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AUTUMN EVENTS - FIREWORKS - HALLOWEEN |
STEP1. PLANNING |
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Event ideas continued
Traditionally Halloween parties have involved children dressing up in scary
costumes and trick or treating at neighbours doorsteps, but with a little bit
more imagination they can be turned into a good event for all the family. Ideas
could include a themed spooky fancy dress competition perhaps for the best
headless ghost costume, how about find the hidden scary characters placed around
your village or area or a vampires disco with red drinks to look like blood and
food to match, held in a darkened marquee with candlelit pumpkins on poles
lining paths leading to the entrance could be one idea. |
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| For bigger Halloween events, how about hiring
professional face painters to paint faces on children or a scary ghost train
ride from funfair or amusement ride operators. Most importantly remember to keep
it fun, not too serious or scary and always supervise children, never send them
of alone to look for things or knock on strangers doors to trick or treat. |
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KEY POINTS |
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CHECK LIST |
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Planning intro
Planning and research is the key to organising a successful event.
Find out more |
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Plan early
Start planning as early as possible.
Find out more |
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Your event aims
Establish what your event is setting out to achieve.
Find out more |
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Event ideas
Firework display, Halloween parties.
Find out more |
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Delegate tasks
Set up a committee and delegate tasks.
Find out more |
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When and where
Time and
place to hold your event.
Find out more |
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Financial planning
New events can need initial funding.
Find out more |
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RELATED ARTICLES |
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The origins of Jack o'Lanterns
One of the first images that comes to mind when we think of Halloween is
probably the Jack o'Lantern: a hollowed, candle lit, pumpkin carved in a head
shape with an eerie expression. The origins of Jack o'Lanterns stem from Irish
folklore where potatoes or parsnips were probably more likely to have been used
as lanterns. During the Irish potato famine hundreds of thousands of Irishman
immigrated to America where pumpkins became more readily available and were
adopted as Jack o'Lanterns. Over the years the tradition of using pumpkins has
been exported back to Europe. |
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A drunkard Irish blacksmith named Jack had the misfortune to
run into the Devil in a pub, some say on Halloween night. Jack had too much to
drink and was about to fall into the Devil's hands, but managed to trick the
Devil by offering his soul in exchange for one last drink. The Devil turned
himself into a sixpence to pay the bartender, but Jack quickly pocketed him in
his purse. Because Jack had a silver cross in his purse, the Devil could not
change himself back. Jack would not let the Devil go until he promised not to
claim his soul for ten years. |
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The Devil agreed and ten years later Jack the Devil while
walking on a country road. The Devil wanted to collect, but Jack, thinking
quickly, said "I'll go, but before I go, will you get me an apple from that
tree?" The Devil, thinking he had nothing to lose, jumped on Jack's shoulders to
obtain the apple. Jack pulled out his knife and carved a cross in the trunk of
the tree. This left the Devil in the air, unable to obtain Jack or his soul.
Jack made him promise to never again ask for his soul. Seeing no way out, the
Devil agreed. |
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When Jack finally died years later, he was not admitted to
Heaven, because of his life of drinking and being tight fisted and deceitful.
When he went to apply for entrance to Hell, the Devil had to turn him away
because he agreed never to take Jack's soul. "But where can I go?", asked Jack.
"Back where you came from!", replied the Devil. The way back was windy and dark.
Jack pleaded with the Devil to at least provide him a light to find his way. The
Devil, as a final gesture, threw a live coal at Jack straight from the fire of
Hell. |
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To light his way and to keep it from blowing out in the wind,
Jack put it in a turnip he was eating. Ever since, Jack has been doomed to
wander in darkness with his lantern until "Judgment Day." Jack of the lantern
(Jack o'Lantern) became known as the symbol of a damned soul. When the term
jack-o'-lantern first appeared in print in 1750, it referred to a night watchman
or a man carrying a lantern. People believed that spirits and ghosts left the
grave on Halloween and would seek out warmth in their previous homes. |
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Villagers, fearful of the possibility of being visited by the
ghosts of past occupants, would dress up in costumes to scare the spirits on
their way. They would also leave food and other treats at their door to appease
the spirits, so they would not destroy their homes or crops, but instead move on
down the road. They also began to hollow out turnips with a face either painted
or carved into it, and place lighted candles inside, hoping the image of a
dammed soul would scare the spirits away. |
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