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| Stoke
& Staffordshire Hallowe'en Special |
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| Frightful
histories... |
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Hallowe'en
has come round again, which means it's time to stock up on sweets for those
pesky trick or treaters. It's also an excuse to rent out a scary film to
get closer
to your
partner! But did you ever wonder what it's all about? Thought not... |
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I
must admit, I do quite like Hallowe'en. There's something really satisfying
about carving a pumpkin into something completely unrecognisable...
It's also often the time of the year when you start to really feel the nights
drawing in and the temperatures plummet.
But you have
to agree, there is something peculiarly warm about partying with a group
of ghosts and witches. In fact, all things considered, it's pretty good
fun. So, why not make the most of it?
But before you get your face stuck while trying to suck that apple out of
the barrel, maybe you should learn more about the background of the whole
occasion.
After all, do you really know the true origins of the whole spooky festival?
History
Legend
tells us that Hallowe'en is the time of year when supernatural spooks come
back to haunt us.
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The tradition
dates back to ancient times - it's thought to have been started by the ancient
Druids who believed that Saman, the Lord of the Dead, called forth the evil
spirits on October 31st.
But they weren't the only ones to celebrate this spooky time of year. The
Celts believed that the spirits of the dead revisited their earthly homes
on that evening.
The Romans are coming
After the Romans conquered Britain, they added aspects of their harvest
festival (held on 1st November) to the festivities.
That's where the traditions like ducking for apples in water, the carving
of pumpkins and eating toffee apples all originate.
And then the Christians came along, and the date of All "Hallows' Eve"
(literally, the day before All Saints' Day - which is on November 1st) was
fixed for us all.
So, there you have it... a brief guide to Hallowe'en... now you can impress
all your friends at the next monster ball!!! |
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BBC Stoke and Staffordshire
Cheapside • Hanley • Stoke-on-Trent • Staffordshire
ST1 1JJ
Telephone 01782 221281 • Fax 01782 289115 • e-mail:
stoke@bbc.co.uk
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