#Sweet broom plant meaning wicca crack#
In England another name for October 31 was Nut Crack Night. This practice of “going a souling” was eventually taken up by children and probably marks the beginning of the modern day trick or treating. They were also given apples and a spiced ale. Sometimes these sweet buns were flavored with saffron, although more often rosemary. They were given a special pastry called a soul cake (recipe below), in return for songs and prayers for the souls of the family’s dead relatives. It was celebrated with bonfires and people dressing up in costumes not that dissimilar to the early pagan Celtic celebration of samhain.įrom this came the old English tradition known as the soul day parade when the poor citizens of Shropshire would go door to door, begging for food.
The celebration was called All Hallows from the Middle English ‘ Alholowmesse’ meaning All Saints. This was a time to honor Martyrs and Saints. The evolution of this holiday continued as more changes came under the influence of Christianity when Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 as “All Saints Day”. Her symbol was the apple and it is generally thought that this explains the close association of apples with Halloween, for example the children’s game of ‘apple bobbing’. 43, the Romans had conquered the vast majority of Celtic lands and brought with them the autumn festival of Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. To commemorate the event they called samhain, the Druids built huge bonfires.īy A.D. They believed that on October 31 the boundary between the world of the living and that of the dead became blurred.
It’s interesting to note that as with many significant calendar dates, plants (many of which we consider herbs), have played and continue to play a conspicuous role as symbols from the past and as part of the modern day celebrations.įor the Celts, this day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the start of the long dark winter. The traditions of trick or treating, the costumes, the carved pumpkin and the broom by the front door all have ancient roots. Through time, various cultures and their traditions were added and incorporated, while the others became lost or distorted until we arrive at today’s amalgamation of folklore and tradition that mark this popular fall holiday.
The origins of Halloween date back 2,000 years to Celtic times and the Feast of the dead.
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