The origins
of Halloween is dated back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when they
celebrated their New Year on November 1.
This marked the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture and the
beginning of winter. It was also
believed that on October 31, the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. The word Halloween is an abbreviation of All
Hallows’ Evening.
The Samhain
festival involved huge sacred bonfires, where crops and animals would be
sacrificed to the Celtic gods. The
people would wear costumes and masks and would tell each other’s fortunes.
By 43AD the
Roman Empire had ruled the Celtic lands for four hundred years, at which time
they combined their Roman festivals with the traditional Samhain festival. This was known as Feralia, where the Romans
commemorated the passing of the dead.In 609AD Pope Boniface IV dedicated the 13th day of May to all Christian Martyrs, but it was Pope Gregory III (731-741) that expanded the festival to include all Saints and moved the observance from May 13 to November 1. In 1000 AD the church made November 2 ‘All Souls’ Day’ in honor of the dead.
Trick-or-Treating is one of the main traditions of Halloween today. It is socially expected for children to knock on a door and shout ‘Trick-or-Treat’. Trick-or-Treat can be traced back to the early All Souls’ Day festivities in England. During these festivities the poor would beg for food and were given pastries known as ‘soul cakes’ by families, in exchange for prayers for the family’s dead relatives.
As we
approach Halloween, children all over the world are getting excited about
dressing up in their costumes to go trick-or-treating, in the hope that they
collect even more candy than they did last year! The candy buckets get larger
and larger each year! While the focus is on racing around to as many houses as
possible, it is extremely important that while having fun, SAFETY must be taken
seriously! Not just for the Trick-or-Treaters, but for the motorists as well.
TRICK-OR-TREATING
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All
children under the age of 12 should be accompanied by a responsible adult.
-
Children
need to be instructed to ONLY go to well-lit areas and to avoid
trick-or-treating alone.
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Children
should NEVER enter a stranger’s home.
-
Give
your child a flashlight, or glow stick, so they can be seen and can see others.
-
If
possible, use face paint or make-up on your child. A mask can obstruct a child’s vision.
-
Make
sure you are able to communicate with your child, by having them carry a cell
phone.
-
Avoid
crossing the road too often. Walk down
one side of the street, then the other. DO NOT dart back and forth across the
road.
-
Always
walk on sidewalks and walk facing oncoming cars.
-
When
crossing the road, look left, right and left again before crossing.
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Do
not allow your child to take their electronic devices with them. ONLY cell
phones.
-
Agree
on a time when you expect children to return home.
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Children
should not eat their treats until they return home.
SAFETY TIPS
FOR MOTORISTS
-
Slow
down when driving through a neighborhood.
Children are unpredictable when excited.
-
Enter
and exit driveways slowly and carefully.
-
Do
not use your cell phone while driving, and eliminate any other distractions
inside the car.
-
Trick-or-Treating
typically takes place between 5.30pm – 9.30pm, so be especially alert during
these hours.
-
Discourage
teenagers from driving on Halloween, as they are inexperienced and there are
too many distractions.
HAVE FUN!
BE SAFE! BE VIGILANT!
BE AWARE!
The POWERHOUSE Program is designed to increase your self-esteem and provide the confidence that heightens your sense of awareness! RISE UP! SPEAK UP! POWER UP!
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