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I was always biased towards Halloween until I learned an amazing thing: the ancient Aryan-Celts had this holiday! I had to delve into the blogosphere and this is what I came up with. The unknown author page http://blogs.mail.ru/mail/amira29/75D9F0C53A6F60EA.html was very helpful.
History of Halloween celebrations
Halloween is one of the oldest holidays in the world. This strange holiday intertwines the Celtic tradition of honoring evil spirits and the Christian tradition of worshiping all saints.
The history of Halloween dates back thousands of years, dating back to the Celtic festival of Samhain, the Roman Pomona Day and the Christian All Saints' Day.
Centuries ago, the lands of modern Britain and northern France were inhabited by Celtic tribes. They were pagans and worshiped the Sun God as the supreme god. The Celts divided the year into two parts - winter and summer. Throughout the winter, the Sun God was held captive by Samhain, the lord of the dead and the prince of darkness.
The festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on November 1st, is the time when winter began. At this time, summer gave way to winter, day to night, life to death, and all barriers between the material and supernatural worlds were eliminated, the gates between them were opened for one night. At this time, all the unrealized hopes and plans of the dead returned to earth again, and their souls descended to their homes. The souls of the dead could take on different guises, the evil ones inhabited animals, and the most dangerous ones - cats. On this day, all evil spirits descend to earth.
On the night from October 31 to November 1, the druids - the spirits of living nature - gathered in oak groves on the tops of the hills (the Celts considered oaks to be sacred trees), lit fires and made sacrifices to the evil spirits to appease them. And in the mornings, the Druids gave people coals from their fires so that they could light the fires of their homes. The fire of the Druids warmed houses during the long winter and protected the house from evil spirits.
At night the girls wondered. You can throw two chestnuts into the Druids' fire. If the fruits burn nearby, then the girl will live in friendship and harmony with her sweetheart, if they roll in different directions, their paths will diverge in different directions. A girl could see her future husband by sitting in front of the mirror at midnight with an apple in her hand. A fallen candlestick was considered the worst omen. “Evil spirits want to put out the fire in the house,” the Celts believed.
At the beginning of our era, the Romans conquered Celtic territory, bringing with them their traditions and festivals. On the night of October 31 to November 1, they celebrated the Day of Pomona, the goddess of plants.
In the 9th century, when Christianity spread to Great Britain, these ancient traditions were mixed with another holiday - the Catholic All Saints' Day - All Hallows Even, or All Hallows Eve. Later it began to be called Hallowe`en, and eventually - Halloween.
Today, what remains of the ancient pagan holiday is a set of funny, exciting traditions. On this night, it is customary to dress in costumes of evil spirits and organize masquerades. In my opinion, you should not miss the rare chance to feel like a witch or a demon. An integral symbol of Halloween is the pumpkin head. The inside of the pumpkin is removed, the face is cut out and a candle is inserted inside. The pumpkin simultaneously symbolizes the end of the harvest, the evil spirit and the fire that scares it away. It’s so strange how ancient beliefs are concentrated in one subject. On this night, children knock on houses shouting: `Treat or trick!` - `Treat or you will regret!`. If you don't make a sacrifice, these little evil demons may play cruel tricks on you, such as smearing soot on your door handles.
It is a pity that the ancient meaning of Halloween is forgotten in these entertainments. Halloween intrigues with its mystery and its mythical significance. This holiday is an attempt to understand the connection between our and other worlds. Halloween is a transition, a gateway from one world to another. This gate, like any other, is paradoxical. Being between two worlds, they belong at the same time to both of them - and to neither of them.
Samhain is the gateway to winter. We still tend to perceive winter with hostility and disgust. It seems that all living things are dying. However, the arrival of death is by definition the arrival of life. The White Desert, where Samhain lives, is extremely beautiful. She is freed from everything superfluous and superficial. His time is the time to throw off the burden of worries and vanities that have accumulated over the summer and have lost their meaning, following the example of trees that are freed from leaves that have outlived their time. After all, if the trees do not shed them, dead leaves will not give them the opportunity to come to life again in the spring.
Legend has it that on this night Samhain opens the gates to the past and future. Two elements become available in the present. This is the time when a person is not limited by the cage of his time and can realize his place in the web of eternity.
However, the transition to another space or time is usually painful. The gate is well guarded. Witches and demons - the heroes of Halloween - are the shadows of the gatekeepers. From our side of existence, they seem to be frightening embodiments of evil.
Halloween Traditions
Today, what remains of the ancient pagan holiday is a set of funny, exciting traditions. On this night, it is customary to dress in costumes of evil spirits and organize masquerades. Agree, it’s not often that you have the chance to feel like a witch or a demon. An integral symbol of Halloween is the pumpkin head. The inside of the pumpkin is removed, the face is cut out and a candle is inserted inside. The pumpkin simultaneously symbolizes the end of the harvest, the evil spirit and the fire that scares it away. It’s so strange how ancient beliefs are concentrated in one subject. An indispensable attribute of Halloween is the ritual “Trik or trak” (“Dirty trick or gift”). On this night, children knock on houses shouting: “Treat or trick!” - “Treat or you will regret!” If you don't make a sacrifice, these little evil demons may play cruel tricks on you, such as smearing soot on your door handles.
Following Celtic legends, on the night from October 31 to November 1, druids - spirits of living nature - gathered in oak groves on the tops of hills (the Celts considered oaks to be sacred trees), lit fires and made sacrifices to evil spirits to appease them. And in the mornings, the Druids gave people coals from their fires so that they could light the fires of their homes. The fire of the Druids warmed houses during the long winter and protected the house from evil spirits.
The Celts believed that on the night of New Year The border between the worlds of the dead and the living opens, and the shadows of those who died in the past year visit the earth. 
In order not to become prey to the dead shadow, people extinguished the fires in their houses and dressed up as scary as possible - in animal skins and heads, hoping to scare away the ghosts that had crawled across the open border. The spirits were given treats outside so that they would be satisfied with it and would not break into the house. On this night, predictions were made, animals were sacrificed, and then everyone took a tongue of sacred flame into their home to light the winter hearth.
If you really want to see a witch, there is one thing the right remedy- at midnight, go out into the street, dressed topsy-turvy, and walk backwards. Have a nice meeting!
Another Halloween Story
Halloween is one of the most ancient holidays on our planet.
The Halloween holiday (Halloween or Savin - Samhain), or as it is also called (Hallow Evening), which translated into Russian means - the eve of All Saints' Day, is celebrated on the night of October 31 to November 1, in this unusual holiday intertwined at first glance conflicting customs, Celtic traditions of praising dark spirits and the Christian tradition of worshiping saints.
The first holidays were organized by people more than a thousand years ago, the founders of this holiday are the Celtic festival of Samhain, the Roman Pomona Day and the Christian All Saints' Day.
In the ancient lands of what is now England and in the cold parts of France lived Celtic tribes. These tribes were pagans and, like all pagans, they worshiped the elements of nature; their most revered god was the Sun.
With the arrival of winter, November 1 - the sun god was captured by (Samhain) Souin - this is the lord of the dead and the prince of darkness. 
The Celts also believed that the (correct) day begins with sunset, and on this night the mysterious doors of the dark world opened, all barriers between our material and other worlds were eliminated, and the inhabitants of the dark hell came to us on earth, the door between the worlds opened just one night.
At this most mysterious time, all the unfulfilled plans and hopes of the dead again came back to the mortal earth, and their wandering souls returned to their homes. All the souls of the dead usually took on different witchcraft forms - evil spirits were placed in the bodies of animals, but the most evil demons were placed in black cats.
To appease these demons, terrible scenes took place - fires were lit and sacrifices were made. 
On the day of Samhain, all otherworldly energy lands on the earth.
To see their betrothed, girls sat in front of a clean mirror, exactly at midnight, holding an apple with one hand.
It was also believed that if a candlestick fell in the house, it was a “bad” sign (dark spirits are trying to extinguish the source of fire in the house), the Celts believed this.
Even in our time, some of the listed signs still live.
From the first days of our era, the victorious Romans conquered all the Celtic lands, bringing with them new seeds of their traditions and religious festivals. The Romans themselves celebrated on the night from October 31 to November 1 “Pomona Day”; this was their goddess of living plants.
As time passed, when the Romans conquered all the lands of the Celtic tribes, the Celtic holiday "Samhain" in these territories was replaced by a new holiday of the conquerors - the day of "Pomona" - the goddess of living plants. Since the Romans themselves celebrated the Day of the Dead on this day, both holidays smoothly intertwined and were celebrated on both sides without any problems.
The holiday was established in the form in which we know it today THROUGH THE EFFORTS of the Catholic Church in the 8th and 9th centuries, when Pope Gregory the 3rd and Gregory the 4th moved the Catholic holiday “All Saints’ Day” (All-Hallows-Even, sometimes also called ~ All-Hallows-Eve) from May 13 to November 1.
As a result, the Halloween holiday began to be called Hallowe~en, and in its final form - Halloween.
There are two opposing versions of why on Halloween, small children dressed as horror stories go from house to house and perform rituals (as in Rus' and Ukraine and Belarus):
1. Children, wearing masks of evil spirits, knock on all the houses and shout: Give me a treat or it will get worse! - collect candy (victims) that should appease them. And if you don’t make a sacrifice to them, these little evil spirits can play terrible tricks on you, for example, smearing the handles of your door or windows with black soot.
2. Donating various goodies (sweets, cookies) for children is considered a good deed, which, with good prayers for the departed, should make the existence of everyone in the dark corridors of hell easier.
The further development of the Halloween holiday is banal, like everything connected with America: this holiday migrated from the British Isles throughout the English nation, first to America, as well as Canada and Australia.
Very important attribute This celebration is a pumpkin, namely a pumpkin head. Usually, all the soft insides are removed from a ripe pumpkin, then a peculiar face is created using a knife, and a burning candle is placed inside. There are different versions of where this symbol of the Samhain holiday came from:
The orange pumpkin is a symbol of the completion of the harvest from the fields, it is also a symbolism of the evil spirit and the fire that scares it away. This is strange, but it is precisely this interweaving of ancient signs that has gathered in one object.
Wandering fire pumpkins with candles inside, legends say that these are supposedly wandering souls that are lost between heaven and hell.
According to another legend, they say that the Druids placed similar glowing pumpkins to scare away dark spirits from their homes.
Another version worthy of attention, the true source of the origin of the tradition with pumpkins, is the legend of a drunkard named Jack, who signed a deal with the devil himself.
It's sad that most of us, while having fun in intricate Autumn holiday costumes, forget the main point Halloween. After all, this mysterious holiday gives us a real opportunity to learn and understand the significant connection between the real and other worlds. Halloween is not just about moving doors from different worlds. These mysterious doors, like most others, are amazing. Existing between perfect different worlds, they own both of them and one of these worlds at the same time.
Samhain is the door to winter. Most of us perceive winter as something unpleasant, cold with a feeling of cold fear. There is a feeling as if everything alive around is suddenly slowly but surely dying.
But we also know that with death comes new life!
The pristine white valley, where the Samhain holiday was born, looks incredibly beautiful. There is nothing superfluous in it, everything is in its place. The time of Samhain is the time when problems and worries that have accumulated throughout the summer and lost their purpose are shed, as in the example of trees that shed leaves that have lived out their designated lifespan. After all, if bushes and trees do not shed their leaves, old and dead leaves simply will not allow young ones to come to life in the new spring.
The ancient legend of the Druids reminds us that this mysterious night of Samhain opens the doors to the fabulous, distant past and the magnificent future that awaits us. And two different elements at this time become reachable at this moment. This is the time when people can understand and realize their purpose in the chain of eternity.
Only moving to another space is usually experienced with a slight feeling of pain. The doors to another world are sensitively guarded and guarded. Halloween spirits are the very guards of enchanted doors. From our world, they all seem to us to be terrible creatures of otherworldly space. But if the doors have already been passed, how then and what can be seen by looking back? The answer to this question is on the surface - just look at all the people in mysterious grimacing masks when it comes new holiday Halloween.
Traditionally, Halloween is celebrated on the night from October 31 to November 1. In the evening, children dressed in various costumes go from door to door collecting sweets. This holiday is part of the culture of Western countries, but is celebrated mainly in the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland and Puerto Rico, and is gaining popularity in Australia and New Zealand. Russia is no longer lagging behind.
The celebration of Halloween originates from the Celtic culture of Ireland, Britain and France, and was originally called Samhain and was a pagan Celtic harvest festival. In the 19th century, Irish, Scottish and other immigrants brought their traditions and celebrations to North America.
At the end of the 20th century, many Western countries also began to celebrate this holiday as part of American culture.
During this holiday, religious holidays were previously held in the pagan traditions of various northern European countries. This was until Pope Gregory III moved the celebration of this old Christian holiday of All Hallows' Eve to November 1st to give Halloween a Christian interpretation.
In some parts of Ireland, this holiday is also called "Pooky Night", supposedly in honor of the mischievous and naughty spirit of Pooky.
Halloween is often associated with the occult. Many European cultures say that Halloween is one of the liminal periods of the year when the spirit world can come into contact with the real world and when magic is in full force (this is said, for example, in Catalan witch mythology and Irish Sodhe stories) .
In Ireland they make a huge fire. Little kids wearing masks get treats from their neighbors in the form of fruits, nuts and, of course, candy during a "Halloween Party" while the adults "pep off innocent things on confused victims."
In Scotland, instead of saying "trick or treat," children or adults dressed in fancy dress say, "The sky is blue, the grass is green, we can celebrate Halloween." They visit neighbors in groups and must impress the owners of the houses they visit with songs, poems, magic tricks, jokes or dances in order to earn their treat.
Traditionally they are offered nuts, oranges, apples and dried fruits.
Trick or treating is quite common in England. However, in general the celebration is based on various forms of petition, as in America.
The holiday Halloween has other names:
All Hallows Eve
Samhain
All Halloweentide
The Feast of the Dead
The Day of the Dead
A few facts about Halloween:
In Welsh, Halloween is "Nos Calan Gaeaf".
"Halloween" is correctly spelled "Hallowe"en."
Previously, it was believed that black cats protect the magic of witches from negative forces.
Pumpkin can actually be replaced with any vegetable from the Cucurbitaceae family.
About 99% of pumpkins sold are used to cut out holes for eyes and mouths and place a candle inside.
The world's largest pumpkin was grown in 2004 and demonstrated at the Pumpkin Festival in Port Elgin (Ontario, Canada). After weighing in October, she weighed 1,446 pounds (almost 656 kg).
The record for the fastest pumpkin peeling belongs to Jerry Ayers from Baltimore (Ohio, USA). He cleaned out all the insides and cut out the eyes and mouth in just 37 seconds!
The very first head was carved into a turnip.
The doorbell is rung to scare away evil spirits.
If you see a spider on this day, it could be the spirit of a deceased person in love who is simply watching you.
To meet a witch, on Halloween night you need to wear your clothes inside out and walk down the street backwards.
The Celts, who lived 2000 years ago in Ireland, Great Britain, and Northern France, celebrated the New Year on November 1st. This day marked the end of the harvest season and opened new season: cold and dark, associated with the process of extinction of life - death.
The Celts believed that on New Year's Eve the border separating the world of the living from the world of the dead was blurred. On the night of October 31 to November 1, they celebrated Samhain - the day on which the spirits of the dead return to Earth.
In 43 AD, the Romans conquered most of the Celtic lands. As a result, during the 400-year intervention, Samhain was combined with two Roman holidays: Feralia and Pomona. The first, Feralia, celebrated at the end of October, was dedicated to death. The second - Pomona - was celebrated in honor of Pomona - the goddess of trees and fruits. The symbol of Pomona was an apple - an attribute that has survived to this day and is included in modern Halloween rituals.
In the 800s, Christianity began to be imposed on the Celts. Pope Boniface IV - established November 1 as All Saints' Day, trying to distract the Aryan Celts from Druid rites: eradicating "paganism". Later, November 2 became the Day of Souls - when the dead were remembered. However, the traditions preserved in people's memory were never completely defeated. 
Thus, neither the stubborn Catholics nor the Protestants of America, who stole, like everything else, the idea of the holiday, were able to emasculate the Vedic Aryan essence from it, FOR WHICH I CONGRATULATE YOU.
Halloween, a popular holiday these days, has a rich history. ancient traditions This day is still honored today in many countries.
Nowadays, when we hear the word “Halloween,” we think of creepy fancy dress costumes and jack-o-lanterns. There are many films dedicated to Halloween, and almost all of them are scary to watch without fun company near. Every year the scope of this holiday increases, but the traditions and history of Halloween are still alive, and their echoes can still be heard.
The history of Halloween is quite confusing and shrouded in the darkness of secrets and mysteries. As scientists have found out, the birth of this day was given by the Celts: their holiday Samhain lies at the origins of Halloween. Samhain was a pagan ritual festival that was celebrated back in the 10th century in the territory of the modern British Isles, namely Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is believed that at this time the Celts took care of the souls of the dead, as the gates between the worlds opened, and the dead could wander the Earth all night.
But it cannot be said that the Celts dedicated Samhain only to evil spirits. For example, the word "Samhain" comes from the Celtic name for November, which means it could be a festival of the harvest or the end of summer. From this time on, winter began in the Celtic calendar.
A number of scientists believe that Samhain received a negative connotation later, when Christianity supplanted paganism, and in some places, on the contrary, intertwined with it. Halloween suffered a second fate. The monks considered the Celtic celebration an unclean revelry, the rituals of scaring away ghosts - demonic possession, and gradually the holiday changed a lot. And since its date coincided with All Hallows' Eve, the name Halloween comes from the Scottish abbreviation of the English phrase "All-Hallows-Eve", "All Hallows' Eve".
Modern Halloween is a carnival, fun night (or even more than one). Halloween traditions may have changed, but each has its own origin story.
Candies or life. On the evening before Halloween, children demand candy from all their neighbors, dressing up as little ghosts or witches. “Trick or treat”, “trick or treat” - the words can be different, but the essence is the same: in a humorous form, children ask adults to give them more candy, otherwise it will be bad.
Costumes. It is believed that the ancient Celts used creepy clothes and masks to scare away evil spirits from their homes. So you can adopt this method: hang it on Halloween night from October 31 to November 1 scary mask above the entrance to the house, outside, and definitely not a single poltergeist will come near you. The first Halloween costumes were not at all elegant or festive: they depicted either thin people or very frightening evil spirits. But now the Halloween outfit has evolved. So don't forget to think about your holiday costume - dressing like a zombie is not at all necessary, you can be both a pretty witch and a brave fighter against evil.
Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin. An invariable attribute - a Halloween pumpkin - accompanies All Hallows' Eve. You might be surprised to learn how scary Halloween pumpkins can be, and you might also get a few ideas to try. The history of the Halloween pumpkin is almost as fascinating as the history of Halloween itself. Initially, faces on vegetables could be carved for ceremonies and rituals. So a smiling apple with a funny face may well decorate a Halloween table. Why is the pumpkin called “Jack-O-Lantern” and “Jack-O-Lantern”? According to legend, many centuries ago, the cunning rascal Jack deceived the devil himself, and he did not let him into hell by throwing coal after him. And now Jack wanders, lighting his way with the coal that he put in the pumpkin, and will wander until the Day of Judgment.
Festive table. Of course, any pumpkin dishes will be appropriate. You can bake pumpkin pie, or you can prepare pumpkin porridge in the morning. Very often, all kinds of apple desserts are prepared for Halloween, for example, jams or caramel apples. You can simply decorate the table with a ghost or witch theme.
Have a lot of fun by throwing your own Halloween at home: laughter and joy reduce negative energy. We wish you a happy Halloween, and don't forget to press the buttons and
26.10.2016 13:22
The main attribute of the festive decoration on Halloween is, of course, the pumpkin. And for her to look decent -...
Halloween is one of the oldest holidays in the English-speaking world, second only to Christmas in popularity. And although millions of people celebrate All Hallow's Eve without knowing the origins of this holiday, knowing the history of Halloween and the myths and legends associated with it makes this spooky-fun holiday even more interesting.
And this holiday is quite ambiguous: and although some people consider it a wonderful way to have fun and have fun, some perceive it as a time of superstitions and all sorts of devilry.
Halloween is celebrated on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. Initially it was pagan holiday- day of honoring the dead. Halloween was called All Hallows Eve (All Hallows Eve), and its roots went back centuries, no less than the beginning of our era.
All Hallows' Eve, as its name suggests, is the evening before All Saints Day, the day Christians dedicated to their patron saints and on which pagans were converted to the faith - November 1st.
According to one version, the authorship of the holiday is attributed to the Druids, a Celtic people who lived in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. The ancestor of Halloween was the holiday Samhain (Samhain), which was celebrated at the end of October. Samhain meant the end of summer: and on this day they gave thanks for the harvest, burned sacred bonfires, saying goodbye old year and meeting a new one.
The Celts believed that on this day the souls of the dead wander among the living. In order for the spirits of ancestors to contribute to a good harvest next year, they tried to appease them with treats and gifts. It was this custom that transformed into trick-or-treating, “trick or treat” - a children's Halloween tradition of going from house to house begging for candy.
Many also believe that Halloween is in some way Christian holiday, because it is celebrated on the eve of All Saints Day.
The witch outfit is the most popular women's Halloween costume, and the silhouette of a witch on a broom in the background full moon- one of the typical symbols of the holiday. It is believed that on the night of November 1, the power of witches increases many times over. The image of a crone witch in a pointy hat, stirring her brew in a huge cauldron, was transformed from the pagan image of the goddess known as the Earth Mother or Crone, symbolizing wisdom and the changing of the seasons.
According to Celtic folklore, there was once a cunning Irish farmer named Jack who tried to deceive both God and the Devil. As a result, he did not go to hell or paradise, and from then on he was forced to wander in the darkness of purgatory. In order not to wander in complete darkness, Jack made a lantern from a turnip, inserting into it a coal thrown to him by the devil from hell.
Thus, the jack-o'-lantern (namely, a jack-o'-lantern with an ominous face carved on it) was created to guide lost souls. The ancient Celts placed a jack-o'-lantern on their doorstep to attract the spirits of their ancestors to their home.
An eternal symbol of misfortune, the black cat is a popular Halloween image. The reputation of black cats was tarnished back in the days of witch hunts: then the furry companions of witches were considered the embodiment of demonic entities. And many believed that sometimes Satan himself took the image of a black cat.
According to some medieval beliefs, the bats(bats), like black cats, were the embodiment of dark forces. Many believed that if a bat flew around your house three times on All Hallows' Eve, death would come to it. Another chilling myth: if a bat flies into a house on Halloween, it is haunted.
Everyone is afraid of spiders: a great symbol of the most terrible holiday of the year! According to an old belief, if a spider falls on a candle and burns in its flames, there is a witch nearby. And another, sad, but romantic myth says: if you see a spider on Halloween, you are protected by the spirit of your deceased lover or lover...
According to the beliefs of the pagan Celts, after death a person’s soul fell into the cauldron (cauldron) of Mother Earth, in which the souls awaited subsequent reincarnation.
According to legend, on Halloween the dead walk among the living, and if you refuse a treat to anyone who knocks on your door, you may inadvertently offend the soul of the deceased (which is fraught with dire consequences). That's why the children's tradition of trick-or-treating is so popular: no matter what house you knock on, no one will leave you without a sweet gift.
Halloween is considered the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, so ripe wheat and corn are also symbols of this holiday (unfortunately, not scary at all).
On Halloween night, it is believed that the spirits (ghosts) of deceased ancestors wander among the living. Therefore, ghosts are one of the typical symbols of Halloween.
A holiday that once did not require special preparation is celebrated in the modern English-speaking world on a grand scale, involving significant expenses. Decorative garlands, decorations for the front lawn, elaborate expensive costumes, tons of candy - all this costs a pretty penny (that is, pennies)!
The famous magician died on All Hallows' Eve after being hit in the stomach while performing a trick a week earlier. The blow led to peritonitis, but Houdini never went to the doctor, which was the reason for such a sad end.
Samhainophobia is a strong fear of Halloween that causes panic attacks in those susceptible to it. Other phobias at this time of year: wiccaphobia (fear of witches), phasmophobia (fear of ghosts), coimetrophobia (fear of cemeteries).
Jack-o'-lanterns were originally made from scraped turnips, and it wasn't creepy faces that were carved into turnips, but the faces of dead relatives.
Despite the fact that Christmas and Thanksgiving are considered the main holidays of gluttony in the United States, Halloween confidently holds the palm in the field of all kinds of candies, candies and chocolates. Kids, beware: 90% of parents admit to eating candy from their trick-or-treat basket. And the most popular, both among adults and children, has been for many years... the Snickers bar!
Persecution of people for false reasons. The expression has its roots in the Middle Ages, when thousands of young women in Europe were killed on suspicion of witchcraft.
He was the victim of a witch-hunt and was fired because of his radical ideas for developing the company.
He became the victim of a witch hunt and was fired for his radical ideas for developing the company.
“Witching hour” is the dead of night, the very hour when witches, ghosts and other evil spirits are believed to gather for the Sabbath.
I would never leave the house at witching hour on Halloween!
I would never leave the house in the dead of night on Halloween!
The expression “skeleton in the closet” has already entered the Russian language, and it means an old and terrible secret.
Mrs Mills has a skeleton in the cupboard: in 2002 she was caught stealing stationery from her employer.
Mrs. Mills has a terrible secret: in 2002, she was caught stealing office supplies from her employer.
The smallest number of people needed to do the job.
My firm only has a skeleton staff at weekends.
At my company, only the core team is present on weekends.
An abandoned city where no one lives anymore.
All the young people have left our village and it’s like a ghost town now.
All the youth have left our village and now it looks like a ghost town.
Lit. "spirited away" - disappeared without a trace and inexplicably.
Example:
According to legend, she was spirited away by witches in the middle of the night.
According to legend, she was kidnapped by witches at midnight.
Also to make the blood run cold - to frighten, frighten, lit. "to cool the blood"
The screams from the haunted house made my blood run cold.
The screams from the haunted house made my blood run cold.
Acting cold-bloodedly or ruthlessly.
They killed their former friend in cold blood.
They killed their former neighbor in cold blood.
Lit. “make the blood boil” - lead to an extreme degree of rage, rage.
It makes my blood boil to think that he was promoted to Manager before I was.
When I think that he was promoted to manager before me, the blood boils in my veins.
Lit. “thirst for blood” (often used in a humorous context).
We beat them at football, and now they are after our blood.
We beat them in football and now they want revenge.
Lit. "stab the knife"
He really put the knife in when he told her that nobody at work liked her.
He literally stuck a knife in her back when he told her that no one at work liked her.
Lit. "look at smb. with daggers": throwing evil glances, "throwing lightning."
Her husband’s ex-wife looked daggers at her.
Her husband's ex-wife glared at her.
Lit. "stab in the back"
We let him stay in our home, but he stabbed us in the back by telling lies about us to everyone.
We allowed him to stay in our house, but he stabbed us in the back, spreading false rumors about us.
If someone has “bats in the bell tower,” this means that this person is eccentric or a little crazy.
I think my neighbor has bats in the belfry: his house is full of thousands of old newspapers and magazines.
I think my neighbor is a little “that”: there are thousands of old newspapers and magazines in his house.
Lit. A "night owl" is a person who is more active at night than during the day.
I’m a night owl: I do my best work in the evenings and at night.
I am a night owl: I work better in the evenings and at night.
Lit. “smell a rat”: feel a catch, suspect deception.
Her new boyfriend said he is a doctor, but I smell a rat: I think he’s lying.
Her new boyfriend said he was a doctor, but I suspect deception: I think he's lying.
Lit. “rat” (after all, they are the first to flee a sinking ship).
He's a rat. He sold our plans for the new business to a rival company.
He's a traitor. He sold our plans for a new venture to a competing company.
Initially, the expression sounded like this: “No more chance than a cat in hell without claws.” Complete lack of chance, hopeless situation.
We hadn’t a cat in hell’s chance of rescuing our possessions from the fire.
We did not have the slightest chance of saving our property from the fire.
To be frightened to the point of complete immobility.
I was scared stiff when I saw the ghostly face at my window.
When I saw the ghost's face in the window, fear gripped me.
Scare until you lose consciousness, the hell out of you, until you die (literally, “until your pants drop”).
Halloween scares the pants off me!
Halloween scares the crap out of me!
An expression referring to R. L. Stevenson's character Dr. Jekyll - Mr. Hyde (" Strange story Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde." A personality that combines opposing character traits, positive and negative.
Everybody thinks he is a lovely old man, but he can be very cruel and heartless: he has a Jeckyll and Hyde personality.
Everyone thinks he's a charming old man, but he's very cruel and heartless: a dual personality.
If someone is “mad as a hatter,” he is absolutely insane. The origin of this expression is believed to have been influenced by the fact that hatters used mercury in their work and this caused them nervous disorders, which made them look like crazy people.
Be careful when you talk to him, he’s as mad as a hatter.
Be careful when talking to him, he is absolutely insane.
The word comes from the name Bethlem Royal Hospital (Bethlem Royal Hospital, St. Mary of Bethlehem Hospital) - a London hospital for the mentally ill.
It’s the school holidays and it’s bedlam in our house.
Now school break and bedlam reigns in our house.
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The most mystical of all holidays is Halloween, All Saints' Day (October 31). It is celebrated when autumn turns into winter, when the remains of the harvest are collected, and a cold, long winter comes, tearing the veil of life from everything that is around. The romance of ghostliness, the other world, the secrets of unearthly life characterize this holiday, when the worlds of the dead and the living merge. Life and death.
We live in the material world, the world of money, power, authority, laws. Some things make us happy. Something can make us happy. There is something we are afraid of. The nature of the emergence of joy, fear, and happiness is not clear to us. We do not know where our soul comes from, although we feel its presence and know for sure that it is in us and in everyone. We also don’t know where our consciousness travels while we sleep, or what the Land of Dreams looks like, or where our soul goes after finishing its earthly journey...
Despite all the materialism of our lives, we are very closely connected with another world, which lives according to its own special laws, does not recognize money and earthly power and does not obey our will. A world full of secrets and mysteries. And where its border blurs with our familiar world, once a year the shadows of the other world burst into our world and the celebration of Halloween begins.
These are costumes of mysterious creatures - ghosts, vampires, drowned people, Frankensteins, witches, sorcerers, sorcerers and other undead and evil spirits. These are “Jack lanterns” - pumpkins with slits for eyes and mouths with a burning candle inside. These are carols asking for candies and sweets. These are scary stories and chilling music... 
What's Halloween without a jack-o'-lantern with a glowing, devilish grin? The Jack Lantern has become a real symbol of Halloween. 
The main characters of Halloween are all kinds of evil spirits: devils and Old Lady Death, vampires and witches, werewolves and mummies, ghostly pirates and ghosts, skeletons and drowned people, monsters and other supernatural creatures. And how beautiful the costumes of Celtic mythical creatures look - elves, fairies, goblins, trolls. Evil animals are also invited to Halloween - bats, wolves, spiders, snakes, cats, bears and dragons. 
On the eve of All Hallows' Day, the house turns into a home for ghosts and sorcerers. Like a witch’s cave, it is decorated with artificial snakes, bunches of “dried” mice, and giant black spiders. Garlands of bats and spiders are also popular. A witch's broom forgotten in a corner would be a nice addition. The most important thing that MirSovetov readers should do is to generously decorate the holiday room with candles, so that you can do without light and sit by candlelight. 
Halloween classics are baked apples and pumpkin dishes (pies, casseroles, porridges, stews). If you don't like the taste of pumpkin, try making homemade pumpkin pie with minced meat and big amount Luke. This way the pumpkin won't be too noticeable. And if you are a big fan of pumpkin, bake it in the oven, pour hot honey and sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar. The pumpkin becomes deliciously sweet. Three days were given to the spirits so that they could stay in our world, feel again the joys of the living, enjoy the warmth of the hearth, delicious food and drink, and become fat from laughter and jokes. It's time for them to return to where the sun does not rise, to the kingdom of eternal night, to the land of full moons, to the world of shadows. The costumes are taken off, the candles are extinguished, we are back in the material world. Don’t forget to take Jack-o’-lanterns out of the house; they say that those spirits who really want to stay among us can live in these pumpkins. And under no circumstances eat them after the holiday, it’s a bad omen, they say...
But also a theme for most Russian parties. In the United States, October 31 is the second largest holiday after Christmas and New Year. In Russia and European countries this is relatively new tradition, but nevertheless, every year more and more people dress up in the most unusual costumes and organize street processions. How did it all begin and where did this holiday come from?
Where did the tradition of dressing up in costumes on this day and going to neighbors' houses, offering "trick or treat" come from? In fact, several centuries ago it was not just a holiday, but a mandatory annual ritual with its own strict rules. The history of Halloween dates back to the birth of England, Ireland and France. In those days, the year was not divided into 12 months, but consisted of only two parts - winter and summer. Since the population of the countries was predominantly pagan, there was a legend that every winter the Sun God was captured by Samhain, who, in turn, was the lord of darkness. Therefore, it was on October 31 that the Celts prepared offerings to the dark knight in order to appease him so that he would return the sun back.
Also, Halloween, the date of which fell at the end of the harvest season, was a symbol of the transition to a new life. In winter, all living things died and found themselves under the snow, but then were reborn again. In addition, it was believed that Samhain lived in a white desert, where peace and tranquility reigned. After a hard time at work, for the Celts, winter was a period when they could take a break from hard work and devote time to family.
Another legend associated with the lord of darkness says that it is on this night that he opens the gates to other worlds and allows you to see the past and future. Just as summer gives way to winter on this day, the Celts hoped that life would change its course and bring them good luck the following year.
In Ireland, it was customary to gather in the main city of the country - Tara. During the holiday, a huge feast was held, which began early in the morning and ended only the next day. Fans of Samhain extinguished the fire in their houses, and lit it again only from the sacred fire of the Druids. The priests consecrated the flame, and with it all the Celts, promising them prosperity and good luck.
According to legend, Halloween is the time when... real world other creatures can penetrate: spirits, demons, goblins, witches and other mystical creatures. To prevent dangerous creatures from attacking local residents, the Celts dressed in costumes corresponding to these images and went from house to house, threatening residents and demanding food from them.
After the lands of England were captured by the Romans, the holiday remained, since its date coincided with the Roman celebration of the goddess Pomona, who was responsible for all living plants on earth. Gradually, the traditions mixed, and the Halloween pumpkin, which is still popular today, appeared in the ritual.
This is a holiday dedicated to those saints who do not have their own day to celebrate. In medieval English, the day before November 1 was called All Hallows Even, or All Hallows Eve, after some time the phrase was shortened to Hallowe'en, and ultimately acquired the now well-known form of Halloween. Despite the fact that he tried in every possible way to eradicate pagan festivals, For some reason, Halloween has caught on so much that it has become one of the most popular days of the year.
"Treat or Punishment" has become popular gaming tradition. Its meaning is known to everyone. On October 31, children put on Halloween costumes and start going to townspeople's houses asking residents for candy.
Of course, it is not necessary to give little witches and other creatures candy, but otherwise you can expect not the most pleasant punishment. In ancient England, little holiday heroes smeared the handles of their front doors with soot if they were refused. Now you may find your house bombarded with eggs or toilet paper. Of course, this doesn’t happen in Russia, but in the United States this is a fairly common phenomenon, so city residents prefer to buy as many goodies as possible in advance.
Jack's Lantern is another tradition and an integral attribute that must be included in the Halloween scenario.
It all started with one cunning Irish blacksmith. Jack tricked the devil twice by making a deal with him. He remained the owner of his soul, but, unfortunately, this did not help him. When Jack died, because of his sinful life, the gates of heaven did not open for him. Therefore, the stingy blacksmith was forced to wander the earth until the end of centuries, awaiting the Day of Judgment. The only thing he got in the afterlife was a small coal, which was protected from rain and wind by a familiar vegetable. This is how the now famous Jack-o-lanterns, or the well-known Halloween pumpkin, appeared.
In China, on this day it is customary to remember deceased ancestors and place a flashlight and food in front of their photographs. In this way, the Chinese help their deceased relatives illuminate their path in the afterlife. On the evening of October 31, city residents gather and set sail on paper boats, which are then set on fire. The smoke is believed to help souls ascend to heaven.
In Germany, on the night of November 1, residents dress up as monsters and head to Frankenstein's castle. Many are sure that it is on this day that a crazy alchemist appears on the roof of the building.
France is famous for its fantastic parades. Every year, more than 30 thousand tourists and residents of the country dress up in Halloween costumes and go to the suburbs of Paris, Disneyland and Limoges. Thousands of goblins, ghosts, vampires and witches put on the most colorful shows.
In Russia, it is customary not to go from house to house, collecting candy and scaring visiting guests with unusual decorations. Most often, themed parties are held in clubs or cafes. Let's consider one of the options for holding such a themed party.
The host welcomes the guests and briefly tells the history of this legendary holiday. After which he invites those gathered to hide from evil spirits under masks.
The presenter tells the guests the following story: “Since a passage opens on this night, witches enter our place and arrange their own coven. Since ancient times, people have tried to catch at least one such witch; a certain ritual was even invented for this. In order for a real witch to appear before you, you need to go out on Halloween wearing your clothes turned inside out, and then you will definitely meet a mystical creature on your way. We found real witches especially for you. Let's welcome them!"
After this, the witches come on stage, perform the Sabbath dance and pose for photos. Halloween is starting.
After the dance, the host tells another story related to the origin of the pumpkin lantern and about the Irish blacksmith Jack. Next, everyone can try themselves in creating the most unique flashlight. A professional decorator shows what unusual things can be carved from pumpkins.
When the winner is determined and has already received his memorable prize, the host of the evening tells the audience about the remaining mystical creatures that may appear before their eyes at any moment. Mummies, mermaids and other creatures appear on the stage. At this time, hired stylists give everyone the most unusual Halloween makeup, so by the end of the evening all guests turn into witches and goblins.
After dancing, carving pumpkins and more, the most awaited competition “Best Halloween Costume” is announced. At the end of the evening, cake and other treats are brought out onto the stage for the students.
Halloween is primarily a children's holiday, since no one likes to dress up as fairy-tale characters more than children.
Little pranksters believe in miracles, so for them such a party can be no less exciting than New Year or a birthday. Moreover, it is not necessary to dress up your child as a witch or goblin; it can be any fairy-tale hero or character from your favorite cartoon. How to spend a fun children's Halloween?
It is better to tell the pranksters in advance about what this holiday is all about. It is very important that all children's party participants carefully prepare and dress in unusual costumes. You can go to a joke store and buy dummies of worms, eyes and other things. Such paraphernalia will help you fully feel the celebration. And, of course, we must not forget that you will definitely need to apply makeup for Halloween. Moreover, such makeup is done both for children and adults.
It’s better to decorate the room not too ominously, don’t get carried away, the holiday is still for kids, so you shouldn’t scare them too much. It would be optimal to decorate the apartment with cobwebs on which toy spiders will sit. You can also hang air balloons black color. Small children should be warned in advance that all this is not real, but just a performance.
Of course, for children's party You will definitely need the main Halloween attribute - a pumpkin lantern. For this you will need:
Of course, you can buy a ready-made suit in a store, but quite often they are made of low-quality material and do not look very attractive. In addition, the cost of such an outfit can reach 5000-7000 rubles, and next year the child will outgrow it and will have to buy a new one. Therefore, it is better to sew the suit yourself. So, the most favorite characters that children love to dress up as:
You can sew a costume together with your child, who will most likely be very interested in joining this exciting process.
Little pranksters can be invited to brew a “real” witch’s potion. For this you will need:
Mix all the ingredients in a mixer with a scary laugh. Of course, the mixture will not look very attractive, but that’s what the potion is for. The cocktail will taste nutritious and sweet.
You can also prepare “swamp jelly”, which requires a mixture for making Kiwi or Tarragon jelly.
A few more secrets for preparing a terrifying menu for children:
These dishes can be used in competitions, for example, to determine who dares to eat any of the above.
And, of course, we must not forget to take memorable and funny photos during the holiday. Halloween is a very colorful holiday, so the pictures will turn out very cool. To top off the fun, you can give the kids prizes and ask them to tell you about their characters and what they liked about the party.
The night of November 1st is becoming very popular all over the world, and every year residents of many countries happily transform into the most unimaginable characters. Halloween is a wonderful holiday for children and adults, since it is on this day that kids can grow older, and parents can go back to childhood and make their forgotten dreams come true. Girls can turn into princesses, catwomen or ancient Greek warriors. Men can dress up as heroes of their favorite films or characters from popular comics.
