Scary doings in Windy Corners!

Not really, it is just that time of year again; And, being me I have a few tidbits to share on the holiday.

Halloween or Hallowe'en, is sometimes called Nutcrack Night and Holy Eve. Has its roots in All Hallows' Eve, which as many people know, is the night before the Christian festival of All Saints Day, or All Hallows.

Hallows is derived from the Old English word 'halig' meaning ‘a holy man’. All Hallows was first observed on the 1st of May, However in 834 the holiday was moved to the date of the 1st of November. It celebrated the desecration of the Roman Pantheon, a pagan temple dedicated to all of Rome’s gods, in 610.

The Celtic peoples considered this the end of the year. Known as Summer's End it was a festival akin to our modern New Year's Eve. To the Celts, their days ran from sundown to sundown. From this we get what the phrase 'eve,' meaning the time before, and this night was the start of that this festival.

During this time it was believed that the veil between worlds is thinnest, allowing the spirits of the dead to walk the earth. They used this time to honor their dead loved ones and for Divining into the future.

"Old Hallowe'en" Old Hallowe'en, or Hallowe'en Old Style (usually abbreviated O.S.), is the day that the sun hits 15 degrees Scorpio. This is the old Scottish Quarter Day of 11th November, also adopted by Christianity and changed to Martinmas Day. It is considered an important date in astrological terms and is sometimes called a "power point". An eagle is often used as a symbol.

The festival of the dead at this time of year is something many cultures have in common, from the Mexican Dia De los Metros (Day of the Dead) to the observances of ancient Egypt.

Many Christians erroneously believe that Witches selected the dates in which they observed their Sabbats to correlate with the times of important Christian festivals as a way to make a sacrilegious mockery of them. In reality, it was the Christian church that chose to observe their festivals on the dates of important Pagan holy days. This was a way for the Christian church, which had few members, to convert the Pagan population. As the Church grew in power it gradually erased the true meanings if the days.

Halloween today is a very different and an extremely popular holiday; evoking visions of cute tots dressed in even cuter costumes begging for treats as they go door to door caroling the familiar call “Trick or treat!” . The tradition persist despite the fact that every year the Fundamentalist Christian groups attempt to ban the celebrations.

Halloween, is observed as the chief festival in most modern witchcraft traditions. Known as Samhain (Sow-en) The Grand Sabbat, is a time for quiet reflection and remembrance of those how have passed beyond. It is also considered a good time for divination and to communicate with the spirits and ancestors