The holiday, held under the motto: "Treat me or die!", Has been confidently walking the planet for more than one millennium. For immigrants from the post-Soviet space, until a certain time, he was a stranger and unfamiliar, but gradually turned into one of the most fun and provocative youth holidays. It's about a bloodthirsty and chilling Halloween.
Bedtime story
This mystical holiday originates from Celtic mythology. The priests of this ancient people, called the Druids, gathered in oak groves, lit fires, and ordinary people rustled and had fun until the morning. What was the reason for such wild fun? The Celts believed that on the mystical night of the last October day, the borders between the worlds of people and spirits would become thinner, winter would finally come into its own, and the prince of shadows and his retinue would go for a walk. For this reason, the Celts believed that it was imperative to dress in unclean costumes in order for spirits to recognize a person as their own. According to the ideas of ancient people, the evil spirits had a beast-like appearance, so the costumes of raging around the fire were made of fur. In those days, the holiday was called the name of the lord of darkness - Samhain.
People on this witching night frantically fought with sleep, so that the devil did not drag them away, taking advantage of the defenselessness of the sleeping.
The Romans who arrived did not see anything reprehensible in this costumed act, so they safely combined it with the celebrations in honor of the goddess Pomona.
Unusual symbiosis
It is noteworthy that even the Catholic Church did not uproot Halloween celebrations. Rather, the higher clergy of the Vatican, of course, opposed pagan carnivals. Therefore, the pope deliberately postponed the solemn date of All Saints Day to November 1, but this involuntarily connected the two holidays. A paradoxical situation has been fixed all over the world: along with Catholic masses, the mummers visit houses with insistent requirements to give them sweets and other treats.
Foreign evil
In Western Europe and the USA, an unusual celebration is celebrated magnificently and cheerfully. Halloween for children and adolescents is a time of pampering and crazy antics, for which no one will condemn. On the day of commemoration of the ancestors, according to tradition, it was believed that the souls of the deceased come into their homes, wander around the rooms in search of refreshments. But along with them witches, goblins and demons could enter the house, therefore, having changed clothes, they could be scared away.
But the Halloween story for children and youth is not very relevant, for them the main thing is the action itself: night vigils, an abundance of gifts, the opportunity to stand out from the crowd and scare adults. Despite the fact that Halloween is not recognized as an official holiday, they celebrate it no less pompously than Christmas. Crowds of disguised evil spirits walk around the houses of civilians with the advent of darkness, jokingly begging for presents.
Jack Lamp: A must for Halloween for kids
Halloween for children is, first of all, costumed festivities, sweets and, of course, pumpkin. Why can't a mystical celebration go without this trivial vegetable? There are two versions. According to the first, it was believed that a large and juicy pumpkin is a symbol of a generous harvest, and therefore, it speaks of the end of the summer-autumn period. And the candle, which is placed in the middle of the orange beauty, helps to scare excessively curious spirits.
Another version is based on an Irish legend. Once Jack, a man not alien to sins, twice managed to circle the devil’s finger . For this, the lord of evil promised not to send Jack after death to hell. But there was no place for sinful Jack in paradise either. To this day, a homeless man walks, lighting his way with a pumpkin lamp, waiting for the Day of Judgment.
What about us?
Interestingly, in the post-Soviet countries, the Halloween holiday for children and adults has become relatively recent. Of course, young people and children like to celebrate it more. Teenagers and students sew breathtaking costumes of crazy nurses, witches, heroes of Hollywood horror films and other evil characters. Celebrations last all night, especially brightly held in clubs and discos. The history of Halloween for modern children was embodied in night trips for gifts, dressing in gnomes, demons, ghosts and their sudden appearance in front of expecting adults. This witchcraft holiday has become especially active in the CIS countries in recent years, and judging by the increasing turnover, it promises to gain a foothold in public consciousness for a long time.
Features of the celebration of Halloween in puberty
Depending on age, you need to familiarize teenagers with the history of Halloween, to understand the significance of the holiday among ancient people, and its connection with modernity. Halloween for children will be slightly different. The costumes, character and duration of the mystical action will be different. Children are interested in gifts, sweets, mock-frightened faces of parents and neighbors. They are unlikely to like to wander around the yards in a suit until morning. Older children, by contrast, will enjoy having fun all night.
Particularly interesting for teenagers will be stories about various methods of fortune telling. For example, young people will be curious to know that on Halloween you can make a wish and immediately understand whether it will come true. To do this, cut the apple, and if you do not touch the seeds, then the desire will certainly come true. Dreams these days must also be treated with attention. And before going to bed, knowledgeable people follow the custom of the ancient Celts: they put an apple under their pillows and make a wish. In the morning, it is recommended to eat the fruit, then the desire will come true.
Halloween for decades
Halloween for children can and should be made memorable and exciting if only because it is unacceptable to forget the traditions of their ancestors. The younger the age group, the more fabulous should be the script and design. Halloween for children of 10 years can be carried out in the form of a matinee with magic characters. Both classic Baba Yaga, Kikimora, Koschey or Leshiy, as well as mystical characters familiar to children: ghosts, monsters, evil spirits, imps, can act as heroes of the action. Arranging children's Halloween, you should consider every little thing:
- thematic design;
- “Terrible” costumes;
- funny contests, games;
- holiday dishes in the finale of the action.
Ideas for writing a script will tell the fantasy. A universal circuit will look something like this.
- Particular attention is paid to the design of the hall. Required attributes: pumpkins with candles, spiders, cobwebs of threads, flies, worms, balls, with the faces of the terrible characters of fairy tales.
- To create a "chilling" atmosphere, you need to choose the appropriate musical arrangement.
- The guests of the holiday are selected by lot by means of lots. It can be various witches, devils, vampires and ghosts. Witches will differ from each other in masks: unclean power, frightening children in a dream, greedy, confusion, sneak. The devils (bouncer, glutton) and other evil spirits are distinguished by the same principle.
- There must be a conflict or problematic situation in the scenario. For example, Baba Yaga stole a bag of delicious gifts for guests, and in order to find him, one must overcome obstacles and complete the tasks of an evil dirty woman.
- Games and contests will be just steps to finally find gifts. To the accompaniment of malicious remarks of Kikimora or Babka-Yozhka, children perform funny tasks, answer tricky questions. The following can be an example of games: draw a portrait of a witch without looking at the paper; bite a hanging apple without using your hands. Also, a fun atmosphere will be supported by contests: who will pronounce a complex tongue twister faster; writing a congratulatory text with your eyes closed; guessing a song that Kikimore specifically distorts.
- After the gifts are found, they are handed out and everyone is invited to the table.
- Dishes should be called in accordance with the mystical atmosphere of the holiday: “tearful ghost”, “terrible nuts”, “salad taken from the head teacher”, “frightened berries from the Witch’s Swamp” and the like.
The main thing to remember: humor must be present in all endeavors. After all, Halloween is for children - the celebration is cheerful.
Creepy carnival
Careful attention should be paid to costumes. Otherwise, Halloween for children 11 years old will be boring and uninteresting. For example, the image of the devil is made in blood-black tones, horns are mandatory. Gloves and tail do not interfere.
For a ghost costume, you will need a sheet, which should be cut off the bottom. Black felt-tip pens need to draw a face. Another option: using safe baby cosmetics, whiten the face, making black circles under the eyes.
An indispensable attribute of a witch is a hat. Usually it is peaked, black. It depicts a cobweb or stars. Mandatory cloak. But the dress can be of any desired length.
These main characters of Halloween will decorate any holiday. A popular idea of the script for an interesting celebration can be a carnival contest for the best costume. The evil spirits in the jury should share their impressions of the contestants ’wardrobe:“ what a beautiful, nasty hat ”,“ excellent muck ”,“ this is the best disgusting cloak ”.
Twelve year old devils
Halloween for children of 12 years is characterized by greater maturity, freedom of ideas and costumes. Costumes of vampires, zombies, bats, mummies are added to the usual set. Characters of horror films are suitable: "A Nightmare on Elm Street", "Friday 13", "Dracula" and others. You can create the image yourself or by buying a suit in a specialized store. For example, a vampire must have a black cloak with a scarlet lining, a large cross or a butterfly. For reliability, it is worth adding artificial pallor, characteristic teeth.
You can depict a bat by wearing leather trousers, high boots, a vest and a cape with webbed wings. For girls, a Gothic dress, high gloves and boots are suitable. Reliability will give a wide drape. Black arrows, white powder and bright scarlet lipstick are required in makeup. Needless to say, cosmetics must be safe and of high quality.
The easiest way to make a mummy costume. To do this, you need to buy as many bandages as possible.
The scenario can be varied by creating a “Room of Fear” and adding various contests. The terrible room should be properly decorated: hang spiders and bats under the ceiling, leave only pumpkins with candles inside the lighting, and do not limit yourself to terrible faces carved on them: it can be flying witches, skeletons. The room in the most unexpected places should be placed images of ghosts, monsters, skeletons. Music is carefully thought out: it must be low and intense. Sighs, sudden sobs are not out of place.
As for the contests, the hilarious game “Make a Tail” will fit perfectly into any scenario. Its essence is that the drawn donkey should try to attach the tail with his eyes closed.
Also interesting is the "Play a Role" contest. The host gives the participants “roles”: thunder, lightning, curtains, robbers and others. The roles are accompanied by cool sounds made by a group of participants on the team of the host of the event.
Halloween home
Halloween is also entertaining for children at home. On your territory, with not so much effort, you can make a grand party. To do this, consider the following points:
- invitation cards for guests;
- appropriate decor;
- The scenario of the "creepy" event;
- costumes and makeup.
Postcards are best made on their own and handed out in advance, thereby giving guests the opportunity to dress up. Decorate the premises of the house in orange-black tones. It is recommended to set the table in accordance with this color scheme. A lot of interesting things are going on sale before the holiday: spiders, flies and worms. A mandatory subject should be a scraped pumpkin with candles. It’s nice to hang an artificial web.
Everything needs to be thought out - from music and entertainment contests to treats. Be sure to ask the child who he wants to be at the celebration in order to make a scary character costume on time.
Halloween for children, the photo of which is presented in this article, clearly demonstrates how enchantingly you can create a festive atmosphere.