Article  Celebrate a Centuries-Old Tradition with Halloween Wigs Halloween is a holiday that has gone through many changes over the years. From its origins as part of a Pagan festival to its modern day version, Halloween's meaning has transformed itself time and time again. Whether it is bobbing for apples or children in Halloween wigs, Oct. 31 has become a much anticipated holiday. It wasn't always like this. The Pagan festival of Samhain, dating before Christianity, was a time when the British marked the passing from a time of growth and sun-drenched days to the upcoming months of winter and death. Significantly, it was also a time when the Pagans believed that the veil between our world and the "Otherworld" was at its thinnest and therefore spirits of the departed could pass between the worlds. It's interesting to note that to our Pagan ancestors this was not something that was in any way frightening. Just the opposite in fact; it was a time to rejoice in the spirits of those who had left the mortal world and feel at peace knowing that parents, grandparents and even children who had died still survived in a spirit form. As with many Pagan beliefs, when Christianity arrived with the Romans, instead of banning or banishing such celebrations, the Church adapted them to their own requirements. Thus it was the Samhain morphed into All Saints' Day - a day that celebrated Christians that had died. If this all seems a long way from trick or treat and the wearing of costumes and Halloween wigs, it should be remembered that as time passes the original meaning of things and events often slowly change. It's therefore little surprise that a festival - or holiday as we now think of it - that originally honored the dead should become associated with spirits of the dead and in turn with what we have come to think of as ghosts. Samhain was also a time when cattle were slaughtered to ensure that there was food to last the long and cold winter. This association with blood has continued through the centuries and is now seen as one of the key images of a holiday that sees us revelling in scary tales and stories. When Halloween arrived in American, it almost immediately became a key holiday and during the twentieth century has become a major industry. It is a holiday associated with tricks, scary stories, horror films, costumes for plus size, costumes for kids and even costumes for infants. It is generally a good-natured family event. As humans, we seem to take some small pleasure in being scared (only up to a point) and Halloween provides many opportunities for this to happen. Whatever the arguments are against the holiday, there can be little doubt that by and large it is a time of year when many people, especially children, have a lot of fun. When we think about it, modern Halloween does have a direct link to those far off Pagan times. Our ancestors used the festival to celebrate their families while we actually get to spend time with our families. Mothers and fathers take their children around their neighborhood and introduce them to neighbors who might otherwise have remained strangers. Halloween can help promote family values and also improve a sense of community. Whether you are trying to pick an apple from a barrel with your teeth, knocking on your neighbors' doors for trick or treat or just simply taking pleasure in dressing up in scary outfits and Halloween wigs, October 31 can be one of the most pleasurable times of year as well as an opportunity to see how much candy a child can eat in a night. Now that's really scary. Category Shopping Author Anonymous Add To Favorites Print This Article Email Article To A Friend Post Comments   Rate This Article (0) 1 - Poor2345 - Good678910 - Excellent Added On Thu Sep 17th,2009