Tag Archives: Halloween

Happy October

Photo:David Wagner(publicdomainpictures.net)

October is the 10th month on both the old Julian and newer Gregorian calendar. It is the first full month of Autumn where harvests are being done and in the old days people began to make ready for the coming of winter. The southern hemisphere though October is the first full month of spring.  Harvest festivals are common at this time of year along with popular ones such as the German Oktoberfest.

Also for sports fans in the US you see the popular sports of basketball, American football, and baseball converge on the calendar. Football is kicking into gear, basketball is starting up and baseball enters its championship phase culminating with the World Series.

Of course the big day is Halloween on October 31st. Sadly it falls on a Thursday meaning kids have to be home early and back to school the next day. Halloween decorations are out there and of course scary movies are in demand again. October has as its flower the Calendula and the birthstone is the opal.

Autumn Equinox Today

For those who watch the calendar, today marks the official end of summer and the beginning of autumn with the equinox today. It began today at 07:50 UTC (go here to see the time it began in your area). There are two equinoxes in the year: March and September. When these equinoxes occur the sun is directly on the equator, and the length of day and night is almost equal. In the Northern hemisphere, the September Equinox heralds autumn while in the South it is the beginning of spring.

For those of us in the North, it means a transition from summer to winter.  During this period  days start getting shorter and nights longer. Depending on where you live, you will likely have moderate warm days followed by long and cooler nights. Harvests of many crops often take place during the fall and in the old days you would make preparations to store food for the winter. Harvest festivals are very popular and in particular Halloween. Pumpkins begin appearing along with all kinds of Halloween decor culminating, of course, in All Hallows Eve (Halloween) on October 31.

English Autumn
George Hodan (publicdomainpictures.net)

Happy Halloween 2018!

Image:Shutterstock

Halloween is finally here and the trick  or treaters are raring to go. Candy has been purchased, popcorn popped, and even a witch has a smile or two. There are plenty of ways to celebrate the day. One way is to watch classic or new classic horror movies. Last year I came across one that really impressed me. It is is in the “found footage” niche.

For those who have no idea what that means, it is a fake documentary supposedly relating true events through this footage. Sometimes it can be good but other times not so good. This one is a bright spot in that tired niche and titled Horror House LLC (2015). This little gem is about an investigation into the tragic events of a Halloween Haunted House where 15 people died. Wrapped within another documentary, the story that unfolds is both intriguing and scary at times. Consider taking a look at this Halloween on Amazon Prime and other places on the Internet.There is a sequel but I have not viewed it yet. Note: This movie is not for kids under 17. It has scary scenes and language adults will find offensive.

On a lighter side though, the Muppet Science Labs tried to determine the existence of ghosts by sending an intrepid investigator to find out the truth in an haunted house. All did not go well….

Not to be outdone, those feisty Angry Birds enjoy Halloween as well. It is not without its perils though as this short animation demonstrates. Of course if you decide to not play nice with them, they might bring out the Big Guy.

The 1941 Disney movie Fantasia has a classic scene where all the evil of the land comes forth for a night of merriment with a demon on Bald Mountain. This scene with an excellent score is Night On Bald Mountain. A true classic and scary when the lights are low.

And of course to wrap it all up that classic tune done by Mannheim Steamroller.

Today is All Souls Day

Day of The Dead by William Bouguereau (1825-1905) Public Domain
Day of The Dead by William Bouguereau (1825-1905)
Public Domain

All Souls’ Day is to commemorate the faithful dead and is celebrated by special mass by Catholics and other Christian denominations. Some Christian churches celebrate it on a different day. It is not to be confused with Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) which does remember friends and family who have died but is not a Catholic or Christian religious event(though it takes place from 31 Oct through 2 Nov which coincides with Halloween, All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day).

Today is All Saints Day

The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs (about 1423-24) Public Domain
The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs (about 1423-24)
Public Domain

All Saints’ Day(Solemnity of All Saints,All Hallows, Hallowmas or All Saints)is celebrated on 1 November by most Western Christians and is to honor all saints known and unknown. In some Catholic countries, it is a holiday. It is a holy day of obligation for most Catholics except when it falls on a Saturday or Monday. In that case it is celebrated on Sunday. Eastern Orthodox is celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost and is called All Saints’ Sunday.

Countdown To Halloween:Headless Horseman Song (Bing Crosby)

Once again we are in the Halloween season. Pumpkins and scary decorations now adorn porches, patios and lawns. Here is a clip from the Disney animation classic The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949). Of course if you want a more scary headless horseman you can view one here.

Have a nice Saturday everyone.

 


Today is All Souls Day

Day of The Dead by William Bouguereau (1825-1905) Public Domain
Day of The Dead by William Bouguereau (1825-1905)
Public Domain

All Souls’ Day is to commemorate the faithful dead and is celebrated by special mass by Catholics and other Christian denominations. Some Christian churches celebrate it on a different day. It is not to be confused with Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) which does remember friends and family who have died but is not a Catholic or Christian religious event(though it takes place from 31 Oct through 2 Nov which coincides with Halloween, All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day).