All Hallow's Eve

Halloween is my favorite holiday.  It occurs during my favorite season, fall.  My birthday’s about ten days removed, it’s the middle of football season, I’m cooking “real” food, and the air’s got a nice snap to it.  For many, Halloween’s about trick-or-treating, costumes, candy, pranks, haunted houses, parties, cool shit like that.  For me, it’s always been about the candy and costumes, but as I got older, I became fascinated with the origins of the holiday.

Halloween, or All Hallow’s Eve, precedes All Saints Day, which is a religious holiday that celebrates, well, saints.  Halloween’s genesis dates back centuries, influenced by harvest festivals and festivals of the dead.  There are also some pagan roots as well, specifically Samhain, the Celtic holiday. Samhain was the night when the spirits of the deceased from the past year could mingle with the living before journeying on to the other side (whatever side that may be).  There were not only spirits, but fairies, demons, devils, all manner of fiends hanging out with the living.  (I’m positive there’s a story here...maybe in time for next year)

So think about it. Tonight while you’re trying to get up on some candy in your fiercest Morticia Addams costume and you come across a handsome devil...beware.

"So, you gonna wear that sexy little thing I like...?"

Happy Halloween, everybody!