Happy Halloween From Ginger & Crew

Taken from Google Images

Despite trying desperatly to find some proof of the celebration of this aged holiday, it appears that the custom came from Ireland, and was more popular in that part of the world.  Known also as All Hallow's Eve or even the "Day of the Dead," it only makes sense that thing such as the civil war and unrest with Indians would keep the pioneers inside.  Image, if your nearest neighbor was miles and miles away, where would you trick or treat?

I copied this direction from Wikipedia (sans the footnotes) to share with you.  You'll see nothing mentioned about Cowboys and Indians.  :(

Halloween, or Hallowe'en (/ˌhæləˈwiːn, -oʊˈiːn, ˌhɑːl-/; a contraction of "All Hallows’ Evening"),also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eveis a yearly celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, includingsaints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed believers.

According to many scholars, All Hallows' Eve is a Christianized feast influenced by Celtic harvest festivals, with possible pagan roots, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain^[ Other scholars maintain that it originated independently of Samhain and has solely Christian roots.

Typical contemporary festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (or the related "guising"), attendingcostume parties, decorating, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing anddivination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories and watching horror films. In many parts of the world, the Christian religious observances of All Hallows' Eve, including attendingchurch services and lighting candles on the graves of the dead, remain popular, although in other locations, these solemn customs are less pronounced in favor of a more commercial and secular celebration. Because many Western Christian denominations encourage, although most no longer require, abstinence from meat on All Hallows' Eve,the tradition of eating certain vegetarian foods for this vigil day developed, including the consumption of apples, colcannon, cider, potato pancakes, and soul cakes.

So...light up those Pumpkins and celebrate...or be like me and turn off all the lights and pretend you aren't home.  :)