The Halloween Thread

[KissMeDeadly]

*****THIS THREAD IS FOR ALL THINGS HALLOWEEN******

I don't know about anybody else, but when the leaves start to change, all I can think of is my favorite day of the year.

So in honor of this most glorious of days, I present to you, the Halloween Thread.

Talk about costumes, music, past and future celebrations, anything.

But, because we are an intellectual crowd *cough* I'll start us off with an excerpt from the wikipedia page for Samhain, the original name and spelling the druids used for the day.

Samhain:

The Samhain celebrations have survived in several guises as a festival dedicated to the harvest and the dead. In Ireland and Scotland, the Féile na Marbh "festival of the dead" is the name of All Souls', a church festival introduced on the eve of All Saints in the 11th century.

The night of Samhain, in Irish, Oíche Shamhna and Scots Gaelic, Oidhche Shamhna, is one of the principal festivals of the Celtic calendar, and falls on the October 31. It represents the final harvest. In modern Ireland and Scotland, the name by which Halloween is known in the Gaelic language is still Oíche/Oidhche Shamhna. It is still the custom in some areas to set a place for the dead at the Samhain feast, and to tell tales of the ancestors on that night.[4][15]

Traditionally, Samhain was time to take stock of the herds and grain supplies, and decide which animals would need to be slaughtered in order for the people and livestock to survive the winter. This custom is still observed by many who farm and raise livestock [4][15] because it is when meat will keep since the freeze has come and also since summer grass is gone and free foraging is no longer possible.

Bonfires played a large part in the festivities celebrated down through the last several centuries, and up through the present day in some rural areas of the Celtic nations and the diaspora. Villagers were said to have cast the bones of the slaughtered cattle upon the flames. In the pre-Christian Gaelic world, cattle were the primary unit of currency and the center of agricultural and pastoral life. Samhain was the traditional time for slaughter, for preparing stores of meat and grain to last through the coming winter.

With the bonfire ablaze, the villagers extinguished all other fires. Each family then solemnly lit its hearth from the common flame, thus bonding the families of the village together. Often two bonfires would be built side by side, and the people would walk between the fires as a ritual of purification. Sometimes the cattle and other livestock would be driven between the fires, as well.[4][15]

Gaelic custom of wearing costumes and masks, was an attempt to copy the evil spirits or placate them. In Scotland the dead were impersonated by young men with masked, veiled or blackened faces, dressed in white.[16][17] Candle lanterns (Gaelic: samhnag), carved from turnips were part of the traditional festival. Large turnips were hollowed out, carved with faces, placed in windows to ward off evil spirits.[17]

Guisers — men in disguise, were prevalent in 16th century in the Scottish countryside. Children going door to door "guising" (or "Galoshin" on the south bank of the lower Clyde) in costumes and masks carrying turnip lanterns, offering entertainment of various sorts in return for food or coins, was traditional in 19th century, and continued well into 20th century.[18] At the time of mass transatlantic Irish and Scottish immigration that popularized Halloween in North America, Halloween in Ireland and Scotland had a strong tradition of guising and pranks.[19]

Divination is a common folkloric practice that has also survived in rural areas.[20] The most common uses were to determine the identity of one's future spouse, the location of one's future home, and how many children a person might have. Seasonal foods such as apples and nuts were often employed in these rituals. Apples were peeled, the peel tossed over the shoulder, and its shape examined to see if it formed the first letter of the future spouse's name.[21] Nuts were roasted on the hearth and their movements interpreted - if the nuts stayed together, so would the couple. Egg whites were dropped in a glass of water, and the shapes foretold the number of future children. Children would also chase crows and divine some of these things from how many birds appeared or the direction the birds flew

EDIT: Addendum: Would a couple going as Gomez and Morticia Addams be overdone?

[Grausamkeit]

That would be awesome! I've always wanted to dress up with a tall guy as Morticia and Gomez, with him being Tish. ^_^

Also, the next person I hear pronouncing it 'sam-hane' will get a face full of uppercuts.

I feel the same way you do, Deadly! This time of year just gets in my bones and makes me happy as fuck! My mind is filled with happy thoughts of long black skirts, washing the dishes while blasting some TON and lighting candles. In the heat of summer it makes it torture to light candles and wear long skirts. Also, my corset, which it's too hot to wear in the summer, sees a lot more use(I'm also skinny enough to actually look good in it, ATM). And Hallowe'en clothing in the stores that is too cute to resist if we have a little money(normally we don't).

[Saya]

Michael's has had Halloween shit out since I started working there. It's been on my brain since and now that we have Christmas stuff out I realize I'm probably going to get really sick of holidays too soon as long as I'm working there.

I wanted to be a DC superhero, but due to financial constraints, needing contacts but not being able to use my insurance until the end of October, and wanting to make all my Christmas gifts this year, I'll have to lower my budget.

Right now I'm thinking Professor Layton.

[Solumina]

That seems to happen with all craft stores but at least with them it makes sense to put things out that early because crafting takes time so you would need to get stuff early in order to have it ready for the holiday. Department stores, on the other hand, really have no reason to already have all of their Halloween stock out.

[Saya]

I get the craft stuff, but we have tons of pre-made decorations. Probably more than Halloween craft supplies! Like you know those little miniature towns you see a lot at Christmas time? We have a Halloween Spooky Town set up in the middle of the store.

Some dude bought the entire set last week, cost over 500 dollars. Collectors are weird.

[Solumina]

Weird, our Michael's mostly had craft stuff, including a huge section devoted to making fall wreaths and a ton of cake decorating supplies (which I guess you don't need to get super far in advance but I like to experiment and do lots of trial runs). Most of the readily available decorations were pretty small and only took up one aisle (we did find a couple of really cute things) or they were candles/candle holders, which Michael's always has a ton of them, just not in the atrociously sweet scents they have for Halloween (candy corn candle? blech).

[Saya]

Oh, we got that stuff too, although it seems the decorations came in before the halloween cake decorating stuff XD The Martha Stewart crafts only came in a week or two ago.

[Grausamkeit]

I keep hearing cool Hallowe'en songs in my head:

Everyday Is Hallowe'en

Hallowe'en

This Is Hallowe'en

[ape descendant]

YAY! I love Halloween, oh the candy, oh the leaves, oh the COSTUMES!! I think I might be a demon this year, I already have the horns... just have to figure out the rest.

[Mariner]

I'm going to a masquerade themed Halloween party this year...thinking it would be a lot of fun to make my own mask.

[Saya]

I did that once! I made a raven mask, it was a lot of fun.

[wolf moon]

I've always really wanted to dress up as Porphyria. Not the disease (though maybe that would be interesting?), but the heroine of the Robert Browning poem. I've got pretty long hair, so i think I could pull it off. It's the historically accurate costume I'd want to go with the hair that I can't really afford...

[Elystan]

I'll probably sit around and masturbate

[Grausamkeit]

You're doing that right now, aren't you?

[Solumina]

He would be he can't decide if he wants to think of his evil girlfriend or the girl he wanted to take to that concert.



My manager wants our department to have a theme for our Halloween costumes and I am the one who gets to come up with a theme. The thing is all costumes have to be kid appropriate and the theme has to be something that people can do rather easily and cheaply. I don't really want to do something terribly cliche but I was thinking that if I can convince my boss to spring for some new decorations we could have a theme for the whole rec. area and have a "B-List Horror Movie" theme. I think it could be lots of fun but without the right decorations we would all just end up looking like a bunch of different monsters.

[Elystan]

Originally Posted by Grausamkeit

You're doing that right now, aren't you?

What's the general rule of TMI round these parts?

[Saya]

Originally Posted by Solumina

He would be he can't decide if he wants to think of his evil girlfriend or the girl he wanted to take to that concert.



My manager wants our department to have a theme for our Halloween costumes and I am the one who gets to come up with a theme. The thing is all costumes have to be kid appropriate and the theme has to be something that people can do rather easily and cheaply. I don't really want to do something terribly cliche but I was thinking that if I can convince my boss to spring for some new decorations we could have a theme for the whole rec. area and have a "B-List Horror Movie" theme. I think it could be lots of fun but without the right decorations we would all just end up looking like a bunch of different monsters.

What about a literature theme? Its my favourite, that way you can go as overboard or as budgety as you can (wear a funny mustache and cal yourself Mark Twain! Or have an elaborate LOTR costume!). Although the decorations might end up looking like Reading Rainbow, never seen it actually done.

[Grausamkeit]

Originally Posted by Elystan

What's the general rule of TMI round these parts?

Well, if you're thinking of me while doing it, I don't want to know.

[Solumina]

Originally Posted by Saya

What about a literature theme? Its my favourite, that way you can go as overboard or as budgety as you can (wear a funny mustache and cal yourself Mark Twain! Or have an elaborate LOTR costume!). Although the decorations might end up looking like Reading Rainbow, never seen it actually done.

That may work, although I don't think I will be able to convince my boss to let us get many new decorations so if I do this one then we just won't have a theme for our building, just for us workers. We don't have a whole lot of people (there are six of us in the department) and I'm not sure how well it would work with such a small group but I'll definitely give it some thought.

[Valhalla]

I'm being Harley Quinn. The costume was the first big thing I bought after I got my job in July.

An awesome halloween store opened up, I've been there twice so far since it opened. Bought a giant Freddy window decoration, light shines through it and it makes him look all spooky from the outside. My windows are all too small for it to fit properly so I just hung it on the wall.

The store is amazing though. There's a machine that blows bubbles that burst into smoke, and many large screaming decorations. My favorite is a Frankenstein's monster that must be 6 or 7 feet tall, lights up, puts his arms out, and groans. If only I was rich.

I'm going to try my hand at making a scarecrow, it shouldn't be too hard but I'm very excited to do it.

Last year I carved a wolverine design into a pumpkin using a paper stencil, I'd like to do something like that again.

[Saya]

Originally Posted by Valhalla

I'm being Harley Quinn. The costume was the first big thing I bought after I got my job in July.

An awesome halloween store opened up, I've been there twice so far since it opened.

Where?

And I just realized that I can have an outdoor pumpkin now! Yay!

[Mr.Doobie]

Gonna DIY this Hallow's Eve. Going to take an old bedsheet, modify with eye holes, get a suit, my brothel creepers, and be the Elephant Man.

Hope I don't get hit by a car wearing all that black.

[wolf moon]

Originally Posted by Valhalla

An awesome halloween store opened up, I've been there twice so far since it opened.

You know that episode of Buffy where everyone turns into whatever they're dressed up as and then almost dies?

That made me permanently nervous about Halloween stores.

[Valhalla]

Yeah, I know the episode you're talking about. I'm actually a Buffy nerd. Spooky or not, I don't think anything could ruin halloween stores for me. If seeing Haunted Mask as a kid didn't do it, nothing will.

Originally Posted by Saya

Where?

And I just realized that I can have an outdoor pumpkin now! Yay!

Up on Kenmount road. At the intersection where you can turn right to go into the Kelsey lot, take the left at the intersection instead and you're in the halloween store lot.

It's called Spirit Halloween (I guess halloween spirit was taken), and there's a big orange banner outside the store.

Any decorating ideas for your outdoor pumpkin yet?

[Saya]

Originally Posted by Valhalla

Yeah, I know the episode you're talking about. I'm actually a Buffy nerd. Spooky or not, I don't think anything could ruin halloween stores for me. If seeing Haunted Mask as a kid didn't do it, nothing will.



Up on Kenmount road. At the intersection where you can turn right to go into the Kelsey lot, take the left at the intersection instead and you're in the halloween store lot.

It's called Spirit Halloween (I guess halloween spirit was taken), and there's a big orange banner outside the store.

Any decorating ideas for your outdoor pumpkin yet?

Thanks! Opposite side of town for me but I'll see if I can get a ride up with friends sometime soon.

And I'll look at patterns, but I think the Bat Signal would be awesome.