Halloween according to

My Grandmother

 

This is simply the story I was told while I was a youngin’. Some of it may be LOOSELY based on fact but please don’t take it in any way other than as “Fun”. Ü   I do not claim to be a Halloween Historian nor am I trying to sort Halloween out in any religous manner. I enjoyed Halloween as strictly a "fantasy" time while growing up..as did my mother and my Grandmother.

   Here's a great old picture of Halloween Costumes in my Grandmothers day:

 

 

 

 (Wow!  "LIGHTBULB!" Send me some OLD halloween photos if you have any! I'd love to post them here too! )

 

Long ago people believed that when a person died, they were often stuck in Purgatory, a land between Heaven and Hell, where they were destined to stay until they had earned the rights, usually through the prayers of their living loved ones, to ascend to Heaven. Once a year, on “All Hallows Eve“, the night before “All Hallows Day” OR “All Saints Day” , it was thought that the spirits of the deceased found their way to the homes of their living loved ones and there they entered for a visit. This being all fine and good,  the living family set the table for their loved ones before they went to bed. Before bedtime though, the children of the town, charitable of heart and hungry of sweet-tooth, would go door to door to beg for a sweet bread called “Soul Cake”. While eating this cake the children were sworn to pray for the soul of the relatives from that particular household.. the sooner to bring that soul to heavens gates.

Now, Because there would certainly be wandering, and possibly mischievous spirits making their way through the streets of the town on this evening, as well as the towns children, the children would dress as ghouls and horrible looking ghosts themselves so as not to be bothered by the spirits who were simply there to visit their old home. The children, in scary costumes, went about their business, knocking on doors and singing for soul cake.

If a house refused the sweet treat to the children.. well.. let’s just say that the kids did whatever mischief was considered a “trick” for the times, to the household who did not want a childs prayer for a deceased loved one. Thus, we have …“Trick or Treat”.

   Now, ss I said, this is the story I was told by the Elders of my family as I was a small child. It wasn't until several years and a little education later that I learned that many historical DETAILS had been left out of the story. The Elders had their reasons for telling the story as they did I'm sure. They likely considered my young age and the amount of "details" I may be able to grasp..Thus they decided to shorten the story and leave out a few details.  I DID have fine Halloweens with the story I knew...even though it was an abbreviated version.  

       The truth of the matter was that in the Celtic Villages, on that special and scary night, it was the adults (usually the men) of the village who dressed as ghouls or wicked animals to scare away the wandering spirits of dead family members or to protect the children from EVIL spirits who had stepped through an open boundry into our world for a night.  Children didn't begin donning Costumes for Halloween until many years from then. ..and that's another story ....

(You can check out a bit of "factual" History on Costumes if you read my Article " Trick or Treat, Scary or Sweet" on   "Colettas Article Page".)

    Halloween is THE Costume fanatics dream. On THIS occasion we can dress as just about anyone or any THING  that our hearts desire.  There simply are no rules governing a Halloween Costume that I’m aware of.  For example: It is perfectly fine to dress up in a Bunny Costume, although one might think that more appropriate for an Easter occasion.  One might even recycle last years Santa Claus Suit (although it might be funnier to turn yourself into an EVIL  or Ghoulish Santa with the help of a little face makeup). For Halloween someone may want to dress as a King, which is a Costume  that would also be found under “Medieval Costumes” on this site.  If there is a Costume and Wig that you are looking for that you cannot find in this Halloween section, Please check under other Category Headings. By the same token, you may find the same Costume in 2 or more places before you’re done looking, and that is in an effort to make things easier for you to find.

What SHALL I be?

 I think it's a good time to check out a few Halloween Costumes. The Costumes posted below were put up for the Halloween of 2006 BUT that is not to say that they are not still to be purchased for a different event or EVEN for Halloween 2007!    Simply Click on the Costume or Link that you are interested in and you will be whisked away to the store who carries these things. Keep my site bookmarked so you can return here to choose a different store to check out. If you are like ME and like to "shop around"...THIS is the quickest and easiest way to SHOP that I've ever known. Thank goodness for modern technology. It sure does save on MILEAGE...In more ways than ONE! :-)

Above are a few costumes from SpiritHalloween.com. They also carry Accessories, Make-up, Props and Decorations for all things Halloween.

 If you are in a REAL hurry, and you have an idea of what you, or yours, might want to be... Type in your Idea and you will go to BuyCostumes.com which is a GREAT place to shop:

  Of course,  If you aren't in a hurry, please feel free to BROWSE BuyCostumes.com for many, if not ALL of your Costume needs.  OR, instead of browsing by way of point-and-click, check out the Halloween Costume Fashion Show that's happening when you click on the little TV just under the left side Menu on these pages. The show is kept updated and is fun as well as informative. Check it OUT!

  For Halloween you, or yours,  may want to be something REALLY SCARY !  Maybe in the form of a Zombie freshly arisen from the grave....OR SCARY in a more serious way, as dangerous as a NINJA!

Or Dress the kids as their Favorite SUPER HEROS:

The above Costumes and more are brought to you by HalloweenOnly - Your one-stop scare shop for all things Halloween!

  psssssst.....Need a break from all  this shopping?   How about taking a GAME break!?  Take this link to~~> Check out this cool Halloween game .  BUT...don't forget where I am so you can come on back when you're done doing some Halloween BOWLING.  It's a whole lotta FUN! ( don't forget to check out my Games Page also.)

HEY!  One more thing! This may help to get you into the Halloween Mood if you aren't quite there yet :-)~~~>

Personalize a Halloween E-Card by Carving a Pumpkin in your very own Scary or Funny Style.

   Now, back on track ..let's think "COSTUME".....  You might like to dress as Characters from one of your favorite Movies. Check out the "Pirates of the Caribbean" Costumes at The Costume Super Center.com. Click on the banner below.

I was happy to know that Shindigz.com ( my favorite Party Store) began selling COSTUMES recently and I'm here to tell you that they have some really cool get-ups.  Here are 2 below. A Purple Dragon for a Child and a rather Sexy CowGirl Costume may have somebodys Cowboy hollering "Giddy-UP!"

   OR..you can tryFright Catalog, Inc. for more Costumes and other things "Halloween" also.   Click Costumes below:

                  Roach                    Parrot

                       

    There are MANY Costumes to pick from for Halloween. Please be sure to check ALL of the Halloween pages I have listed in the top portion of the left-side Menu. Browse my Fantasy and Historical pages for Costumes..or simply Costume "Ideas" also. I am VERY BUSY working on filling up ALL of my pages to OVER-FLOWING so that you just won't be able to LEAVE!    ...HOWEVER...If you DO have to go..Please come back and Visit. I will try to keep things new and exciting:-)

  While I'm showing you Halloween Costumes, I must say a little something about Pets. Pets can be a whole lot of fun when doing Dress-up AND may be pleasant company at certain Halloween functions IF they are of the right temperment so as NOT to be more trouble than they are worth.  Be sure to go to my Pet Costumes Pages to find out more about enjoying the companionship of your Pet for Halloween and other occasions.  Check out some of the fine Costumes that have been created for those cute beasties.  In fact,  Here's a link, just to get you started:  Halloween costumes for pets at Drs. Foster & Smith! 

  

Maybe SHOES?........

Not a necessity of course but.. how about some Cat's Eye Contact Lenses to add to that definate Feline look you are attempting? Or... Maybe you'd like to have your eyes glow PINK (other "glow" colors also available) under the black light at that Halloween Party you are attending. Then there's the Starry-Eyed Mystic look.

The above are only a few of the "accessories" offered at BeWild.Com. There are plenty more to be had..and some costumes also..so..Check them out VIA the Banner below.

  Gosh, Golly, Gee, and Trick-or Treat! The Subject of ACCESSORIES is absolutely ENDLESS when I think about it!  SO!...I will move to the pages named "Accessories" (as maybe I should have from the start?..but I don't generally tend to make things that easy on my self I guess...tsk tsk.. :-) and continue working on Accessories there~~> Accessories & Make-Up.  It is near the lower portion of the left-side menu where you will ALSO find the Topics of Hats, Wigs, Masks, and yes, Make-Up.

   I guess that's about enough said concerning Halloween on THIS, my second "introductory",  page. There is PLENTY of Halloween stuff to look at , Make , and/or TRY ON in the pages that follow within this Site. Please scroll down the menu on the left side of each page and click on the links that interest you....

......AND don't forget..  Just because a page isn't titled "Halloween" doesn't mean you cannot use the costumes there AS Halloween Costumes! 

   There are also pages for things like "Halloween Parties", "Halloween Decorations", and "etc." which, sadly, I haven't been able to donate a LOT of time to...however...I have put up links on those pages that refer you to places with more info on those particular topics. I am hoping that by NEXT Halloween I will have had time to make those pages very rich with information and ideas.

   The same goes for my "Homemade Halloween Costume Pages".  Please check there to find information such as..where to go for "Halloween Costume Patterns and Fabric" and links to sites that have IDEAS and DIRECTIONS for making some Halloween Costumes.

   By the way....You may want to check my Halloween "Events" page BUT... for your convenience (and simply because I'm  such a NICE lady!:-)  I will tell you of a GREAT site to visit to find some great HAUNTING EXPERIENCES in your neighborhood. If you go here you will be able to search by state and/or zip code to find the BEST and SCARRIEST Haunted Houses in any direction you'd like to travel:

                             Haunted House Online.com

HAVE A.......