HALLOWEEN OR SAMHUINN?

************************************************************* ************************************************************* Greetings and Salutations to All my Kith and Kin and All the Ships in Outer Space: One of my favorite childhood memories is of a Halloween carnival at Spring Lake School in Spring Lake, North Carolina. I think I was in the Fourth Grade, and probably a Cub Scout. Wanting the best possible elementary education for us young'uns, Mama and Daddy were both active in the Parent Teachers Association (i.e., the P.T.A.). Back in those days, that was a good thing, not like it is today with government mandated "politically correct" propaganda intended to emasculate and pervert our children. Today's racially integrated public schools are so dangerous, and literary standards have sunk so low, that many, MANY responsible parents choose to teach their kids at home, or send them to private religious schools. Anyway, either Daddy or Mama drew a scar on my cheek and brow with some sort of pen. In the Sixth Grade room, a Spook House had been set up, and I was a part of it.  From an Army footlocker, Daddy had created a coffin on a table, in which I would lay, holding a rubber glove filled with ice. With all the lights out, kids would be guided through the room, hefting "guts" (spaghetti) and "eyeballs" (grapes). When they got to where I was, I would slowly rise up in my coffin, touching their face with the icy rubber glove, and give my horrid laugh. Their startled and terrified reactions were priceless! Yes, even back then, I was obviously born for show business! Most of the activities were in the school auditorium, where there was bobbing for apples (and I got an apple!), and a fishing booth, where you could get prizes of candy and cookies. Yes, of course there were also the traditional candied apples and popcorn balls! Quite a few years ago, when I was living in the apartment above the lobby of the "ROXY" Theatre in Saint Anthony, Idaho, I went to a "KNOW YOUR RELIGION" fireside at the local stake center of The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints (i.e., the "Mormon" church). The speaker, a visiting professor from Brigham Young University, spoke about Halloween and horror movies. He said he was driving through downtown Salt Lake City, Utah one day, and saw an advertisement for a popular horror movie, and the advertisement showed a colorful picture of a decaying human hand reaching up out of the earth. That's when it suddenly dawned on him what Halloween is REALLY all about. It MOCKS the Resurrection! The costumes, stories, and celebrations are okay for children, but we adults should have more reverent respect for what Jesus, the Christ, has done for us. By contrast, in more recent years, having learned of my Highlander ancestry, which stimulated an interest in learning about their ancient culture, the Scots and Irish honored their dead relatives at Samhuinn ("Samhain" in Irish), as they joyfully prepared to TRY and survive the approaching Winter, with it's long black and frigid nights. These celebrations included bonfires, costumes, fortune telling, and feasting. Or, at least, that's how I comprehend what little I've read. Our Halloween originated as a pagan Druid celebration, later combined with Roman holidays, and still later, adapted by the Roman Catholic Church. I like the idea of being a pagan. Biologically, I'm fifty percent Danish, so I want to be a wild, pagan Viking, and drink mead from a horn. Okay, mox nix, I'm just having a bit of fun! Hey, I'm a guy, and I want to chase women in the moonlight. Thank you.  John Robert Mallernee  Armed Forces Retirement Home  1800 Beach Drive, Unit 311  Gulfport, Mississippi  39507 ************************************************************* *************************************************************