Falling on October 31, Halloween is the year’s spookiest holiday. On that day we carve faces in pumpkins, dress in horrible costumes and go out trick or treating.
The traditions associated with modern-day Halloween find their roots in ancient Ireland, in the fifth century B.C. October 31 signaled the end of the Celtic year and the beginning of winter. On this day, the Celts commemorate Samhain (pronounced “Sow-wen”), a festival that celebrates the final harvest and the food stored for the winter ahead.
Over the centuries, the holiday evolved from its pagan Irish origins. In the 7th century A.D., Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints’ Day, to replace the pagan festivals honoring the dead. The holiday was also known as All Hallows’ Day, and the preceding night was named All Hallows’ Eve, which has become shortened to “Halloween.”
In Ireland grew up the custom of carving out the insides of turnips and lighting them with embers to represent the souls of the dead. In the 1840s, Irish immigrants fleeing their country’s potato famine brought the tradition to America. They replaced turnips with the more abundant pumpkins. From pumpkins they created jack-o’-lanterns, and the practice spread.
In 1921 Anoka, Minn, celebrated the first official citywide Halloween with carved pumpkins, a costumed square dance and two parades. After that, it didn’t take Halloween long to go nationwide. New York started observing Halloween in 1923 and Los Angeles in 1925.
What do you call an empty hot dog? A hollow weenie.
Here’s a menu of Halloween treats for the holiday. Bone appétit!
Grains
Ghost Toasties, Scream of Wheat,
Brain Muffins
Pentagram Crackers with Poisonbury Jam
Entrees
Hungarian Ghoul Ash, Frank ‘n’ Stein,
Stake Sandwitch with Grave-y,
Holloweenie, Fangfurters, Cape-on,
Blood Pudding, Littleneck Clams, Black Catfish,
Bagel with Warlocks and Scream Cheese,
Fillet of Soul Hungarian Ghoul-lash
Side Dishes
Deviled Eggs, Strangled Eggs, Hard Boiled Legs,
Ghost Liver Pâté, Spook-ghetti,
Gangreens, Artery-chokes, Skullions, Scarrots,
Pickled Bats, Baked Bones
Fruits
Adam’s Apples, Necktarines, Blood Oranges
Desserts
Eye Scream, Terrormisu,
Boo Meringue, Boobury Pie, with Ghoul Whip
Devil’s Food Cake, Ladyfingers,
Ghoulda Cheese, Monster Cheese, Creep Suzette
Beverages
Ghoul Ade, Coffin with Scream,
Cold Bier Apple Spider, Bloody Mary
Halloween is tine when we conjure up visions of ghoulies amd ghosties and long-leggety beasties. Here’s little poem I’ve made up about these monsters:
Don’t ever play ping pong with King Kong.
Don’t ever take blood tests with Dracula.
Don’t you dare give a wedgie to Frankenstein.
Your ending will be quite spectaculah!
Don’t you dare snap a towel at Godzilla.
Such a prank would be foolishly rude.
Don’t you dare floss the teeth of a werewolf.
You are liable to end up as food!
Don’t you dare give a hotfoot to Bigfoot.
Don’t point a stake at a vampire.
Don’t you dare roast marshmallows with dragons.
You’ll find you are playing with fire!
Don’t you steal witches’ brooms for spring cleaning.
Don’t ever try scaring a ghost.
Don’t ever eat breakfast with zombies.
You’ll certainly end up as toast!