13 October 2014
Rosemary and Basil and I sometimes went for a little stroll around the neighbourhood. It’s very pretty here. I noticed that some unusual decorations were starting to appear in people’s front gardens and in their windows.
“What are all those decorations for, Rosemary?” I asked. “Pumpkins and gourds, spiders and creepy-looking things, flying witches on broomsticks and scary goblins…”
Rosemary laughed. “They’re for Halloween, Flat Kathy. Do you know what that is?”
I shook my head, so Rosemary explained: “A children’s holiday is coming up in two weeks called Halloween…. It is really a pagan holiday, that is also known as ‘Samhain’ – the pagan Celtic festival of the dead. It is celebrated from sunset on 31 October to sunset on 1 November. This date falls halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice, and it marks the end of the harvest season and the start of winter. In America, it has evolved into a day for children to dress up in costumes – like witches and goblins and all kinds of fairytale characters, and go around the neighborhood knocking on doors and asking, ‘Trick or treat?!'”
“What does that mean?”
“They’re asking if you have a treat for them – like chocolate or sweeties or candy… If you don’t, they play a trick on you,” continued Rosemary. “Sometimes they spray your windows with shaving cream, or they string toilet paper everywhere.”
“I am rather sorry that I won’t be here for Halloween,” I said, “I’ll miss all that yummy candy!”
Rosemary laughed. “Yeah, we could have made a great Halloween costume with you. But never mind, perhaps you would like to help me decorate our front porch?”
“Oh yes!” I cried. “That sounds like fun.”
At this time of year, people harvest big orange pumpkins and strange looking gourds.
Oh, and beautiful fall flowers that are called ‘Mums’. And they like to decorate their houses with them.
This is also the time when the farms make apple cider and doughnuts – and that happens to make a very tasty snack!
“Decorating sure is thirsty – and hungry – work,” I exclaimed, as Basil emerged from the house, carrying a tray of lovingly prepared snacks of apple cider and doughnuts.
As we all sat outside on the prettily decorated porch, looking around, we were very pleased with the result of our decorating efforts.
The Fantastical Voyages of Flat Kathy 