Trivial History October 31
Published by Jayne on Friday, October 31, 2008 at 12:01 AMTis All Hallows Eve or Samhain in the old money; a night whose tradition goes back more than 2,000 years and is a tad more substantial than dressing ankle-biters up in bedsheets and demanding lollies from strange houses.
It's the night when the veil between here and the Afterworld is at it's thinnest and the departed may make contact with those left behind.
Never laugh at someone who is skyclad. They can see you, too.
The Wild Hunt is abroad this night, when the Faerie roam the countryside with the Horned God as their leader, and the Goddess Hecate brings restless souls back to this realm for brief visits.
Joining your life force to anything with red glowing eyes isn't really a good idea.
1840 The first polticial election for The Land of Oz was held when Adelaide's Municipal elections went to the polls.
Blood is thicker than water. Soak ritual garments an extra 30-45 minutes with extra ritual salt.
Unless you spay or neuter your summoned Being, they will breed. Quickly.
1912 The building now known as the M. W Arcade was opened on this day under the title of Queen's Theatre, the first purpose-built for Christchurch.
How many Witches does it take to change a lightbulb?
None - if a candle was good enough for Grandma, it's good enough for me.
Before agreeing to impregnation by a supernatural being, investigate the survival rate of the other women who have undergone the procedure.
During ritual sacrificing, taking bits home for later is now generally considered "bad form."
1923 The infamous Marble bar Heat Wave began it's roating on this date; for the following 160 days the mercury failed to drop below 37.8 degrees Celcius ( or 100 F in the old money) until April 7th, 1924.
Never invoke anything bigger than your head.
Read more HERE.
You finally realise you're a Witch when watching Bewitched you find that you're siding with Endora.
You might be giving Pagans a bad name if you continually confuse The Prime Directive with the Wiccan Rede.
1994 That red plastic note we'd like to line our houses with, the Aussie $20, debuted in the public arena.
Athame handles are always black as magenta clashes with robes.
2004 Witches were pardoned - the words "horse", "stable door" and "bolting" spring to mind - several centuries after they'd met a sticky end at Prestonpans in Scotland.
But one has yet to be pardoned, read about Helen Duncan, the last wicth to be gaoled in 1944 HERE.
Is that a May Pole in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
I'm reading: Trivial History October 31Tweet this! Posted by Jayne
"Samhain in the old money"
Or Teanleas Night, as it's known is these pagan parts. The night when, traditionally, the ancestors bones were removed from their barrows, polished up a bit and returned looking spick and span.
Of course, then christianity happened and introduced All Saint's Day, relegating the original pagan festival to the day before whilst proclaiming, "This is the last chance for the pagan dead to walk the earth before we christians take over."
It's good to see that, even in its bastardised version, Halloween is more popular in these enlightened times than the christian day that follows it...most of which is usually taken up with a hang over.
It is Samhain in the Northern Hemisphere, but here in the Southern Hemisphere it is Beltane eve. Beltane is celebrated by Aussie pagans on November 1st.
Damnitalltohell!
Wish I'd heard that advice about not joining life forces with things with glowing red eyes not being a good idea much, much earlier in life!
Unless you spay or neuter your summoned Being, they will breed. Quickly.
Oops.... lol
Before agreeing to impregnation by a supernatural being, investigate the survival rate of the other women who have undergone the procedure.
Oops again ..... lol
Blessed be Jayne
So, I should take mum's ashes out of the box tonight and give them a good stir, Brian ?:P
6 of one, half dozen of the other, Riayn, it's the spirit of the celebration that counts ;)
They can be kept at bay with logic, Bettina, it tends to scramble their few grey cells ;)
LOL ;)
Blessed Be, WS.
Jayne,
I just sit and quietly remember dinners long past, myself. That's my way of honouring the deceased without having to bring them back out into the daylight.
Well, I made a cuppa for mum and toasted her with mine ;)