ϡ - Chapter Sixteen; this is halloween [voice/action]

[folklorist]

Halloween...Halloween. [ He sounds contemplative and hums a little before continuing. ] What to say about it. [ A pause there's the sounds of something be unwrapped probably a candy knowing Helios's sweet tooth. Then almost automatically there's the sound of 'mmm' in the silent background. How has he not gotten a cavity yet? ] I do hope the ghosts in the castle behave themselves this year. They love playing practical jokes around this time...April Fools isn't any better. [ Damn ghost kids always making trouble for him! Good thing he doesn't have to deal with it this year, haha! Though Ra might light the castle on fire... ] Ah...best to not think of such things. [ He'll just clear his throat because oh the horror, his poor castle. ] I distinctly recall that Halloween's roots go back to Samhain and the Celtic festival held in light of that. But today it's widely distributed and practiced pretty much everywhere. Samhain is...er Gaelic for summer's end. It was originally a harvest festival as they were generally more prominent back in the day you know? [ He laughs. ] What with farming relying on the sun Samhain was the end of the lighter half of the season and the beginning of the darker one. Something like day lights savings time or the summer and winter solstices.

Ah but! There's a catch! Many people believe that on this day the border between the living and dead became so thin that spirits could cross over and thus allowed the dead to cross back over from the living world into their own. This event brought up the custom of wearing costumes and masks which people did back then to help ward off the spirits and were used them to calm them down. I'd imagine pumpkin carving came from the old tradition of carving faces into turnips to ward off evil spirits as well.

It's such a wonderful holiday, very rich in folklore and the transition into modern culture is fascinating! The story of Mongfind for example is a folktale for this specific holiday. Modern times has done away with most of that but you know...the spirits of our deceased are always passing over, perhaps more so on that day than most. [ That's totally not a creepy thought nope. He's actually perfectly neutral in saying that it must be the dork in him. ] Ah what typically goes on here during Halloween, trick or treating I would hope? Oh! Perhaps a haunted house or a walk through the woods would definately be eerie. The spirits don't seem to be acting any differently though. [If you only knew what was in store for you Helios. ] Hm...I do wonder if the indigenous population here even knew what it was. There's just so much we don't know about this place. [ Sighs. So many questions yet so little answers. But back to the treats... ] But the best part about Halloween is...the candy! [ He sounds like a five year old don't mind him. ] What's everyone's favorite type? You can never go wrong with having too many favorites either!

Comments

[herotypical]

[In one of her rare leaf-raking breaks.]

I like the candy apples.

[folklorist]

[ He makes a sound of agreement to that. ]

An excellent choice if I do say so myself. They're delicious I'll have to agree!

[herotypical]

Though...is that really all true? The Halloween stuff?

[WRITTEN]

[polishrule.livejournal.com]

I like the chocolate barrels with booze in them!!

[He's not even kidding.]

[WRITTEN]

[folklorist]

Oh you mean those miniature liquor bottles made out of chocolate? I've had those before, they're actually not bad!

[ Helios getting drunk off them can you imagine? ]

[Voice]

[consultmybooks]

Not really much of a candy person, I'm afraid.

Cider is nice, though.

[Voice]

[folklorist]

Ah Giles! You sound better from the last time we spoke. [ A pause. ]

Not much of a candy person...but it's delicious! [ Says the thirty-two year old man. ] Warmed apple cider is nice. I do like the more sweetened version from time to time.

[voice]

[notabluesbro]

[Spirits could cross back over from the world of the dead? Sounds a little like Luceti's weird ass abilities.]

You sure know a lot about Halloween. You a big history guy?

[voice]

[folklorist]

Oh well...something like that. I have a few friends who are very much into it they simply told me much of what you just heard. But in all honesty Halloween happens to be one of my favorite holidays. I couldn't help but share with everyone.

[amber-arcangel.livejournal.com]

Honey candy! [Which is the only kind of food she can eat, but shhh.]

[folklorist]

Honey candy? I don't think I've ever had something like that before. It does sound good though.

[ooh-kamina.livejournal.com]

[ OH GOOD FINALLY SOMEONE IS EXPLAINING HALLOWEEN--









...it's really too bad that Kamina zones out after the first three sentences. ]

[folklorist]

[ ROFL it's okay Kamina. Helios understands at least you made an attempt and that's all that matters. Even if it was for three sentences. But he won't say anything just yet, lest you have a question or reply. ]

[Voice]

[god-is-a-dude.livejournal.com]

You do know the Organization "celebrates" it every year, right?

[Voice]

[folklorist]

Ah. Well I figured they might do something but I wasn't quite sure!

[ action ]

[refinedmaestro.livejournal.com]

[Frederic came home from shopping to hear your dorking, housemate and sees all the candy wrappers. But he had his journal open most of the time during shopping, so he knew what was going on. Yet even still, he'll have a look of surprise on his face because he really wasn't expecting this much of a mess.]

Helios, what on earth is all this mess for?

[ action ]

[folklorist]

[ He is in the middle of chewing some chocolate when you catch him...IN THE ACT! But he smiles and nods. ] Oh nothing, nothing! I was just...ah--[ Well now that he actually gets a good look at the place...] I'll clean it up I swear.

[voice]

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

[This is... surprisingly interesting to him!]

No spirits or pumpkins here last year. Just stupid costumes that those jerks made us wear. [And it was mostly stupid because it was uncomfortable and frilly.]

What does candy have to do with any of it?

[voice]

[folklorist]

[ Oh well that's good! It's always nice to have an interested crowd. ]

Ah...made. Oh dear do you think they'll be doing that this year as well? [ He sounds a bit...down at that. But give him a minute or two to get his thoughts and ideas together for that question of yours. ]

The giving out of candy...comes from a tradition back during the Middle Ages. Poor people, and children, would go door to door asking for food around the time of Hallomas, or November first. Back then it was called souling.

[oda-hates-me.livejournal.com]

... Huuuuh. So that's where this Halloween shit comes from. [He's gotta admit, that's pretty interesting]

And I'm not a big candy eater. You might not have heard of the kinds from my world anyway.

[folklorist]

[ Just a laugh. ] Yes correct.

Oh? What kinds do you have then?

[voice]

[forgiatura]

[ Someone explaining Halloween properly!

... But, oh man, it sounds like the kinds of stuff Ange used to preach. ]

Think y'could get an abridged version of that?

[voice]

[folklorist]

[ He chuckles. ] Of course, of course. [ He'll give you the same condensed version he gave Kamina. ] Halloween was basically known as Samhain which was a harvest festival. Some of the customs from Samhain transferred over into what Halloween is commonly seen as today, such as pumpkin carving, wearing costumes and things like that. Also there's a myth that says the border between the living and the dead is much thinner on this day thus allowing spirits to crossover back into the living world.

[soulphile.livejournal.com]

[ he isn't one for candy, but my, this man can ramble. it was informative, at least. although he knew most of, if not all of this, it's reassuring to know there are those here whom educate themselves. ]

From turnips to pumpkins, is it? Have times changed that much? [ demon butler from the 1800's reporting for duty. ]

[folklorist]

I believe so. It's not much of a difference though, but still it's amazing at how things change.