Whats All They Hype About Halloween???

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   akhilkarunposted 15 years ago

   Hey friends... I'm Guy from India.I've heard so much about 'Halloween' buy havent got a chance to know the fun and philosophy of it.
   I've know that people dress in Exciting Varitey of Outfits and Have a heavy lot of fun.
   Could somebody tellme about 'Halloween'.
   It would be a unique expression of your views too..

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2. 68

   Paradise7posted 15 years ago

   It's a costume-party holiday, supposed to be scary, but not TOO scary--the kids go door to door, or at least they used to, saying "Trick or treat".  And the people in the houses gave them candy, the treat, to avoid a trick being played on them.  The kids dress up in costumes, and it's a lot of fun.
   
   The tradition came from "All Hallow's Eve", or Hallowe'en, when the dead supposedly walk.  It's the day before All Saint's Day (November 1)...
   
   You're probably still going, "Huh?" if none of this is a familiar part of your country's traditions.

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   1. 54

      akhilkarunposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      no no .. i got you. We've thrown away the concept of sticking to concentric traditions long bak itselfs... I belive life is all about how we and our relations live happily...

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3. 88

   rebekahELLEposted 15 years ago

   we like to celebrate anything in US! 

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   1. 63

      Lisa HWposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      This kind of says it all, akhilkarun.  Halloween has its roots in ancient (really ancient) beliefs associated with the festival, "Samhain".  Here's a Wiki link that explains Samhain.  These days, the holiday has pretty no connection to its roots for most America.  It's a day when people get to wear costumes, go to parties, bob for apples, and have party food.
      
      Also, children go "Trick or Treating".  Their parents usually take them around the neighborhood where they live, often going with other children and parents.  The children wear costumes and knock on people's doors and say, "Trick or Treat".  People decorate their houses (some more than others) either with Fall flowers and pumpkins or with Halloween "spooky" decorations or both.  (Fake spider webs, fake skeletons).  My mother (born in 1919) said when she was a kid it wasn't really about just candy.  Some kids would go do mischief to property.  People would soap up cars, throw toilet paper in trees, and stuff like that.  That was a long time ago, though, and these days it's pretty much about either kids going out for candy or else parties.
      
      My Halloween earlier this evening was giving out candy, although my daughter, who was on her way to a party and dressed in a cute costume gave out candy for a while too.  My son also came by and was giving out candy with his sister for a while.  Because it was warm out we took turns sitting out by the walkway.  We gave out candy in little paper bags with smiling pumpkins on them.  I had two big pumpkins on the front stairs.  One was carved artistically by my daughter, so I put a flashlight in it so it would glow.  I had a pot of Fall flowers next to them, and a smiling Jack O Lantern hung on my front door.  Most of the children are little (under 13 years old).  Lots of times two or more families go around together, so it's a whole "social" thing.  In most towns kids are told that the hours for going out Trick or Treating are 6 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; so it's a two-hour thing once a year.  It's pretty much known that if someone doesn't have a porch light on children shouldn't go to that house.
      
      The people next door to me were roasting marshmallows outside, so the air was filled with the smell of roasting marshmallows.  I had neighbors who used to make candied apples for the kids.  Teens, young adults, and older adults may or may not go to the parties; but there are also sometimes parties for children as well (with lots of candy, popcorn, frosted cupcakes, cookies - and things like that).  Stores sell all kinds of things for Halloween (from nice decorations to "spooky" novelties).  Candy corn is traditional for Halloween.
      
      Sometimes people who work in places like stores will wear costumes on Halloween.  In offices people often bring in Halloween candy to leave out on desks or tables.  Stores stock up on bags of Halloween candy because they know people are going to buying it.  As soon as Halloween is over the Thanksgiving decorations, food, and cards are what the stores have; and people do stuff like hang "Indian corn" (Native-American) on their doors and put other Autumn stuff out.
      
      Hope this little glimpse helps you know our Halloween better.    We had a particularly nice Halloween this year, so I've enjoyed writing about it here.  It's been a good way for me to kill some leisure time on the forums without having to wade through all those religious threads that seem to be monopolizing the forums. 

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4. 54

   akhilkarunposted 15 years ago

   Hey Lisa that was an orginal and detailed post on halloween... getting real knowledge from real people like you is far better than the result any search engine could dig up..
   I too get the fun Halloween Now...
   
   So send me the candy soon
   
   Happy Halloween...

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