Halloween poems.

Five Little Pumpkin Sitting On A Gate
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate,
The first one said,
"Oh my, it's getting late."
The second one said,
"But we don't care."
The third one said,
"I see witches in the air."
The fourth one said,
"Let's run, and run, and run."
The fifth one said,
"Get ready for some fun."
Then whoosh went the wind,
and out went the lights,
And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight!

 
http://www.jansfriends.com/Halloween/

Spooks- by Sandra Liatsos

There's a goblin at my window,
A monster by my door.
The pumpkin at my table
Keeps on smiling more and more.
There's a ghost who haunts my bedroom,
A witch whose face is green.
They used to be my family,
Till they dressed for Halloween.

http://www.imotion.com.br/imagens/data/media/75/7542halloween3.jpg



 The Scariest Thing- by Mairi Tereas Gallagher

Some things are scary
Others are not,
Like ghosts and goblins,
And things that rot

Cats and dogs are not scary
At all,
All they do is play chase
And catch a ball.

But the scariest thing
Creeps around at night,
Looking for victims
To scratch and bite.

It hides its face
It's too ugly to see,
It rules all the monsters,
Both tall and wee.

Those who've seen his face,
Their eyes burst and bleed,
They beg for mercy
"Spare us, spare us," they plead.

But he's not a giver
He takes what he finds,
All sorts of people
Both sightseers and blind.

You've got the picture,
That he is the king
Of everything scary,
Every little scary thing.

So watch out at night 'cause if
By him you're seen,
He'll give you an evil grin
And say...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

http://www.wallpaperscorner.com/data/media/7/big/halloween_winnie_pooh.jpg

poems: http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/poems.htm

Popular halloween game - bobbing for appes.

The oldest and most well known Halloween party game is Bobbing for Apples, originally known as Ducking for Apples. The game, which originated in the British Isles, dates back to at least three hundred years and originally had something to do with fortune telling as noted by British author W.H. Davenport Adams.

Here's how to play the game:

1. Fill a large tub or basin full of water.
2. Place apples into the water, they will float.
3. Have party guests try to catch and remove apples from the water by grabbing them with their teeth.
4. Hands are not allowed.

Players will usually get wet when playing this game, so have some towels available for guests to dry off with.

http://simplycolette.blogspot.com/2009/09/apple-bobbing-photo-via-flickr.html

 

Other games:

Sticky Face

This old fashioned party game is played by hanging sticky treats from the ceiling on long strings, and having players eat the treats without using their hands. In the past, treacle or syrup-coated scones were used, as well as apples covered in toffee.
The updated version of this game can feature any kind of treat. Glazed donuts are a popular modern day choice for this game, as they are easy to tie on to a string and are very sticky. Any type of treat that can be tied to a string will work, the fun part is getting as sticky as possible.

Here's how to play the game:

1. Tie long strings around sticky treats.
2. Hang the strings from the ceiling, so that the treats hang down to a length in which players will be able to eat them with their mouths.
3. Have players stand underneath the treat of their choice, and eat it without using their hands.

Mummy Wrap

This traditional Halloween game is a popular one for parties. Players take rolls of white crepe paper or toilet paper, and wrap their teammate like a mummy from head to toe. The object of this game is to see who can wrap the mummy the fastest.

Here's how to play the game:

1. Divide party guests into teams of two or three.
2. Give each team a roll of white crepe paper or toilet paper
3. Say to the teams, "Ready, set, go!"
4. Have the teams race to wrap the mummy in the paper from head to toe.
5. The first team to wrap their mummy completely wins.

http://www.michaellazar.com/photo%20gallery/main.html

all information: http://www.suite101.com/content/traditional-halloween-party-games-a149270

Pumpkins.

Pumpkin is the fruit of the species Cucurbita pepo or Cucurbita mixta. It can refer to a specific variety of the species Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata, which are all of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae.

Since some squash share the same botanical classifications as pumpkins, the names are frequently used interchangeably. In general, pumpkin stems are more rigid, prickly, and angular (with an approximate five-degree angle) than squash stems, which are generally softer, more rounded, and more flared where joined to the fruit.

picture: http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/wisconsin-dells-schools-out/2010/09/pumpkin-picking-possiblities.html

The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon (πέπων), which is Greek for “large melon". The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word we use today, "pumpkin". The origin of pumpkins is not definitively known, although they are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 B.C., were found in Mexico. Pumpkins are a squash-like fruit that range in size from less than 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) to over 1,000 pounds (453.59 kilograms).

information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin

Stingy Jack

Stingy Jack, perhaps also known as Jack the Smith and Jack of the Lantern, is a mythical character apparently associated with All Hallows Eve. It is common lore that the "jack-o'-lantern" is derived from the character.

 The Story.

Stingy Jack was a miserable, old drunk who loved playing tricks on anyone and everyone. One dark, Halloween night, Jack ran into the Devil himself in a local public house. Jack tricked the Devil by offering his soul in exchange for one last drink. The Devil quickly turned himself into a sixpence to pay the bartender, but Jack immediately snatched the coin and deposited it into his pocket, next to a silver cross that he was carrying. Thus, the Devil could not change himself back and Jack refused to allow the Devil to go free until the Devil had promised not to claim Jack's soul for ten years. The Devil agreed, and ten years later Jack again came across the Devil while out walking on a country road. The Devil tried collecting what he was due, but Jack thinking quickly, said, "I'll go, but before I do, will you get me an apple from that tree?"
The Devil, thinking he had nothing to lose, jumped up into the tree to retrieve an apple. As soon as he did, Jack placed crosses all around the trunk of the tree, thus trapping the Devil once again. This time, Jack made the Devil promise that he would not take his soul when he finally died. Seeing no way around his predicament, the Devil grudgingly agreed.
When Stingy Jack eventually passed away several years later, he went to the Gates of Heaven, but was refused entrance because of his life of drinking and because he had been so tight-fisted and deceitful. So, Jack then went down to Hell to see the Devil and find out whether it were possible to gain entrance into the depths of Hell, but the Devil kept the promise that had been made to Jack years earlier, and would not let him enter.
"But where can I go?" asked Jack.
"Back to where you came from!" replied the Devil.
The way back was windy and very dark. Stingy Jack pleaded with the Devil to at least provide him with a light to help find his way. The Devil, as a final gesture, tossed Jack an ember straight from the fires of Hell. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed-out turnip...one of Jack's favorite foods which he always carried around with him whenever he could steal one. From that day forward, Stingy Jack has been doomed to roam the earth without a resting place and with only his lit turnip to light the way in the darkness.

story: http://www.novareinna.com/festive/jack.html
picture: http://www.novareinna.com/festive/jack.html

Halloween colours.

Halloween colours are black and orange.
It is thought that the colours orange and black became Halloween colours because orange is associated with harvests (Halloween marks the end of harvest) and black is associated with death.

picture: http://www.background-wallpapers.com/animals-wallpapers/cats/black-cat-head.html
picture: http://www.health-fitness.com.au/pumpkin/
information: http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Halloween/facts.htm

Soul Cakes.

A Soul cake is a small round cake which is traditionally made for All Souls' Day to celebrate the dead. The cakes, often simply referred to as souls, were given out to soulers (mainly consisting of children and the poor) who would go from door to door on Hallowmas singing and saying prayers for the dead. Each cake eaten would represent a soul being freed from Purgatory. The practice of giving and eating soul cakes is often seen as the origin of modern Trick or Treating.

picture: http://www.kitchencontessa.com/2009/10/soul-cake-for-every-little-ghost-and.html

The tradition of giving Soul Cakes originated in Britain or Ireland during the Middle Ages, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy.
The cakes were usually filled with allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, or other sweet spices, raisins or currants, and later were topped with the mark of a cross. They were traditionally set out with glasses of wine on All Hallows Eve, and on All Saints Day children would go "souling" by calling out:

Soul, Soul, a soul cake!
I pray thee, good missus, a soul cake!
One for Peter, two for Paul,
three for Him what made us all!
Soul Cake, soul cake, please good missus, a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, or a cherry, any good thing to make us all merry.
One for Peter, two for Paul, & three for Him who made us all.

information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_cake
To make soul cakes you need :
1 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2oz vegetable shortening
4 1/2 tsp yeast or 2 packages
1/3 cup warm water
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
23 oz flour

 information: http://www.kitchencontessa.com/2009/10/soul-cake-for-every-little-ghost-and.htm

Halloween traditions.

Two main traditions of halloween are trick-or-treating and carving pumpkins. Carved pumpkins are also called Jack-O'-Laterns.
Trick-or-treating.
Trick-or-treating is a custom for children on Halloween. Children proceed in costume from house to house, asking for treats such as candy, or sometimes money, with the question, "trick or treat?" The "trick" is a (usually idle) threat to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given.
In the United States and Canada, trick-or-treating is now one of the main traditions of Halloween and it has become socially expected that if one lives in a neighborhood with children one should purchase treats in preparation for trick-or-treaters.
The tradition of going from door to door receiving food already existed in Britain and Ireland, in the form of souling, where children and poor people would sing and say prayers for the dead in return for cakes. Guising — children disguised in costumes going from door to door for food and coins — also predates trick or treat, and was traditional at Halloween in late 19th century Scotland and Ireland. While going from door to door has remained popular among Scots and Irish, the North American custom of saying "trick or treat" has recently become common. The activity is prevalent in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Puerto Rico, and northwestern and central Mexico.

picture: http://safety.amw.com/home/trick-or-treat-alternatives/

Carving Pumpkins.
Sections of the pumpkin are cut out to make a hole often depicting a face, usually menacing like a demon or devil. A variety of tools may be used to carve and hollow out the gourd, ranging from simple knives and spoons to specialized instruments, typically sold in holiday sections of grocery stores. Printed stencils can be used as a guide for increasingly complex designs. After carving, a light source (traditionally a candle) is placed inside the pumpkin and the top is put back into place. The light illuminates the design from the inside. Sometimes a chimney is carved in. It is possible to create surprisingly artistic designs, be they simple or intricate in nature. But towards the end of the 20th century, artists began expressing every kind of idea they could imagine on pumpkins. Today, it is common to see portraits of political candidates, celebrities and cartoon characters. Pumpkin painting is also common, especially for children whose parents don't want them handling the sharp tools involved in carving.
The tradition of carving a lantern started in Ireland. However it was traditionally carved from a swede or a turnip. They were carved on All Hallows' Eve and left on the door step to ward off evil spirits. An offering or, as we now know it, a "treat" would also be commonly left, as it was feared if you didn't the demons and spirits would fiddle with property or live stock (play a "trick"). Once the tradition moved to the USA it was adapted to the carving of a pumpkin as these were more readily available and easier to carve. The ritual of "trick or treating" was soon invented to re-create the coming of demons and ghouls on the night to dwellings requesting a treat (which is now traditionally given as candy) or a trick would be played. The demons and ghouls are now of course children dressed up to represent them.

picture: http://www.pumpkin-carving.com/

information about trick-or-treating: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trick_or_treating
information about pumpkin carving: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin_carving

Where does the word “Halloween” come from?

Halloween was originally a Pagan Holy day called "All Hallows Eve." It was one of four, and the most powerful, holy days throughout the year when spirits could walk the earth and communicate with the living.
The word Halloween comes from All-Hallows-Eve as it is at the end off All-Hallows-day which is also know as All-Saints-Day. Although now All-Saints-Day falls one day after Halloween, they use to be celebrated together on the same day.
Halloween was originally called All Hallows' Eve which means the evening before All Saints' Day. "Hallow" is an Old English word for "saint". This was shortened to Halloween.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_does_the_name_Halloween_come_from

picture: http://riverdaughter.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/halloween-frights-and-funnies-open-thread/