Tag Archives: Halloween

HALLOWEEN

 

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It`s Halloween! It`s Halloween!
The moon is full and bright
And we shall see what can`t be seen
on any other night:

Skeletons and ghosts and ghouls,
Grinning goblins fighting duels,
Werewolves rising from their tombs,
Witches on their magic brooms.

Jack-o’-lanterns grinning,
Shadows on a screen,
Shrieks and starts and laughter…
This is Halloween!

Happy and Safe Halloween Everyone!

HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS:

Alphabet letter S Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
Alphabet letter A Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
Alphabet letter F Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
Alphabet letter E Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.
Alphabet letter H Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. Always WALK and don’t run from house to house.
Alphabet letter A Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.
Alphabet letter L Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
Alphabet letter L Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
Alphabet letter O Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
Alphabet letter W Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
Alphabet letter E Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.
Alphabet letter E Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Only visit well-lit houses. Don’t stop at dark houses. Never accept rides from strangers.
Alphabet letter N Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS

Halloween is celebrated around the United States on October 31st.This is a fun time to dress up in costumes, go trick-or-treating, attend parties, and eat yummy treats.

Before heading out with your host children this year,please read the following tips offered by the CDC( Center for Disease Control and Prevention):

Alphabet letter S Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
Alphabet letter A Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
Alphabet letter F Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
Alphabet letter E Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.
Alphabet letter H Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. Always WALK and don’t run from house to house.
Alphabet letter A Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.
Alphabet letter L Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
Alphabet letter L Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
Alphabet letter O Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
Alphabet letter W Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
Alphabet letter E Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.
Alphabet letter E Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Only visit well-lit houses. Don’t stop at dark houses. Never accept rides from strangers.
Alphabet letter N Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Halloween 2012

October 31st is a big day for kids around this country and this year,with Sandy just behind us,Halloween will not be the same.

Au pairs,if you go out trick-or-treat tonight with your kids,be aware of downed trees and power lines.Avoid those streets and make sure it is safe.

Also ,here is a bit of history behind Halloween.Stay safe and have fun!images

How did trick-or-treating begin?
The modern practice of trick-or-treating appears to have originated from a combination of the Celtic new year celebration called Samhain celebrated on October 31st and the early Christian ritual related to All Saints Day, celebrated on November 2nd.

The Celts believed that on Samhain, spirits of the dead would come back and try to posses the bodies of the living. So to avoid being possessed by a ghost, living Celts would dress up in scary costumes and parade around the town making a lot of noise, so as to scare the spirits away. This is where the modern tradition of wearing costumes seems to have derived from.

As for the collection of treats, most scholars credit early Christians’ ritual of “souling” to the development of this festive activity. In connection with their All Saints Day celebration, Christians would walk door to door collecting square pieces of currant bread called “soul cakes”. The person who collected the cakes would say prayers on behalf of a deceased relative. The more cakes collected, the more prayers were said and the quicker the soul of the deceased would find heaven.
The combination of these two early activities has evolved into the modern practice of trick-or-treating.
How did “bobbing for apples” become a popular Halloween activity?
The apple has historically been associated with immortality and fertility because when cut down its center it has a five point star. This five pointed star was a common goddess symbol in many ancient religions and believed to help determine marriages, especially during the magical, spiritual season of Samhain. During early celebrations, apples would be hung either from a string or placed in a tub of water and young, unmarried people would try to take a bite. The first one to successfully bite the apple was believed to be the next one married.

Why are bats associated with Halloween?
In early Halloween celebrations, people often gathered around giant bonfires to ward off evil spirits. Night-flying insects were attracted to the flames, which made bonfires the perfect feeding ground for bats. Thus, bats became quickly synonymous with Halloween celebrations. Additionally, during the Middle Ages, people began to link bats to witches because the both seemed to mystically fly throughout the dark night and disappear during the day.

Have people always carved pumpkins for Halloween?
Jack-o-lanterns are an Irish tradition brought to America by early Irish immigrants. But early jack-o-lanterns were not pumpkins, they were turnips, rutabagas or gourds that were hollowed out. Lights were placed in them to ward off evil spirits and to keep “Stingy Jack” (the legendary Irish drunkard and prankster, believed to have made a deal with the devil and condemned to walk the earth upon death, whose namesake has been given to modern day, carved pumpkins) away. It was not until the 1800’s when Irish immigrants came to America and found pumpkins to be so plentiful and easier to carve, that the tradition was altered.

Halloween Safety for Kids

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The Trick-or-Treater Checklist

by Skye Schulte, MS, MPH

Remind your children that it’s important to:

  • Use a flashlight so they can see and be seen by others.
  • Stay in a group and communicate where they will be going.
  • Only go to homes with a porch light on.
  • Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.
  • If no sidewalk is available, walk at the farthest edge of the roadway facing traffic.
  • Never cut across yards or use alleys.
  • Never enter a stranger’s home or car for a treat.
  • Obey all traffic and pedestrian regulations.
  • Always walk across a street—never run.
  • Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks.
  • Remove any mask or item that will limit eyesight before crossing a street, driveway, or alley.
  • Follow the planned route and return home at the agreed upon time.
  • Don’t assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing trick-or-treaters. Just because one car stops doesn’t mean others will.
  • Never eat or drink unwrapped food items that may be offered.
  • Notify police or other law enforcement authorities if you see any suspicious or unlawful activities.

RESOURCES:

American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.aap.org/

HAVE A SAFE HALLOWEEN!

PUMPKIN CARVING

Pumpkin CarvingIMG_2647

Carve the pumpkin just a few days before Halloween if you want it to be nice on Halloween, as pumpkins rot quickly. Work with the children to plan the design on paper and then draw it onto the pumpkin before you begin cutting. Cut off a lid to clean out the inside of the pumpkin and design holes large enough to let light shine out when you’re done. With a special safe knife designed for pumpkin carving, the children can help carve the pumpkin. Check with your family to see if they have one of the special knives – they sell them in supermarkets if you need one. Always cut away from yourself using slow steady cuts. Scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh (this is a messy but fun job!). See the seasonal calendar for October for recipes using the seeds and the pumpkin you have cut away.

Pumpkin Carving and Decorating Safety Tips:

  • Don’t allow small children to carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers and then an adult or older sibling can do the carving.
  • Supervise children ages 5-10 and have them carve with pumpkin cutters equipped with safety bars.
  • Use small votive candles for candle-lit pumpkins.
  • Place lighted pumpkins on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects.
  • Never leave lit pumpkins unattended.

You can also follow this slide show on how to carve a pumpkin like a pro:

http://crafts.slides.kaboose.com/317-halloween-pumpkin-crafts

HAPPY CARVING!

HALLOWEEN GUIDE FOR AU PAIRS….

1031

Halloween is the day children dress up in costumes and, in many communities, go door-to-door to ask for candy.It is celebrated every year on October 31st.

Here are some interesting facts about Halloween:

How did trick-or-treating begin?
The modern practice of trick-or-treating appears to have originated from a combination of the Celtic new year celebration called Samhain celebrated on October 31st and the early Christian ritual related to All Saints Day, celebrated on November 2nd.

The Celts believed that on Samhain, spirits of the dead would come back and try to posses the bodies of the living. So to avoid being possessed by a ghost, living Celts would dress up in scary costumes and parade around the town making a lot of noise, so as to scare the spirits away. This is where the modern tradition of wearing costumes seems to have derived from.

As for the collection of treats, most scholars credit early Christians’ ritual of “souling” to the development of this festive activity. In connection with their All Saints Day celebration, Christians would walk door to door collecting square pieces of currant bread called “soul cakes”. The person who collected the cakes would say prayers on behalf of a deceased relative. The more cakes collected, the more prayers were said and the quicker the soul of the deceased would find heaven.
The combination of these two early activities has evolved into the modern practice of trick-or-treating.


How did “bobbing for apples” become a popular Halloween activity?
The apple has historically been associated with immortality and fertility because when cut down its center it has a five point star. This five pointed star was a common goddess symbol in many ancient religions and believed to help determine marriages, especially during the magical, spiritual season of Samhain. During early celebrations, apples would be hung either from a string or placed in a tub of water and young, unmarried people would try to take a bite. The first one to successfully bite the apple was believed to be the next one married.

Why are bats associated with Halloween?
In early Halloween celebrations, people often gathered around giant bonfires to ward off evil spirits. Night-flying insects were attracted to the flames, which made bonfires the perfect feeding ground for bats. Thus, bats became quickly synonymous with Halloween celebrations. Additionally, during the Middle Ages, people began to link bats to witches because the both seemed to mystically fly throughout the dark night and disappear during the day.

Have people always carved pumpkins for Halloween?
Jack-o-lanterns are an Irish tradition brought to America by early Irish immigrants. But early jack-o-lanterns were not pumpkins, they were turnips, rutabagas or gourds that were hollowed out. Lights were placed in them to ward off evil spirits and to keep “Stingy Jack” (the legendary Irish drunkard and prankster, believed to have made a deal with the devil and condemned to walk the earth upon death, whose namesake has been given to modern day, carved pumpkins) away. It was not until the 1800’s when Irish immigrants came to America and found pumpkins to be so plentiful and easier to carve, that the tradition was altered.

And now, are you ready for some Hallloween crafts and costume ideas?

This link will help you find some fun things to do with the kids:

http://crafts.slides.kaboose.com/316-halloween-crafts

http://crafts.slides.kaboose.com/254-homemade-halloween-costumes