really popular here... The stores try to push it by selling cheap Halloween decorations and costumes, but nobody really celebrates it.

[pipesndrumsnun]

In Michigan, it is certainly the beautifully colored trees and crisp days...and football!

[slohairt]

I know that Halloween has it's roots in Ireland, but it's not really popular here... The stores try to push it by selling cheap Halloween decorations and costumes, but nobody really celebrates it.

A disappointing reality today. Ireland (especially rural Ireland) has undergone much North Americanization over the last twenty or twenty-five years. The customs that my parents remember, and those even I remember are dying out at an alarming rate. Bear in mind, most of those customs bore only a superficial resemblance to the ones found here. All that seems to be left is a pale version of what it is here in Canada/U.S. Just one of the many reasons why I no longer live there...