Halloween

Hey Lake City, so we all know that Halloween is coming up, and that means pumpkins and costumes, but what about Halloween should we know more about?

The word Halloween dates to around 1745 and comes from the Christian origin. The word “Halloween” means “hallowed evening” or “holy evening”. It comes from a Scottish term for “All hallows’ eve”. Today’s Halloween customs are thought to have been influenced by folk customs and beliefs from Celtic and pagan roots. In medieval times, Halloween marked the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or the “darker half” of the year.

Over time, Halloween has gained more and more symbols to create what it is these days. An example could be the traditional jack-o’-lanterns carried by guisers, or kids in costumes, on All Hallows’ Eve in order to scare away evil spirits. In Ireland and Scotland, the turnip was traditionally carved before the pumpkin but was traded out in 1837 in America because of the pumpkin’s size and because it’s easier to carve.

Trick-or-treating is another celebration for children on Halloween. Kids go in costume to one house to another in the search or candy and money with the question, “trick or treat?”. If you respond with candy then the kids are satisfied and will home onto the next house. If you respond without candy or a treat or even respond with treat you can expect a practical joke to be played on you or your house.

Halloween wouldn’t be the same without the costumes. Halloween costumes were traditionally modeled after supernatural creatures like ghosts, vampires, skeletons, witches, devils, and other monsters. Over time here in the United States, we took these common creatures and added more and more. Now we have generic ninjas, princesses, and superheroes that we make off Hollywood movies and shows. Costumes aren’t just for kids now and we have been making them for parents to enjoy too. the idea when people first started to wear costumes was to make fun of these things that we were told to fear growing up and to not continue to fear them.

Halloween is celebrated all around the world, and each country has their own way they hold a Halloween. In Ireland and Scotland, Halloween traditions are children dressing up in costume going “guising”, holding parties, while other places like Ireland light bonfires, and have firework displays. North America has really pushed the idea of Halloween to other places around the world from South America to New Zealand or Japan and other parts of East Asia.

Halloween’s big moneymaker that you may be able to find around your local area are haunted houses! Haunted houses are big with teens and young adults because who doesn’t love spending money to have other people scare you senseless? If you live in Coeur D’ Alene you probably have heard of Scary Wood. Scary Wood is filled with hidden actors around the park and has rides you can do on and as you travel from one ride to another these monsters will follow you, jump out at you, and yell at you or even chase you away.

Halloween is an outstanding holiday and it’s incredible knowing how it started and where it’s been taken. what are you T-Wolves doing for Halloween? If you have no plans you can ask alpha if he knows if there are any cool plans.