Image Credits:: geralt via Pixabay
It seems that Halloween celebration is becoming more and more popular in our country nowadays. Halloween parties and events being held for this occasion is increasing in number. Some groups already made Halloween as part of their annual celebrations. Even the malls are conducting activities which will certainly attract more visitors and customers.
Image Credits:: Solomon_Barroa via Pixabay
Commercial establishments are doing their best to come up with the best Halloween decorations so as not to be overpowered by their competitors. Spooky Halloween costumes, pumpkins, masks and other things related to Halloween are flooding the malls.
My Childhood Days
I grew up in a rural area and during my childhood days, I never remember any instance that we celebrated Halloween the American way, I mean with jack-o-lantern or the Halloween pumpkin, Halloween costumes and the likes. Instead, my family and the neighborhood celebrate the 'Day of the Dead' as we commonly called or the 'All Saints Day and All Souls Day.' This is the time when we go to the cemetery to pay a visit to our departed loved ones. My grandmother would prepare native delicacies such as suman (baked rice) and other native delicacies during the holiday.
Image Credits:: krzys16 via Pixabay
A week or several days prior to the main day of the celebration, people would go to the cemeteries to clean the graves of the departed and to have those painted. We also prepare candles and flowers so that we could use those during the visit.
This celebration is part of our Catholic belief having November 1 as the All Saints Day and November 2 as All Souls Day based on the Catholic Calendar. Being a Catholic myself, I consider this occasion as holy and sacred. This is also our simple way of commemorating our deceased loved ones. Relatives who are working or living in other places would usually come home to celebrate this event with their families.
Image Credits:: geralt via Pixabay
I remember when we were still young, we would roam around the cemetery to gather leftover candles and we will mold those creating another candle. My playmates and I would stay up late and we will share our own stories of ghosts and unusual creatures or experiences. I still remember how frightened we were but still continue. I still have vivid memories of this yearly occasion and until now, we still celebrate this as part of our culture and beliefs.
I read about the pangangaluluwa - a Filipino activity related to The Day of the Dead wherein children will visit houses a custom similar to trick or treat. I haven't got a chance to do it. Perhaps this was not a customary practice in our place.
History All Saints and All Souls Day
Watch the video to learn more about the All Saints Day and All Souls Day Celebration:
Video Credits:: Joe Aboumoussa via YouTube
The video explained how the All Saints Day and All Souls Day became a part of the religious practice and tradition.
Based on the Catholic Church history, All Saints Day was originally celebrated by the Eastern Church during the month of May. This practice started around 4th century to commemorate all the martyrs who have died bearing witness to Christ.
However, on 800 AD, the Christians living in Ireland and England started to observe the feast on November 1 in reaction to the Pagan practices of tribes who regarded the fall season to be a fearful time of the year when spirits roam the earth.
Excerpts from the video
Halloween Celebration in the Modern Culture
Image Credits:: Jill111 via Pixabay
As the days and years had passed, I notice great changes to the customs and practices of the people. When I first heard of the Halloween activities being held in our place, I just thought it was one of the activities as part of the Day of the Dead which we are celebrating.
I also noticed several changes in the stores and big malls in our place. Before, two weeks before the occasion, candles are being sold all over the place. You have to buy early otherwise, you might run out of stock. But now, malls and other store seem to be more concentrated in displaying Halloween accessories.
Image Credits:: Janson_G via Pixabay
History of Halloween
Video Credits:: History via YouTube
Halloween is an ancient practice which was originated in a place currently called Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Northern France. The celebration is an ancient Celtic Festival of Samhain (sow-in) by Celts, who lived 2000 years ago in this area, celebrated their New Year on November 1.
This day marked the end of summer and the harvest season and the start of cold winter, a time of the year that is often associated with human death. Celts believed that during the eve of October 31, the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. They believed that during this time, the boundary between the dead and living becomes blurred.
Image Credits:: Couleur via Pixabay
Celts also believe that the ghosts are damaging their crops. So in order to prevent the ghosts from doing so, they offer fruits and vegetable on their doorsteps and they wore ghost costumes as a disguise whenever they go out.
The Christian Church change Samhain into 'All Saints Day' or 'All Hallows' during the 8th Century and the night before is the 'Hallows Eve' and later was shorten to 'Halloween'.
Halloween is now a Big Business:
We were already influenced by the Westernized cultures and beliefs. Parties and events for Halloween are a big thing!
Image Credits:: hzv_westfalen_de via Pixabay
Nowadays Halloween was more of a happy celebration than a superstitious belief. This is okay as long as it is for the enjoyment of everyone and we are not harming anybody. That is part of the cultural integration. Adopting new ways and traditions from other countries would also allow us to enjoy whatever our neighboring countries are enjoying. That is part of our freedom and we choose whatever makes us happy.
Image Credits:: quimuns via Pixabay
There's nothing wrong with the celebration of Halloween as long as we won't forget about the real event which the All Saints Day and the All Souls Day. Where we need to commemorate our loved ones who already passed away.
Did you know?
Almost 90 million pounds of chocolate are sold during the week of Halloween, according to a Nielsen Newswire Report from 2009. To put that into perspective, around 65 million pounds of chocolate candy are sold during the week before Easter, and 48 million pounds of chocolate candy are sold the week before Valentine's Day.
Source: www.aol.com
Bitlanders also celebrates with us!
Image Credits:: micky-the-slanted-salerno via Bitlanders
Of course, our very own Bitlanders team won't let the season pass without giving us a Treat and that's not a Trick! Bitlanders already releases different goodies and pumpkins for our avatars.
Let's check it out in the store!
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Written for Bitlanders:
by: Sharon Lopez
Thank you for reading!
Please visit my blog for more posts
Sharon Lopez is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Commerce Major in Banking and Finance and currently working in the government handling programs on Business Friendly and Competitive LGUs.
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are that of the author
and does not in any way represent the agency or department she currently belongs.
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