Halloween
Halloween, or Hallowe’en (a contraction of “Hallows’ Eve” or “Hallows’ Evening”), is also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows’ Eve, and All Saints’ Eve.
It’s a celebration observed in several countries on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day.
It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including the saints (hallows), the martyrs, and all the faithful departed.
Many believe that the Halloween traditions stem from ancient Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain.
Either way, Halloween is one of the most popular festivities in the US, and the decorations to celebrate the day start weeks in advance.
On Halloween day, people attend different activities and parties or simply walk around with the kids for the traditional trick or treat.
Carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, lighting bonfires, bobbing for apples, playing divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, and watching horror films are some of the many favorite activities for Halloween.
My own celebration
I love Halloween decorations, and the kids really enjoy the festivities (there is tons of candy involved, so no shocker there).
For the last couple of years, I have sat down with the kids and husband and watched a couple of kid-friendly Halloween movies.
I put out some snacks on cute little Halloween themed plates and cups—a couple of candies, drinks, and some popcorn—to set the mood. Then it is time to sit back and enjoy this time with the family.
You would be surprised how enjoyable it is and how much fun the kids have.
A little surprise for the kids
I keep the Halloween cups and plates a surprise until the day we sit down to watch the movie, and the kids always look forward to seeing what do they get.
This year, my daughter got super-cute Harry Potter theme pieces, and my son got adorable Snoopy pieces, and they both loved their sets.
Do you have any Halloween traditions?
