ALL HALLOWS EVE 2012 – GUEST AUTHOR: Amanda Bonilla “Fun Halloween Facts” & Giveaway (ends 31/10/12)
Fun Halloween Facts
Thanks so much to Book Chick City for inviting me as a guest today!
Autumn is one of my favorite seasons. I love the cooler weather, the brilliant oranges and reds of the trees, canning and preserving the vegetables we’ve grown for the winter, and autumn means I can finally start wearing my jeans and boots. Yay for sweater weather! And of course, there’s Halloween. But this fall holiday wasn’t always about metric tons of candy and girls dressing up like sexy nurses and other scantily clad professionals. All Hallows Eve, or Samhain, is a holiday steeped in pagan tradition and historical significance. It’s one holiday everyone relates to in one form or another, whether it be out of fear of evil machinations at work, the opportunity to dress up and leave reality behind for an evening, or the symbolism of the land dying before its rebirth in the spring. So today, I thought I’d share some fun Halloween facts.
Jack-o’-Lanterns
Everyone loves to carve pumpkins. They adorn almost every window or doorstep in every neighborhood in the week leading up to Halloween. But did you know that these sometimes scary looking carvings date back to Celtic society? Originally, Jack-o’-Lanterns were actually carved turnips, not pumpkins. As the legend goes, there was this farmer named Jack who managed to trick the devil. When he died, he was turned away from both heaven and hell. He was forced to wander through purgatory and he made himself a lantern from a turnip and a burning lump of coal from hell and he used the lantern to guide his soul through the darkness of purgatory. Jack-o’-lanterns for centuries have been used in the same mien: a guide for the souls of the dead that wander the earth on Halloween.
Bats and Cats
We all know that black cats are bad luck, but where does that come from? In the dark ages, when witch hunts were prevalent, women who lived alone were often suspected of practicing witchcraft. During the investigation, evidence was considered more damning if the woman owned a cat, as the animal was thought to be her familiar. Likewise, bats, dark and creepy in their own right, have been associated with darkness and evil for years and also thought of as witches’ familiars. If a bat was seen flying over a house three times on All Hallows Eve, it was an ominous omen that someone within the house had been cursed and would soon die.
Spiders
I know a lot of people consider spiders as a sign of good luck. Honestly, I’m terrified of the little eight-legged beasts so I don’t subscribe to that belief. I tend to think that if they’re outside, live and let live. But the second one of them comes in the house, all bets are off! However, in Celtic society, if you happened to see a spider in your home on Halloween it meant a deceased loved one was watching over you. I have to admit, it’s a nice thought!
Trick or Treating
On the night of Samhain, the Celts believed that the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead were at its thinnest. It was the one night of the year that the souls of the deceased could wander the earth and cause mischief. Therefore, people placed offerings of food and drink for the spirits in order to placate them. And since spirits were capable of assuming another guise on Samhain, it was thought of as bad luck to turn anyone away who might happen upon your doorstep, because the beggar at your door could be a spirit in disguise. Hence, the tradition of trick or treating! Kids dress up to symbolize the wandering spirits and go door to door asking for a “treat.” I don’t know about you, but most kids I know are definitely placated by a candy bar.
Halloween Colors
Have you ever wondered why the traditional colors for Halloween are black and orange? It’s not a fad invented by corporations or a convenient connection to candy corn. Black and orange have been associated with All Hallows Eve for centuries. The orange represents the colors of autumn, and black represents death. Death of the land as it prepares for winter, as well as the spirit realm. Pretty cool, right?
Thanks to livescience.com for the fun Halloween facts! What are your favorite Halloween traditions? Do you make caramel apples? Decorate your home? Put out Jack-o’-Lanterns and leave candy out for trick-or-treaters? I’d love to hear about it!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Amanda Bonilla lives in rural Idaho with her husband and two kids. She’s a part-time pet wrangler, a full-time sun worshipper, and only goes out into the cold when coerced. She loves the outdoors, black clothes, pink appliances and thinks junk food should be a recognized food group. In the summer, she can be found sitting by the lake, enjoying the view from her dock.
AMANDA BONILLA ONLINE: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter
ABOUT THE BOOK: For months Darian and her Shaede guardian Raif have searched for the Oracle who attempted to overthrow the Shaede Nation—and kill Darian in the bargain. But now that they’ve finally found the half-crazed Oracle, for their efforts they are granted a possibility too painful for Raif to imagine, and too enticing for Darian to ignore.
Darian is determined to reunite Raif and the daughter he thought was dead, but her mission quickly proves dangerous when her lover Tyler is almost killed. And when a brooding and mysterious Fae warrior offers his guidance—at an extraordinary price—Darian finds herself willing to risk everything. As her single-minded hunt turns into an obsession, and she and Tyler grow further apart, Darian finds herself caught between the man she loves like a brother, and the man whose love she can’t live without…
GIVEAWAY!
Amanda is kindly giving away a copy of Blood Before Sunrise to one lucky winner.
To enter please answer the following question then fill out the form below: What are your favourite Halloween traditions?
This giveaway is open to all and ends 31st October 2012
Oops! We could not locate your form.
67 Comments
favorite tradition: the treat and trick simply because i love candies^^ ( and in my country that’s on the only things done and not even everywhere)
thank you for the giveaway international ( isabelle f in the form)
Reply
Gotta be Trick or Treating.
Reply
My family never really did much for Halloween when I was growing up – but we did used to get a pumpkin and make jack o’laterns each year – making them as scary as possible!
Reply
I am going to the cemetery with my family.
Reply
My favourite Halloween tradition is to carve the pumpkins with my mom every year.
Reply
JackO’Lantern! I love having pumpkin in my window. It’s just so comforting!
Reply
It has to be all the sweets that we buy. Half of them get eaten before the Trick n Treat starts.LOL
Reply
I like the idea of the spider… but my family knows not to come as one. Well, they better know! LOL
I’d have to say some people’s creative displays are my fave.
Reply
Decorating the house with all my witch-y candles and festive stuff and more than anything baking all those pumpkin cookies/pies
Reply
We always go over to a friends house, make a bonfire of our pumpkins and have plenty of cocktails.
Reply
Since all my kids are grown and moved away, the only tradition I have left is stocking up on waaay to much candy to hand out to the too few kids living in my building. LOL
We used to enjoy driving through different neighborhoods and enjoy all the different decorations people put up.
Reply
Well we do not have it here. But for Easter we dress up at witches and go around getting candy, so that is sure alike and that would be my fav part if we had Halloween
Reply
My dad bought a hanging skeleton toy that falls down everytime someone claps, and every year we would put it up and scare trick or treaters. But sometimes it runs out of batteries and trick or treaters are like “what in the world are these people clapping for?”
Reply
Mini movie marathon! I usually watch 3 movies Halloween night. My mom wants to join me this year.
Reply
It’s all about the costume! Coming up with something clever or at the last minute. And I just love to see what other people dress up as. Great post!
Reply
Decorating the house and yard is my favorite Halloween tradition, also buying all the yummy candy. I like left overs:)
Reply
Watching Horror movies with my friends and / or family!!
Reply
Son dressing up and going tricker treat and watching horror movies.
Reply
My fav is carving pumpkins!! I look all over for cool designs every year, just earlier tonight I was online checking out some new downloadable designs. I can’t wait to try them out!!
Reply
We always like saving the pumpkins seeds to roast after carving the pumpkins. Guess both of those are good traditions!
Reply
For the past four years we have made a massive haunted house at my parents place. It all started when I realized that I didnt get many trick or treaters where I live and I LOVE handing out candy. So I convinced my parents that a Haunted House at their place was an awesome idea. Now the whole family decorates and celebrates together. The last two years we got 300+ trick or treaters and we live in a town with a population of 700. So thats pretty good.
Reply
My favorite tradition was taking my nieces and nephew trick or treating when they were young. The older ones are now too old, and the younger ones live too far from me to continue the tradition, plus due to an injury a few years back, walking for that long is out of the question.
Reply
We were never big on Hallowe’en in my family but I’m a huge fan of dressing up now for the holiday! I also like carving pumpkins.
Thanks for the giveaway and post!
Reply
We don’t really celebrate Halloween over here, but I always liked the dressing up as a tradition.
Reply
I always loved the carved pumpkins.
Reply
My favorite Halloween traditions are handing out candy and checking out all the cute costumes, especially the little ones experiencing the holiday for the first time, then I have my pumpkin pie – which I always have instead of birthday cake, because my birthday is the next day.
Reply
Scary movie nights!! Is the only night of the whole year that I watch scary movies!
Reply
Mine was always the school disco. Now I have kids I enjoy bringing them to there school disco too
Reply
TRICK OR TREAT THE LOCAL KIDS OUTFITS ARE WONDERFUL
Reply
My favourite traditions are to get the kids carving the pumpkins and decorting the house, we also love going out guising.
Reply
My kids don’t like to go Trick or Treating so instead we throw our very own Hallowe’en party. Just the 6 of us and it’s so much more fun!!!
Reply
As a matter of fact, we don’t celebrate Halloween in our country but I loved carving pumpkins since I was a child.
Reply
Cutting the pumkins to make Halloween lamps and displaying
Reply
[...] the low price of $2.99.Author Appearances:Amanda Bonilla, author of Blood Before Sunrise – Book Chick CityAmanda Carlson, author of Full Blooded – Book Chick CityCari Quinn, author of No Flowers [...]
Trick or Treating with the kids!
Reply
Turning of the lights and seeing eerie faces from the candlelit pumpkins
Reply
I like to carve pumpkins.
Reply
Trick or treat
Reply
We don’t really celebrate Halloween in my country, but on Halloween & around Halloween I usually watch scary movies & read scary books, so I guess that’s my Halloween tradition
Reply
Apple bobbing!
Reply
The kids love dressing up and going trick or treating
Reply
Trick or treating with my daughter, it will be her first year this year !!
Reply
Now that everyone is older we dont really have any Halloween traditions. There are no kids left currently.
Reply
The candy of course! LOL
I love carving the pumpkins and taking my son trick or treating.
Reply
Dressing the kids up and taking them trick or treating
Reply
pumpkin carving
Reply
All the awesome halloween films! Oh and Dressing up thought!
Reply
I love carving out pumpkins and making traditional Scottish tablet from a recipe passed on from my gran to give out the the kids trick or treating.
Reply
duck apple
Reply
Throwing a halloween party for the kids with lots of scary story telling, ducking for apples & dressing up competitions
Reply
Candle-lit pumpkins
Reply
Honestly, Halloween was never a big thing in my household, in fact I don’t believe I ever went trick or treating until I was 15 or 16. The past few years though its been focused on a little bit more and I love carving pumpkins.
Reply
In Portugal we don´t have Halloween
Reply
I always carve pumpkins
Reply
I have always loved the trick or treating with the children and seeing all of the fun costumes and now I have a new tradition with sharing with FB friends and following blogs that highlight different traditions and fun reads. I have had this series on my wishlist for a very long time and if I won this treat, oh boy just the excuse I need to get book one. Thank you for taking the time to share with us and for this lovely giveaway opportunity.
Reply
I love carving pumpkins with my kids. Thanks for the awesome giveaway
Renee
fattybumpkins at yahoo dot com
Reply
My favorite tradition is the costumes!!
Reply
carving the pumpkins! i love that
Reply
The best thing about Halloween,
Are all the costumes to be seen?
Perhaps the vampire and the wolf will dance,
Maybe witches will put us in a trance,
People in Halloween costumes trying to be the best,
And most of all they want to win all the rest.
Reply
Unfortunately, where I come from we don’t celebrate Halloween but from what I see and read it must be a really fun holiday!
Reply
The dressing up is the best part!
Reply
I like the carving of the pumpkins.
Reply
Trick or treat, dressing up and pumpkin carving ~ although when I was a child we always used to use a swede!!
Reply
Trick-or-Treating… its all about the candy! And gotta admit, I like a bit of dress-up
Reply
You can’t get better than trick or treating obviously! Mhmm sweets!
Reply
Salut ! J’ai noté que votre site est bien référencé mais des optimisation supplémentaires sont possibles. Avez vous démarché un consultant seo sem ? Sinon, contactez-moi
Reply
Très bon sujet on m’avait déjà parlé de cette théorie mais pas avec autant d’option. Merci beaucoup !
Reply