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Western Carolinian Volume 72 Number 07

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  • 12 The scary By Kayla Lynch * WCnewsmagazine It's Halloween-time! Now, let me guess, to you this means dressing up in some ridiculous costume (I predict a pirate or a nurse who would double as a stripper), rotting your teeth with copious amounts of sugary candy, and going to a haunted house, right? America has made Halloween a fun and commercial holiday, but many other cultures have more serious traditions and diverse beliefs about Halloween. Probably one of the most well-known traditions for Halloween is Mexicos Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). It starts on the night of October 31% and continues into All Saints Day (November 1, which focuses on children who have died) and All Souls Day (November 2nd, which focuses on adults who have died). Regarded as one of the most important celebrations of the year, Mexicans take this time to decorate the graves of their loved ones who have passed away. Altars are set up with candles and food to welcome the souls of dead relatives to visit. Halloween is one of the worlds oldest holidays which dates back to pagan times. It's a religious tradition for the Pagan religion, part of diversity VJ except it is called Samhain (pronounced SOW- in). It is one of the eight sabbats (holidays) and is considered one of the most important days on the Pagan calendar. It's the mark of a new spiritual year, and a time in which followers of the tradition reflect on the transition of both nature and their own spiritual lives. While they look back and honor their ancestors and loved ones that have passed away, it is also a time to look forward with a sense of renewal. This holiday dates back to a pre-Christian Europe. Other places in the world celebrate Halloween in many different ways. Check out some of these traditions: Czechoslovakia: Chairs are placed around a fire. One chair for each living member of the family and one for each spirit of a family member who has passed. England: Children used to make jack- o-lanterns (or punkies as they called them) out of turnips, and went door-to-door asking for money. Germany: People put away their knives on Halloween night to protect themselves from any risk of harm from returning spirits. Belgium: People believe it's unlucky for a black cat to cross ones path or even enter a home. France: Up until about 1995, Halloween was hardly even known by the French because they wanted to honor the dead and _ their ancestors. It's rather controversial now, as some French people think that the rise of Halloween celebrations in France is a corporate and American cultural influence. Many choose not to celebrate it as an anti-American boycott. Hong Kong: The Festival of the Hungry Ghosts (Yue Lan) is a time in which people believe that spirits travel the world for 24 hours. Some burn pictures of items like food and money in a belief that the images will reach the spirit world and comfort the ghosts. Some of these traditions may seem strange to Americans because Halloween is just a fun holiday to us. But other cultures and traditions are equally important, especially to the people who practice them. Halloween is celebrated almost everywhere in the world, ranging from being a serious religious tradition to a simply fun day of the year.
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).