Hallowe'en

HALLOWE’EN
By John Ross Harvey
3rd annual posting

All Hallow’s Eve
Hallow’s Evening
Hallowe’en
Not Halloween as many may write
This was not a Christian celebration
But a Celtic observation of the end of summer
Reaping of the final harvest
Beginning of winter
Where Samhain, Lord of Dead, gathers souls
In animals, and decides what other animals
They will reside in next
On the Eve of this Day
Barriers between Natural and
Supernatural worlds are Broken
Faeries were considered hostile
People would imitate Faeries
And ask for Treats, or the household
Would be tricked
Hence modern day trick-or-treating
These imitators would carry turnips
Carved with faces
Much like the modern day Jack-o-lantern
This festival became observed here
In North America after the Irish
Potato famine made many emigrate
From Ireland and bring their folklore with them.

But let’s face reality here
There is but one reason Hallowe’en exists today
Commercialism
An incentive to buy products
Second only to Christmas
At least for now
Until the next MUST HAVE candy comes around
Hallowe’en will then be #1
In the pockets of Commercial Enterprise
Too bad the Irish don’t run them.