The Gauls were the richest and most numerous peoples of the Celts. His prominence was such that the Greeks and Romans called the Celts Gauls. Gallic year ended at the end of the day was clear that today is October 31. Feast of the night of Samhain, the herds were returned to the prairie barn, and the sun was thanked for the harvest which was a help for the coming battle against darkness and cold.
The last day of the year it was assumed that the spirits could make a brief visit to their parents, while the Death God was trying to collect the souls of those who died during the year to reveal their fate.
On this night of 31 October to 1 November Samhain began. During the first night of the new year while they executed a ceremonial rigorous to ensure a good year ahead.
the evening, the Gauls had extinguished the fire in the hearth of their homes, then, during the night they gathered in a circle and solemnly Druids stifled the sacred fire of the altar, more rubbing branches dry oak sacred to ignite a new fire to honor the sun god, and frighten evil spirits. Each head of family received the red embers in the fire gathered to start a new in its hearth. This sacred fire was to protect the home from danger throughout the year.
The Gauls Odillon Cluny
Samein The festival was the most important holiday Gauloises. Pork commonly served at the table was replaced by two white bulls bound by the horns, sacrificed after picking mistletoe. The banquet brought together the whole village. We drank beer, wine, the mead ... The festival lasted a week for two weeks and be sure to scare the spirits, the Gauls were made up and wearing scary costumes.
Stir in the Catholic calendar Samain took several centuries. In the eighth century Pope Gregory III moved the feast of Saints in November. About 840 Pope Gregory IV facilities Toussaint, decreeing that the day before would be observed. Odilon de Cluny in 1048 chose Nov. 2 as All Souls Day. The English word comes from that era. All Hallows'day for All Saints, All Hallow E'en for the holy night before Halloween and became much later.
Halloween Ireland USA
While in France the Celtic culture disappeared, folk customs of Samhain continued to grow in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and parts of England.
One of the dishes served at dinner in Ireland on Halloween was called "Colcannon" . In this dish of mashed potatoes, parsnips and fried onions were mixed ring, a thimble, a porcelain doll and a play. Whoever found the ring would marry within the year, which found that the porcelain doll would have a child, who was the dice never marry, and that would have the chance to find the room would be rich.
Following a major famine practices of Halloween is moved with the great emigration of Irish to the United States from 1846 to 1848, taking with them one of the most popular Halloween Jack-O'- lantern.
Halloween in the United States
In the late nineteenth century that Halloween became a national holiday in the U.S., with its games, divination, and the custom of "Trick-or-treating ".......
Today many traders in the U.S. are more Business Christmas at Halloween! There are few movies, cartoons, soap operas have a scene that takes place during that night. We even met ET and Woody Allen!
Although Halloween is a celebration that October 31 is the entire month of October that American children prepare it: to decorate houses, to create his disguise, and get ready for the Trick-or Treating with a film Pillow to pick the most candy.
theme costumes and decorations revolves around the witches, black cats, ghosts, skeletons, fortune tellers, vampires, werewolves, pumpkins .......
drawing by Cecile married in 1987
Jack-o'-lantern According to the tradition of a Halloween night of October 31, a most popular character ; Jack-o'-lantern, Irish farmer good drinker and stingy, strolled in the barrens when the devil surprised. In the morning he came to claim his soul, Jack proposed a last drink. To pay, Satan turned into coin that Jack immediately buries it in his pocket. Trapped, the devil decided to take revenge to punish Jack's stinginess. When Jack died, St. Peter did not want him to heaven because he had committed too many sins and the devil kept his promise. Jack was then condemned to wander in the dark to find a place to rest. Seeing nothing there, he dug a large turnip and it put a little ember of hell to light. This famous name is Jack O'Lantern back.
In Ireland, the huge potatoes, rutabagas and turnips - instead of pumpkins, we did not find - were carved, sculpted heads awful and illuminated with candles to be used as a lantern to celebrate Halloween .
Colcannon
Preparation: 15 min
- 1 kg of potatoes
- 1 green cabbage 3 onions
- 3 tablespoons of cream
- 50g butter
- 50cl milk
- parsley
- Peel and wash potatoes. Cook in water boiling until they are soft inside.
- Drain, then mash them in a saucepan with milk
- Tackle then Onion: wash them, slice them and sauté in a skillet.
- Meanwhile, wash the cabbage, then chop it finely sliced, and add it to the onions. Let cook.
- Once finished cooking, add the onions and cabbage to the mashed potatoes.
- Bind the mixture with butter and parsley, and serve your dishes. There are more than sit at the table and enjoy!
