In my family any excuse is good enough for a bit of G rated, inexpensive family fun.. Christmas is the ultimate manifestation of this and Halloween can be too.
This is a great chance to do some fun crafts with the kids, decorate the house, have a little party, dress up, go trick or treating, and maybe learn a little about this tradition along the way.
Halloween does not have to be tacky plastic $2 shop decorations with a gory bloody theme. Anyone who has ever taken the time to learn about Halloween's origins will know that the meaning, like Christmas is far more in depth.
In Australia the philosophy of Halloween is somewhat topsy turvy. We live in the Southern hemisphere, so our seasons don’t align with the traditions of Halloween, being the Harvest Autumn Equinox associated with pumpkins, scarecrows and wreaths made of corn husks.
Halloween or All Hallows is thought to have originated in ancient Celtic times when the Festival of Shamhain (Summers End) was celebrated. Not nearly as morbid and gruesome as many Hollywood movies would lead us to believe. However the tradition goes on to state that on this evening the veil between the spiritual and the human world is thinnest, hence the ghosts.
To add a much more positive slant to this aspect its a lovely time to remember your lost loved ones, maybe leave them a little note or a gift, create a special shrine to them out of things they love, and just maybe they will come for a visit. If nothing else they will be remembered.
So in Australia we have actually entered the Spring Equinox (started 23 Sept) and are approaching the beginning of Summer Equinox (starting 21 Dec)...so our Australian themed Halloween should also include all things SPRING! Flowers, green foliage, floral garlands and wreaths, flower pot arrangements, daisy chains. If you have a little girl they will love this. I made wreaths with my nephews one year with a collection of flowers from my garden and they loved it!
Make decorations with the kids....for the cost of a trip to the green grocer for pumpkins and some orange and black paper from Spotlight, Lincraft or an Art supplies to make a wreath and all sorts of decorations. Halloween decorations don’t have to be just cheap toys from the $2 shops (although a few can help add to the effect).
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