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On New Year's Eve, the Claus takes to the streets. The day starts early with breakfast at the house of one of the group. Dressing up and masking may take several hours. The performers come in groups of six consisting of six young men performing the roles of the female ‘roller' for rolling metal balls in round bells and the male ‘ringer' for ringing oversized cow bells. Traditionally, one roller leads the group from house to house where they roll and ring and then sing a traditional air for good luck in the New Year. The house tenant afterwards makes a gift to them, usually in form of money.

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After they received their gift, the group is lead by the leading roller to the next house, being followed by the four ringers and at the rear the second roller. The groups come in three kinds and are never mixed. The beautiful Claus (pictures above) wears a kind of Sunday garb with handcrafted hats and headdresses. These show scenes from rural life, either farming or arts and crafts. The bells may weigh up to 20 kg, and hats or headdresses again as much.

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The ugly Claus (picture above) is dressed completely in natural materials, twigs, straw, horns, antlers, or pigs' teeth might be used to complete his rig. Everything is done to make figure and mask as hideous as possible. The third group is the beautifully ugly Claus (picture below). Again, all materials are derived from nature, but handcrafted to make ornate headdresses or hats.

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By tradition, a Claus is always impersonated by young men, never women. But in the children's groups (picture below), boys and girls take part. Their costumes are just as elaborate as their elder's and weeks of sewing and preparing are spent before the great day comes. The rollers need hours of training to get the metal balls rolling in their round bells by only moving their body. The ringers take hours of training, too, to get equal ringtones from their back and front bells.

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This might look like one more heathen tradition transported into modern times, but it isn't. It started in the 16th century when young unmarried men thought this up. The day of St Nicholas on the 6th of December is an important day for children in Switzerland, as they will receive a small present on that day. Being too old for presents but unmarried, young men started the dressing up to visit the houses of their friends and wishing them a happy feast day.

The Church was not impressed with this carnival like way of preparing for Christmas and intervened. As everybody liked the idea anyhow, it was moved by mutual consent to New Year's Eve at the beginning of the 17th century and has been kept alive since then.

In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. The people were made ecstatic by the return of the sun. Mothers and daughters would perform their duties at home and await the return of the men, while fathers and sons, would go out in search of and bring home large logs, which they would set on fire. The people would feast until the log burned out, which, if they were lucky, could take as many as 12 days. The Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year.

The end of December was considered an ideal time for celebration in most of Europe. Not only were the people in the right frame of mind for a feast, but it was at that time of year that most cattle were slaughtered to avoid having to feed them during the long, barren winter months. For many, it was the only time of year when they had a supply of fresh meat. In addition, most wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking, another matter of great importance.

In Germany, people honored the pagan god Oden during the mid-winter holiday. Germans were terrified of Oden and took pains to worship him as he deserved, for they believed he made nocturnal flights through the sky to observe his people, and then decide who would prosper or perish. Because of his fearsome presence, many people elected to remain indoors, hoping to escape his notice.

Saturnalia

In Rome, winters, although not mild, were not as severe as those in the far north, so they celebrated Saturnalia -- a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture. It began in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continued for a full month, virtually turning the whole empire topsy-turvy. Food and drink were abundant and the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For exactly one month, slaves would become masters, peasants ran the city, and businesses and schools were closed so that everyone who was able to could join in the fun.

Around this time the Romans also observed Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome. It was also a time when many of the members of the upper class celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock. For some Romans, Mithra's birthday was the most sacred day of the year. Sound vaguely familiar?

Beginning of Christmas

The word Christmas comes from the old English "Cristes maesse" meaning Christ's Mass. The holiday celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the most sacred holiday and the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. The Bible does not record a date for his birth. There is some evidence to suggest that his birth may have occurred in the spring (it is not likely that shepherds would be herding their sheep in the middle of winter), but Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is a common assumption that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the tradition of the pagan Saturnalia festival and rob it of some of its importance.

First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to Scandinavia. Today, in the Greek and Russian Orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men found Jesus in the manager.

Church officials might have thought they were being clever by holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals, thus insuring that it would be widely accepted, but they also surrendered the ability to dictate the manner in which it was celebrated. By the Middle Ages, Christianity had almost completely extinguished the pagan religion. On Christmas, believers attended church, then celebrated raucously in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere similar to today's Mardi Gras. Each year, a beggar or student would be crowned the "lord of Misrule" and eager celebrants played the part of his subjects. The poor would go to the houses of the rich and demand to be given the best food and drink available. If the owners failed to comply, their rowdy visitors would terrorize them with mischief. Christmas became the time of year when the upper classes could replay their "debt" to society by welcoming and entertaining less fortunate citizens.

Christmas Outlawed

In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform and zealotry resulted in the cancellation of Christmas. This occurred when Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan forces took over England in 1645. Fiery in their righteousness, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas. Their day in the sun did not last very long and by popular demand, Charles II was restored to the throne and, with him, came the return of the celebration of Christmas.

The pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their strict Puritan beliefs than Cromwell, if less outspoken. They also refused to celebrate Christmas. So it was that Christmas was not a holiday in early America.

After the American Revolution, English customs understandably fell out of favor, including the celebration of Christmas. In fact, Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America's new constitution. Christmas wasn't declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.

Reinventing Christmas

The early 19th century was a period of upheaval, bringing with it class conflict and turmoil. During this time, unemployment was high and there was considerable resentment against the upper classes. This dissatisfaction exhibited itself in rioting by the lower classes often occurring during the Christmas season. This motivated certain members of the upper classes to undertake the formidable challenge of changing the way Christmas was celebrated in America.

In 1819, best-selling author Washington Irving wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, gent., a series of stories about the celebration of Christmas in an English manor house. To his way of thinking, Christmas should be a peaceful, loving and warm holiday bringing groups together across lines of wealth or social status. Touched by his vision of the perfect holiday, the public took up the call, abandoned their irreverent ways and began celebrating Christmas in much the way we know it today.

Gift Giving

In American/English tradition, gifts are opened on Christmas Day, having arrived during the night from jolly old St. Nick. There is also caroling, feasting, and happiness and good cheer all around, as friends and family come together to create that special Christmas atmosphere.

The custom of gift-giving on Christmas began with the Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Kalends. The very first gifts were much simpler than the more elaborate ones we've grown accustomed to nowadays. They were items such as twigs from a sacred grove to be used as good luck emblems. Soon, as is the way with human nature, that escalated to food, small items of jewelry, candles, and statues of gods. To the early Church, gift giving during Christmas was a pagan practice and therefore severely frowned upon and routinely discouraged. However, people refused to give up what they considered to be a harmless and fun custom, and eventually some justification was found, (although grudgingly), in the original gift giving of the Magi, and from figures such as St. Nicholas. By the Middle Ages gift giving was accepted.

Sources:

The History of Christmas

The History of Christmas 2

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Christmas in Australia is in the summer holiday season.  Students are getting reading for a lengthy summer holiday, which means an end to studying and homework.

Spending the day on the beach surfing, barbecuing and drinking beer with friends and family, is a perfect Christmas day for a lot of young Australians.

Of course no Christmas is perfect for the kids without a visit from the ‘Swag Man,’ whose favourite outfit is a blue vest and long baggy shorts.  He curls up in winter with his trusted dingoes, but at Christmas time he dusts off his four-wheel drive and sets off to deliver presents to the good boys and girls.

Bethlehem

 

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The Church of the Nativity is in the town of Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.  At Christmas, it is covered in lights, flags and a wonderful display of decorations.  There is a grand annual procession on Christmas eve, when natives and visitors huddle together in the church’s doorway (or stand on the roof) to watch the galloping horsemen and police mounted on Arabian horses.

On Christmas day, the Christians in the city paint crosses on their front doors and display a manger in their homes.  In the village square, a fine star is positioned on a high pole, reminiscent of the wise men who found baby Jesus by following a bright star.

Brazil

 

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In Brazil, Christmas time is a grand village effort and a time to work together. Early in December, impressive nativity scenes are put up in homes and in several key places in the villages. Every year a folk play, where shepherdesses and gypsies attempt to kidnap baby Jesus, is screened.

Papai Noel, who, according to popular Brazilian legend, lives in Greenland and brings gifts to deserving boys and girls, dressed in fine silk, to accommodate for the summer weather.

Catholics attend a midnight mass which finishes at 1 am on Christmas morning.  Celebrations then begin in earnest. Large meals, beach trips, fireworks and family get- together finish off a very bright and sparkling Christmas, where huge trees are decorated with fantastic colourful lights.

China

 

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Trees of Light (Christmas trees) are decorated with paper lanterns, paper chains, and paper flowers.  Children of Chinese christians hang muslin stockings and wait for Dun Che Lao Ren (Christmas Old Man, or Santa).

The Chinese New Year is the time of presents, luxurious food and large celebrations, because only a minority of Chinese people are Christians.  Nevertheless, Christmas is an enjoyable time of year, when families can get together and celebrate.

India

 

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Bananas plants and Mango trees are decorated at Christmas time in India.  Christians also decorate their houses with banana leaves.  Christmas is very bright and colourful. It’s a time of family togetherness above all else.  Extended families meet together to enjoy an extended meal time with a vast variety of tasty foods and snacks.

Clay oil-burning lamps are used as Christmas decorations.  These are placed on the edges of flat roofs and on the tops of walls. Poinsettias are widely used, along with lit candles, for Christmas evening church service.

Baba Christmas comes around in the dead of the night, to leave presents out for the children.

Iraq

 

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On Christmas Eve, Iraqi Christian families sit in a circle and read about the birth of Christ. After the reading, the family sing together around lit candles and a bonfire.

On Christmas day another bonfire is lit in the churchyard.  A Bishop leads the service and begins what is called the ‘touch of peace.’  He blesses one person by touching them, this person then touches another next to him, and the blessing is then passed on from person to person, until everyone present has received the blessing.

Spain

 

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The Christmas holiday is a huge celebration in Spain. It starts in early December, and on Christmas Eve (The Nochebuena), family members gather to pray and rejoice around the Nativity scenes set up in every home and key public places.

On the feast of the Epiphany, children leave their shoes on the windowsills, filled with straw and carrots for the horses of the wise men, who in turn leave them presents. There is a fantastic parade which is one of the biggest events in Spain.

Netherlands

 

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Sinterklaas (Santa) sails from Spain and leaves presents for the children, according to Dutch legend.  Sometimes Sinterklaas is even able to visit the children in person, when he changes his appearance to look exactly like their fathers. He rides a white horse and leaves presents in wooden shoes.

A special advent ceremony is held, where traditional home-made horns are blown to chase away evil spirits and announce the birth of Jesus. 

Mexico

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As part of the pre-Christmas preparations, elaborate puestos are set up in little towns and cities.  A fantastic array of all types of foods, crafts, jewellery and plants are put on sale for the Christmas celebrations.

Poinsettias, native to Mexico, are everywhere, as this flower has deep-rooted traditional connections to the Christmas celebrations.

A procession called Las Posadas begins nine days before Christmas, in memory of Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay. ‘Pilgrims’ travel from home to home asking to be taken in, but are refused entry until they get to a prior-dedicated house, where an altar and a nativity scene has been set up. When this happens, the celebrations begin with a prayer and feasting.

Children take turns at the piñata and food and drinks are served to everyone present.

Poland

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In Poland a 24 hour fast is observed from Christmas Eve day.  It is broken on Christmas (Gwiazdka) day with a great Christmas feast, when the first star of the night appears.

After the sighting of the star, a traditional rice wafer (oplatek) is blessed by the priest, broken into pieces and shared around. The main meal is made up of twelve courses (one for each apostle) and the table is always set with one extra place for the Holy Spirit.

Swiety Mikolaj shares out presents to boys and girls who have been good all year round.

I was fascinated by the obvious thrill that Christmas brings to all nations.  The celebrations, though so different, seem to all point back family togetherness as they remember the birth of Jesus Christ.

How does your family celebrate Christmas?

Happy Christmas to all!

This song is the most important asset on the Christmas market. Whether it be in the Sainsbury's ad, or the "on the hour song" at your local department store, it will not escape your hearing.

Amongst many others, "Last Christmas" by Wham or any song by the 50's group Mannheim Steamroller have been undoubtedly written to jingle away your sanity.

It goes without saying that there are endless numbers of tunes that make the festive season as merry as it should be, but let us take a look at what may pose as the top five most annoying Christmas tunes, that were all number one hits at some point of time (probably due to how infamous they are).

Grandma got run over by a reindeer

No, it is not an unexpected Christmas tragedy, but "Elmo & Patsy"s' Christmas song; perhaps the most inopportune songs.

The Little Drummer Boy

You hear it once, you get familiar with it. You hear it a second time, you think that's a sweet song for the festive season. Even if you hear it through the season you might not actually not classify it as an annoying tune, but then you hear Jessica and Ashlee Simpson exercise their vocal chords, and that's when you truly realise that nobody should ever let them sing Christmas Carols ever again.

Last Christmas

“Last Christmas I gave you my heart, but the very next day you took it away. This year to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special.” George Michael could not have sung truer words. There is no way that anybody should have to listen to this song this Christmas.

Deck the Halls

It is wonderful to know that the 70's brought outstanding musicians such as Jimmy Hendrix and Bob Marley to the forefront- so where exactly do the Mannheim Steamrollers come in?

Do they know it's Christmas ?

When Bob Gedolf and Midge Ure wrote this song in 1984 it goes without saying that they had their best intentions at heart. After all the Ethiopian famine relief was a serious matter. But I am pretty sure that there are many people who would agree with me if I said that Band Aid simply cannot get away with the same song every Christmas for over 2 decades.

So beware: before you leave the house or turn on your radio, make sure to be wearing those fantastic earmuffs you got last year and thought would never be of any use, because now you probably need them more than ever.

Jack-o-lantern

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The jack-o-lantern has been an indispensable part of the Halloween tradition since the Victorian era, thanks again to our Irish friends. On Halloween, jack-o-lanterns carved into a scary or funny face with a lighted candle placed inside, are set out on porches or placed in windows, but where once they were created in the hope of frightening away evil spirits that were on the prowl, now they are just a part of the celebration.

Originally, back on their home turf, the Irish would carve out turnips or beets to use as lanterns and use a burning lump of coal or a candle to light them. Here in America, however, turnips weren't as easy to come by, but there were pumpkins aplenty. So they substituted pumpkins and discovered that they served the purpose quite nicely.

While there are many legends pertaining to the origin of the Jack-o-lantern, one of the most widely accepted is that of "Stingy Jack." An Irishman known as a drunken trickster, Jack wound up on the wrong side of both God and the devil. Upon his death his soul was forbidden to enter either heaven or hell and so was doomed to wander the earth in eternal darkness forever. On his endless travels he carries a turnip with a burning coal to light his way. Fearing this unsavory character, the Irish of old would put jack-o-lanterns on prominent display around their homes on All Hallow's Eve, the purpose being that should Jack happen by, hopefully he would take the light instead of harming the occupants of the house.

Black Cats

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Throughout history black cats have been considered to be spiritual animals by many peoples. Some have worshiped them believing they have the ability to see spirits. Others have believed them to be reincarnated beings who could predict the future. Over the centuries black cats have also been much maligned. It was believed that witches owned black cats because they were able to assist them in performing their witchcraft and because they sensed a kindred spirit of darkness within these animals. During the Middle Ages black cats were feared because it was believed that witches could turn themselves into black cats. Whenever a black cat was seen it was avoided at all costs because it was perceived to be a witch in disguise. Unfortunately for them, during this time black cats were regularly hunted down and burned alive.

Bats

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Since bats are creepy nocturnal creatures, it's not surprising that they became known as omens of bad luck or evil but there is more to the story concerning their association with Halloween. The origins of the fear of bats began with the belief that they could communicate with the spirits of the dead, making their link to Halloween seem perfectly natural. As if to confirm this theory, in ancient times when Halloween was celebrated with huge bonfires it was a guarantee that bats would make an appearance, as if drawn by supernatural forces. Actually this was a result of the many mosquitoes that would congregate around the fires, providing an easy snack for the bats who would swoop down and snatch them out of the air. In addition, there was the widely held belief that vampires and witches could transform themselves into bats. Incidentally, the vampire bat is the only mammal that feeds on blood, thus linking bats to death and sealing their fate as terrifying creatures of the night.

Witches 

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Witches and witchcraft go hand-in-hand with Halloween. The image of a witch in black pointed hat riding a broomstick across the night sky is branded in every child's imagination. In ancient times it was widely believed that witches were able to see the future and to cast spells, both good and bad. This naturally made people fear and loath them. Since it was believed that supernatural powers were at their peak on Halloween night, it has caused witches to be forever associated with that time of year.

What made things worse for witches was a belief that flourished in the Middle Ages. With Halloween already considered a frightening time, people developed a belief in the existence of a cult of witches who worshiped Satan. They held meetings at certain times of the year called Witches Sabbaths, and the most important of these was on All Hallows' Eve. It was then that the Prince of Darkness, old Satan himself would appear to his loyal followers.

Ghosts

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The connection of ghosts with Halloween evolved with the ancient Celts, who celebrated Samhain -- the festival of the dead -- on the eve of their new year which began November 1st. Their belief held that spirits of the dead could return to earth as the boundaries between the lands of the living and the dead were blurred during this time. So it seems only right that ghosts became an integral part of Halloween.

Apples 

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Apparently the reason for the custom of ducking, dooking or bobbing for apples -- attempting to bite an apple floating in a bucket of water, or hanging from a string -- was that if a person managed to get a bite from an apple they would have good fortune. For unmarried people, the first person to take a bite out of an apple was considered to be the next to marry. Also, peeling an apple and tossing the peel over your shoulder was supposed to reveal the initial of one's future spouse.

Masks and Costumes 

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The custom of wearing costumes, although done in a more cheerful manner nowadays, originated with the Celts. While celebrating Samhain the Celts would wear costumes made from animal skins. This was in accordance with their belief that during this time the veil between the world of the dead and earth was at its thinnest and, ancestral spirits, or ghosts could roam freely here on earth. They hoped that the costumes would make them appear dead to avoid being harassed by these spirits.

Wearing costumes and masks for Halloween became popular here in America in the early 1900s. Stores began carrying Halloween costumes in the 1950s when trick-or-treating became popular throughout the United States.

I've lived on the prairies for many years but I've never seen anyone decorating their hay bales before!  The toothy grins greet all passersby and are an effective way of decorating what you have.  Super creative!

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The oddest places end up with Halloween displays in October.  This display in a parking garage is a great example of that.  I'm not sure how many trick or treaters they'd get down there but it sure is a great way to liven up a dreary space.  I love the cobwebs on the skeletons hands.  Nice touch.

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Here is yet another example of a Halloween decoration in an unexpected space.  These are available for purchase at www.allholidaytreasures.com or you could easily make your own with some red paint and a white shower curtain.  You can just hear the psycho music playing in the bathroom...  Shower at your own risk!

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These walls are instantly transformed with hideous zombie heads protruding from the wall paper.  Definitely a little too realistic for me!  I like the cracks drawn onto the fabric "wallpaper".  I wouldn't want to be watching scary movies in this room!

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This ghoulish walkway is eerily light with the devil's horns.  They sure give a creepy red, blood like glow to the walk way.  Imagine this from a toddler's perspective trick or treating with their parent's for the first time...  I bet they just don't know what to think at all!

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This super creative hand made wreath is a great way to greet Halloween visitors.  It's "Nightmare Before Christmas" theme is easily removed, leaving a pretty green wreath in it's place.  The shooter of this photo hand made the wreath with greenery and added a paper mache skull to complete the theme.

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Sometimes home made decorations are the way to go.  This house boasts a huge spider web made by string ropes around the entire front of the house.  A small section is left open to the doorway so that people can come and go.  I've never seen anything quite like this before.  Some people are soooo creative.  I just love it!

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Sometimes, the devil is in the details.  Sorry, couldn't help it!  I love the way this skeleton's torso is still "buried" underground.  It definitely looks like it's scrambling for freedom and is about to run after you down the street.  I especially like how the headstone is blank.  You can look at it two ways -- someone was lazy and forgot or it's left blank so that the victim's name can be filled in after the skeleton catches up!

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Sometimes the allure of the decoration is all about placement and lighting.  This ghoulish skeleton looks like it's about to leap off the balcony and glide down to eat your brains, all while being illuminated in a spot light.  It this was somewhere else and wasn't lit like it is, it wouldn't be nearly as creepy.

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In this front yard, a red spotlight is used to spotlight the devil swooping down out of the tree.  The addition of the gravestones, skeleton and cobwebs add to the effect.  I'd think twice before trick or treating here!  I especially like how there are arms trying to claw out of the ground on the headstone to the left.

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I guess whoever set up this jamming decoration is as afraid of dentist's as I am.  "Hardcore Dentistry" is a spooky name for a band!  Zombie band witha spider for a microphone and giant pointed teeth - meh.  Make them dentists and suddenly they're terrifying!!!

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Here's a homeowner who has gone all out.  From the pirate skeleton hung by it's wrists and ankles to ghosts hanging in the trees to zombies with arms outstretched.  This is the place to be on Halloween, obviously.  My favorite is the "shrunken head" jack o'lantern on a stick.  Super funny and creepy.

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This house has everything you can imagine and lots you'd prefer not to!  Dead men hanging from trees, the devil with wings on the roof, mummies, jack-o-lanterns and lights galore.  I hope they have extra candy because lots of people are going to want to come and check this place out!

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These two pictures show a very erethral yard full of ghosts and spectres in an extremely haunted graveyard.  The lighting is amazing and would make even the bravest kids run screaming.  The mummy glowing in the mists with outstretched arms is especially creepy.  This is far from your average yard decorations for Halloween!  So creative, imaginative and downright skilled.

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Instead of glowing, floating ghosts, this yard goes straight for the gore.  Giant rats gorging themselves on a rotting, decaying body.  Disgustingly realistic, right down to the blood that is covering everything.

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This final display will make kids everywhere even more freaked out to go to the doctor!  It's unknown what kind of experiments this mad physician is performing on the bloody corpse.  The nurse is even involved in this one with a giant needle in one hand and a shocked face (or maybe blow up doll face!).  My favorite is the shelf filled with all sorts of horrors that is in front of the nurse -- a severed head and jars full of all sorts of human (?) parts and oddities.  Gore at it's finest!

So, get out there and start decorating folks.  Halloween will be here sooner than you think!  Here are some more "Halloween themed" articles I've been working on:

• Absolutely Absolutely Bizarre Adult Halloween Costumes
• 15 Incredible Jack-O-Lanterns
• 12 Very Strange Childrens Costumes Not For the Faint of Heart
• 10 Hysterically Funny Cat Halloween Costumes
• 10 Hysterically Funny Dog Halloween Costumes
• Funny Toddler Costumes for Halloween

Trespassing rabbits aside, let us decipher the origins of the common traditions we hold near and dear during Halloween.

Carving Pumpkins

The Irish, always good for an interesting story, gave us this one.  Jack was a known jerk around town.  One of many versions of the Jack story tells that Jack invited the devil to have a drink with him.  Like so many of our friends from college, Jack shafts the devil with the bill, asking the devil to turn himself into a coin to pay for the drinks. The story gets weird when the devil actually complies with this request.  Jack placed a cross next to the coin, trapping the devil.  Jack decided to release the devil on a few conditions.  Conditions being, the devil wouldn't bug Jack for a year and upon death, he couldn't take his soul.  At this point, Jack sounds about as bright as a guy who has the devil trapped and doesn't know leverage when he's got it.  Do remember this is being told by the Irish who have a history of questionable origin stories.  For the record, I might have asked for a million wishes. 

When it came time for Jack to close the tab on life, the devil - true to his word, did not take Jack's soul.  But God didn't want him either, being that making deals with the devil is generally frowned upon.  Seems the devil is looking less like a bumbling idiot in this story than previously thought.  In an unfathomable display of generosity, the devil tossed Jack a burning flame from the depths of hell to light Jack's way as he wandered the earth for eternity.  Jack gourdes a turnip - his favorite food, and placed the flame in the cavity.  Thankfully, he wasn't fond of bananas.

Today, you carve a pumpkin to ward off Jack's spirit.  Even though he is probably off somewhere trying to convince the Easter Bunny to turn himself in an American Express card.  

Dressing Up in Costumes

People have been dressing in costume since around the Middle Ages, for reasons other than holiday spirit, more likely for orgies and parties.  This was a tradition that was more or less taken over by Americans, and turned into the day that women can feel free to compete against other women to wear the least amount of clothing.

There is speculation that this might have been started by the Celts. They celebrated Samhain, which marked the end of summer and the beginning of a harsh winter. On this day, the lines that usually divided the living from the dead were a bit fuzzy.  Thus, the living had to frighten the wandering spirits off, by wearing animal skins and heads.  When the Romans took over, they adopted the tradition, and redirected the focus to worship of the gods.  When the Catholics took over, they redirected the focus to saint worship.  When the Americans got to it, we redirected the focus to Spiderman worship.   

Trick-or-Treating

Trick or Treating dates back to the Middle Ages, when beggars would go to door to door, trading prayers for the dead for food.  There isn't a clear line that connects this practice to the modern North American trick-or-treating, making it seem as though Americans came up with the idea to send their kids out begging door to door all on their own.  It made a slow spread until World War II, when sugar was rationed.  No one wanted raisins, so it died off during this time.  To this day, it is customary to avoid houses that give out anything remotely healthy, or black licorice.  It wasn't until Disney came out with a cartoon about trick or treating that it really built up steam.  

As is the custom, Americans made trick-or-treating a brand of their own by placing needles, hallucinogens and poison in the candy and giving it out to children.

Bobbing for Apples

After the Romans took over Samhain, Pomona, the goddess of fruit, was elected the mascot of the holiday.  Apples were a known symbol of fertility.  The Romans used apples as a way to determine marriages, thus spawned the game of trying to bite into an apple in water or hanging from a tree.  But it was less of a game than it was a bloodsport.  The first person to bite the apple was the next one to marry.  Marriage and having children was important, in order to produce more laborers; an idea I can get behind.

Do you remember bobbing for apples?  Fall was in the air, maybe you had a little cold.  So did the other twenty children who dunked their snotty faces into a bucket of water and attempted, and often failed, to put their mouths around a piece of food, and everyone else followed suit.  Kids have dandruff and lice too.  Bam.  There goes your childhood memory.

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A very young Sarah Palin catches a glimpse of her husband-to-be in the mirror on Halloween.  Is it just me, or is there more than a passing resemblance?  Whatever the case, not sure that she would want the guy standing behind her to be her "First Dude".  When the gods wish to punish us, as they say, they give us what we want.  The insert of the witch in the bottom right of the card looks a little too much like a campaign button if the truth be told!

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Let's carry on with a really cute example!  Little Johnny gets spooked out by a black cat, leering at him from the window.  Ah, the innocent days, when it wasn't one's pedophile neighbor but next door's moggy that was the source of terror!  Most parents today would be mighty concerned about the proximity of that naked flame to Little Johnny.  This leads to a question.  Is it, perhaps, that his evil pyromaniac plans have been discovered, rather than an ailurophobic attack?  There is a touch of the young Doctor Evil about the kid, after all!  Yeah, baby, yeah!

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Before the advent of e-cards there was always scope for a little shock or two in the mail!  This vintage card of a little girl with a pumpkin head is a light hearted good will message to a friend or a family member.  What is slightly spooky about it, however, is the maniacal grin on the face of the little girl - not to mention the three black cats on her dress.  What sort of Halloween, exactly, would you be wishing on your acquaintances by sending them this?   Perhaps Harry Potter is evil after all.... Oh dear!  Again, though, is it just me or is there a little of a proto-Lisa Simpson here? Okay, it's just me!

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Black cats are often associated with witches and witchcraft, as we have already seen.  This one comes with a neat green ribbon around its neck, plus a witch's hat and broom to boot.  The cat does look as if it has just been hanged, perhaps - it has a slightly quirky surprise on its face that could be a merry greeting or, possibly, just possibly a "WTF" expression as it resigns itself to its fate.  Even then back cats tired of the yearly stereotyping.

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Give this costume to a kid today and it is likely your shins would be sore for a month.  "Where's my Scream mask, mommy?" they would yell as they headed for the nearest child welfare officer.  The message on the card harkens back to gentler times as well.  The use of the word "jolly" certainly dates it.  A lot of the e-cards that are sent this time of year are just a little more graphic than this!

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A dirty mind would immediately have a field day with the sentiments expressed on this card, and that is perhaps was a cynical century will do to a person.  A teenage boy gets extremely lucky on Halloween.  A quick visit to the family planning clinic for the morning after pill - times two - may well have been in order after this particular Halloween jaunt!

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Things did get a little spookier back then and this embossed silhouette of a pair of witches on toadstools does it very well.  The traditionally point noses (and fingers!) of the witches are particularly well done.  It makes you wonder what exactly they were discussing here - perhaps the recipe for a new spell or how many children it would take to restore their youth?  Who can say?  Certainly though, these old crones need to hone their listen skills - they are both talking away ten to the dozen and not listening to what the other one has to say at all!

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This is so sweet - perhaps intended to be sent by a young man to his fiancée.  The message is in the rhyme - that he has no fear of witches when there is someone like his elfin love around to protect him.  Aw!  Notice the cat having a crafty cigarette when he thinks that no-one is watching him!  Unfortunatly, the witches have noticed that he has stolen one of their Malboro not-so-lites and his two friends are trying to warn him before he gets bashed on the head!

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Stayin with cats for a second, just how many cats can a witch have?  If this were today these harmless old ladies would be reported to PETA or the SPCA and banged up in prison for a few years for dangling their cats from great heights.  The message is a little strange as well - "may your future predicted by witches be bright".  A quick dip into folklore - or Shakespeare even - will show you pretty quickly that when witches predict the future, rarely is it shiningly optimistic!

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This is a little more contemporary in its use of imagery - almost like something from a Tim Burton film.  Or is it better to say, perhaps, that Tim Burton is retro? A group of children have their Halloween supper spoiled by a pumpkin with attitude (who has recently taken a whole lot of funny pills, by the looks!).  The resulting chaos - even carnage perhaps - is not pictured.  However, the picture does its job - Halloween can and should be scary!

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About time some little devils made an appearance!  These guys seem to be wearing their gym kits still, but still prove able to send a (slight!) shudder down the spine!  This card may not have been suitable for sweethearts to send each other, perhaps!  That depends on the sweet hearts, one supposes: these imps look like they have been spending a little too much time down the YMCA, if you get my drift.

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Family units can come in all shapes and sizes and these differences should be respected by the rest of us, yes?  Possibly not if your next door neighbors look like these guys.  Guaranteed to send house prices plummeting quicker than you can say sub-prime, this particular family would be good to threaten your kids with if they were naughty - they would probably end up in the pot!

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The girl with the apple has a dreamy look in her eye that suggests her mind might be elsewhere as she takes a great big bite!  The biggest question this postcard poses is where, exactly, is that apple being hung from?  Plus, why do the older generation go on about the blurring lines between the genders when they regularly dressed their boys as girls until they hit puberty? 

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The corn cob pipe might not get past the censors these days, but this is a wonderfully imaginative idea, with the silhouette of the witch rising from the mouth of the pipe.  The scarecrow does look a little worried about what is happening - as if he is just about to meet his fate and he is giving you that final, ironic, "That's Life" look!

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It says FUN, girls!!  Come on!  Way before Cyndi Lauper hit the scene, girls were having fun.  Well, maybe not these two, who look as if they have just had a fine spanking and told to hold still for the camera.  The look on their faces is one of sheer misery; no wonder the moon looks surprised!  Marketing, one can only assume, was in its infancy back then! 

I would like to express my thanks to riptheskull for making these images available for use.

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Well, to be fair, we do not have a time machine, so we can only reconstruct the holiday based on what we do know. Two things are for certain, it was a Pagan holiday, celebrated by the Celtic people, and it was not evil. The time was called "Samhain" (say sow-win) and was a two, or three day festival. It was to mark the end of summer, the beginning of winter. A time when people of an ordinarily ordered society, were allowed to be silly and do odd things. A time of harmless pranks, much like our "April fools day". People dressed up, generally in reversed roles, men as women, and visa-versa. People, not just children, went about collecting food hand outs from the farmers for a feast. Turnips were hollowed out to use to carry candles in.

It was also a practical time when the old and sick animals were slaughtered, to be preserved and eaten. If there were fewer animals to feed throughout a tough winter, it simply made things easier on the people. As such many of these animals were honored by having their skulls displayed. This was also a time to worship and celebrate dead ancestors.

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In today's society we find death creepy and uncomfortable, something to be feared. Back then it was more accepted and there was no doubt in people's minds about a happy afterlife. There was no threat of hell so people simply assumed their dead relatives were at peace, but could return to walk among them on that day, to visit, and share the festival.

Early Christians put alternate meanings on most things associated with the holiday. People were told that the dressing up was to scare the evil spirits and ghosts away. In fact much was changed when the early Christians realized they simply could not get people to stop celebrating.

A name change was in order, you may have heard it was called "All Hallows Eve", and a Christian holiday was moved from May to November first. This being All-Saints day (also known as All Hallows Day, which some nations still celebrate in the spring). Even today some religions try to forbid Halloween, due it its pagan origins. It must be noted though, that both Easter, and Christmas had pagan origins too, and most of the traditions we associate with those holidays, from the eggs to the tree, come from the pagan celebrations, Easter, and Saturnalia respectively.

Let us be fair. Halloween was not a time of "cat sacrifice" nor a time to worship Satan. As we know the early pagans did not worship the devil. The devil is a Christian belief. People blame Halloween for allowing mischief and vandalism, but the day cannot control what people do. If people go beyond harmless pranks and commit crimes, they are responsible for their own actions.

Some people want to avoid passing out a few dollars worth of candy on this day, so turn off their house lights to avoid the "trick or treating" children, so who really is the child here? That same person probably spends hundreds of dollars at Christmas without a moments thought.

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So embrace the day, dress up and have fun, pass out candy, carve a pumpkin or turnip. Do not torture cats, or other animals, or destroy property. Enjoy the day, celebrate the coming winter. What is in your mind at the time, is what you are celebrating, no matter what was done in the past.

Samhain, the Celtic New Year was celebrated each year on October 31. The Celts believed that on this day each year, the dead would rise from their graves to wander the land in search of earthly souls to possess. If these dead corpses weren't enough to worry about, their were also witches, black cats, goblins and werewolves prowling about in search of some unwary human to possess or attack (as with black cats and werewolves).

Samhain was also considered the best time of the year for divination concerning marriage, luck, health and death.

Many who read this will find the ancient Samhain rites amusing. They will see it as a joke in the same way other superstitions are laughed about. And, this bit of historic trivia might be dismissed with such lightheartedness if it weren't for a most unsettling fact contained in Merriam-Webster's Colligate Encyclopedia: “Halloween/Samhain” pg. 713

“It (Halloween) is still associated with evil spirits and the supernatural.”

Modern Traditions

Two modern traditions often included with Halloween celebrations; dressing in costumes and building bonfires had its origin with the ancient Samhain festival. The Druids (holy men) of the Celtic community would build bonfires to dispel evil spirits. Towns people would dress in costumes to help confuse the corpses, witches, goblins, black cats and werewolves so they would not attack or attempt to possess them.

Trick or Treat Origins

The tradition of trick or treat has several accounts for its origin.

Halloween was once a Christian holiday providing an opportunity for the more fortunate of the community to do good for the poor and needy. Hundreds of years ago Halloween was known as Hallow-Even or Holy Evening by the Christians. It was a holiday that was greatly anticipated by both adults and children as it provided the opportunity for them to extend kindness and comfort to the needy.

Christian women would bake small cakes; sometimes with nuts or fruits in them, to be handed out to the poor when they came to visit that evening. Children were bustled off to bed with as much ease as any child would be on Christmas Eve! A candle was placed in the window to show the needy there would be a cake and good cheer if they knocked on the door.

Then this do-good tradition changed: Pranksters dressed like witches, ghosts, and even the devil would follow, chase, or jump out from behind bushes and trees to scare the poor people from receiving the goodwill and treats of the Christians.

In Ireland, the period between October 31 and November 2 is called, “Hallow Tide”. On October 31 (or All Hallows Eve), Irish beggars would go to the homes of the wealthy to ask for food or money. Very few refused these beggars because they didn't want to risk the beggar calling down a curse for them to be destroyed by evil spirits.

Why did the rich bow to this manipulation tactic? It was Halloween; no one wanted to take a chance on this curse really happening! So the rich handed out soul cakes (current buns) and candy bags choked full of goodies.

There is another account of trick or treat dating back to the Middle Ages. At this time it was referred to as “Souling”. On November 2, the last day of the Hallow Tide, Christians would to door to door begging for soul cakes (current buns). In return they would pray for the souls of the dead ancestors of the household who provided the treat.

However, the term, “trick or treat” is definitely a modern innovations of the United States culture, dating back only to the 1930's.

Today…

How do we think of Halloween? Are the evil influences still prevalent? Is it still a “dark” holiday? Judging from one internet article I would say, “Yes, so it seems that the evil forces are still a part of this holiday.”

“It's Halloween - time of the year that's absolutely freakish and screamingly fun. A time when the line between the world of the living and the world of the dead is the thinnest and you're sure to freak and scare with ghosts, goblins, witches and werewolves - prowling all around - both in their selves and in costume. Halloween is an occasion to let loose the naughtier side of you.” - roycowdrey.

Does this mean it's really okay to be afraid of the dark and even admit it? So it seems. It seems like Halloween makes it okay to be afraid of the dark and all the evils which lie within its darkness. Certainly at any other time of the year it just isn't “cool” for an adult to admit being frightened by the dark!

Halloween it a holiday so many look forward to with unexplained anticipation. Retailers begin preparing months in advance for one of the must lucrative sale periods of the year. People buy Halloween merchandise by the carloads. Yet, although this is a highly commercialized holiday (especially for the United States and Great Britain) it is still a pagan holiday often filled with “tricks”, which manifest out to be prankish acts resulting in property damage and/or physical harm.

The Christian Community

The Christian community is quite divided over the question of celebrating Halloween.

Some Christians see it just as a day of some innocent fun, and they do keep it as a time for fun and socialization.

Others celebrate it with a reserve amount of caution. They celebrate but in moderation and it is kept really low keyed. If they decide on costumes none are permitted which denote evil (witches, ghosts, devils, werewolves, black cats, etc.)

I worked for a Christian school a number of years ago. The entire week before Halloween was designated as Oktoberfest week. Each day the children (and any adults “young-enough” to participate) would dress according to what the administrated suggested. Example Monday might be Inside-Out Day. This was the day clothing was worn inside out. Maybe Tuesday might be Crazy Hat day. Wednesday might be Occupation day (a day to dress like someone in an occupation). There were kids as clowns, policemen, firemen, astronauts, sailors, ballerinas, and one forth grader who did not have the means for costume, came in his white shirt, tie, and dress slacks carrying his Bible. I smiled, “Mark, you look very nice today.” His reply, “Thanks Miss Hoover, I didn't have money for a costume so I decided to come as a preacher.” The week ended on Saturday with an all day festival called Oktoberfest. It was truly an old fashion carnival atmosphere with booths for games and food. And there were contests between the kids and faculty with the help of any brave parent who wanted to join the faculty side.

Fundamentalist Christian's flat-out say “No.” to celebrating this day due to three reasons:

• The origin is steeped in the occult and paganism.
• Too many recent accounts of serious damage to property
• Heart renting accounts of physical harm done to young Trick-or-Treaters.

Influences of the Occult

How on earth could I arrive at the conclusion Halloween is a form of occult celebration?

Do you know that on this night, in witch's covens, it is the changing of the priest to the priestess who will oversee the coven? The activities which transpire are deplorable. It is a time of anything goes and the uglier and more diabolic the better. This is also a time in which packs are made with the Devil for evil powers (especially in covens where black magic rules).

There is also the fact that Halloween was birthed in paganism. But that was long ago; this is 2008, the just argument may surface.

According to information gleaned from Wikipedia Encyclopedia these statistics will serve to illustrate the influences of the occult in modern day Halloween celebrations throughout the world.

In Europe, many cultures believe that Halloween is the only time of the year evil spirits can make contact with humans to possess them.

In modern day Ireland, adults and children dressing as creatures from the underworld (witches, goblins, ghost, etc.) put salt in their hair to ward off any evil spirits.

Scottish parents carve out the face of the devil in a neep (or turnip) which has been hallowed out much like we in the States hallow out pumpkins. A candle is placed inside the neep to scare away any evil fairies as the children participate in a costume parade through the town's streets.

Divination games are played in rural homes of both Scottish and Irish American families.

These games relate back to the divination practice of the ancient Celts, in foretelling one's future spouse; wealth, health and happiness for the coming year.

In today's culture, adults prefer costumes of witches and vampires for Halloween parties over any other type costume.

The Imagery and Colors of Halloween

The imagery of Halloween is depicted repeatedly in these ways:

• Death
• Magic
• Ghosts
• Spirits
• Witches
• Vampires
• Werewolves
• Bats
• Black cats
• Goblins
• Vultures
• Spiders
• Mummies
• Skeletons
• Demons
• The Devil

The colors of Halloween have strong occult symbolism.

• Black - death, night, witches, vampires, hell, bats, black cats
• Orange - fire. (Orange is also a color of autumn)
• Purple - night, supernatural, mysticism
• Green - monsters, goblins, and zombies. (Like orange, also a fall color)
• White - ghosts, mummies, full moon
• Red - fire, blood, demons, Satan (the Devil)

How Crime Has Ruined Halloween

When I was a little girl my dad would take my sisters and I around one block of our neighborhood to “trick or treat”. It was a fun, safe adventure for us made more exciting and challenging by my mom refusing to buy ready made costumes. Each year we tried to create costumes from a large box of old clothes; rejects of family, relatives and friends. Often our outfit was made more complete by a trip to the “Five-and-Dime” store. For most of our elementary school years, our costumes seem to fall into a limited number of themes: Cowgirl, Hobo, Gypsy, Indians (Squaw and Chief), One year my mom made my younger sister a leopard costume….she was really the cat's meow as no one could guess her identity!

On our arrival home, any treat not in a store wrapper was immediately tossed out. The treats carefully monitored by mom over the coming weeks usually lasted us until about Christmas. Without sounding trite, these were really the “good old days”. Good, because Halloween was just a time for a little creative fun, a healthy jaunt around the block, and a neighborly visit.

Sadly these days are gone. In recent years Halloween night seems to attract the worst of pranksters, who have executed pranks so serious law enforcement has become involved…this is not just in the States, but elsewhere in the world as well.

Just how serious have been these offenses?

• Recently in England extreme forms of vandalism, including street fires have been a major activity of these pranksters.
• Anti-social behavior, generally among older teens and young adults elevated so high prior to 2006, that in 2006 police forces in England stepped up patrols to respond to the disturbances caused by these young adults.
• Many crime-ridden communities within the United States have discouraged trick-or- treat activities in an attempt to prevent acts of violence against these youngsters.
• In the last ten years there have been reports of gang shootings, lacing the treats with illicit drugs; homemade candy apples and popcorn balls have been found to have razor blades and needles in them.

Since nine-eleven the streets of my former community was dead on Halloween night. Youngsters headed out for Halloween fun to the “bash” Parks and Recreations hosted.

Many others attended church hosted parties or private parties given by family or friends.

The “ticket” to Halloween safety comes direct to us from the “Land Down Under” - Australia. In Australia, children trick-or-treat in their own neighborhoods and only to family and friend's homes by pre-arrangement. Strangers who offer treats are greeted with contempt by parents. And any form of trickery (pranks) is strictly forbidden.

The Commercial Side of Halloween

The Australians may also be “right on the target' in perceiving Halloween to be a senseless form of American Commercialism. What is this viewpoint based on?

In the United Kingdom, Halloween ranks as the third most profitable holiday.

In the United States it ranks number six, with Christmas, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, Easter and Father's Day preceding it.

Why Being Afraid of the Dark, Isn't So Silly

Perhaps, it isn't so silly or foolish to view Halloween as a dark and somewhat fearful holiday when considering the heavy influences the occult has had upon it. Recall, Halloween celebrates everything evil. And evil has always been associated with darkness or the dark.

In the Bible, darkness is a punishment for those who do evil ( Psalm 35:6, 82:5, 88:6, Jeremiah 23:12, and Ezekiel 8:2).

According to the Gospel of Matthew , hell is described as a place where there is eternal darkness (Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30).

In the Gospel of John , Jesus tells us darkness is loved by those who do evil (3:19) And the worse kind of evil, Judas' betrayal of Jesus was done at night, in the dark (13:27-30).

Proceeding to the Book of Acts we are told darkness is associated with the power of Satan and sin (26:17-18).

Throughout the Bible, light is always associated with God and His goodness. As well as forgiveness and eternal life with Jesus. Heaven is described as having continuous light (no darkness as God's glory is its light and the Lamb of God (Jesus) its lamp.

( Revelation 21:23-26).

Remember, God created light before He created any living thing. Why? All living things (plants and creatures alike) must have light to survive. Considering light is life and darkness is death, this should be solid enough reason to be afraid of the dark.

So, Who's Outside In the Dark?

In the Gospel of John , (Chapter 8 verse 12), Jesus tells us He is the Light of the world. Those who follow Him will never walk in darkness [spiritual darkness]; they will have the Light that leads to life [eternal life]. In chapter 12 verses 35 and 36, Jesus admonishes us to walk in the Light, to put our trust in it.

What was Jesus referring to in these two passages? He spoke of salvation through Him. Anyone outside of the love and salvation of Jesus is in darkness, referring to spiritual darkness rather than physical.

The Gospel of John also admonishes that Jesus is the Way and the Truth. Throughout God's Word the message is clear: No one can enter heaven except by believing Jesus is the Son of God, and by accepting Him as their Savior.

For many, they just seem to gloss-over this concept of having to accept Jesus as their Savior. Sadly there are some who claiming Christianity, have never accepted Jesus as their Savior. Yet they will tell you they are a Christian….I was one who had this misconception….my Dad was another one. And definitely there are others who think they are a Christian but have never done the one action that assures it.

One way to think of this; is the illustration I used to help the children I taught in Children's Church to understand it.

I would ask them, “What if you spent all that you owned on a gift for someone you loved very much. You offer this gift to them, but instead of taking it from you, with happiness and thanking you, they refuse it, turned and walk away. How would you feel?” The response from grade school kids was about the same, although worded differently. Some said it would make them feel like crying. Others said, “It's lousy!” They all agreed they would feel just horrible.

God did just that when He sent His only Son to die on Calvary so that you and I would never have to see eternal darkness…never have to spend all eternity in Hell. But we have to accept this gift, much in the same way one accepts any favor, blessing, or gift, by acknowledging the gift, letting God know you accept it, and then thanking Him for it.

When Smoke Makes the Way Dark

Every so often I hear someone lament they don't understand the way or steps to salvation. This is not surprising; Satan is always ready to throw a smoke screen in front of the eyes of the person seeking God for His salvation. A spiritual smoke screen is just as difficult to see through as a physical one. All smoke screens are scary as they blind us from seeing where we are going. This kind of darkness can often produce feelings of fear.

No One Likes to Admit They Goofed

It is human nature to shy away from admitting we have sinned (goofed, messed-up, blew-it, failed). Like being afraid of the dark, this is uncomfortable and embarrassing to admit. Truly, admitting we made a mistake, committed a wrong, or caused an offense or injury, is one of the hardest confessions to make. But admitting to a righteous and holy God that we failed is even tougher.

One reason this is so, is that it is just human nature to think of good of ourselves. And Satan will make sure we do exactly that: Think so well of ourselves we convince ourselves God couldn't possibly send us to spend eternity in utter darkness - in that treacherous place called Hell.

Yet, the fact remains, God's Word is clear in stating we have all sinned and fall short of His glory. ( Romans 3:23).

Who can be saved then? We all can! In the verse following the reference above, it states:

“The free gift of God's grace makes all of us right with Him. Christ paid the price to set us free (from sin). (Translation- NIV)

Maybe presenting Salvation as a gift from God is a new or different way to think about Salvation. Yet the concept is as old as the Bible, for this is where it originated. Just what must a person do to accept this gift?

• Admit to God, you have sinned (even if you are the rare exception and have kept every one of the Ten Commandments, you were born with sin, due to Adam and Eve's mistake of disobeying God.
• Believe God can and will forgive your sin(s). And that Jesus paid the price on Calvary for your sins. (Before this time, sin could only be forgiven by blood offerings of an unblemished animal, usually a lamb.)
• Tell God you want to accept His gift of salvation, and that you want Jesus to come into your life. Thank Him for His Salvation.
• Share this experience with someone, and keep on sharing it, as well as the abundant blessings God will give you, if you remain faithful to this commitment.

Commitment?

Ah ha! You knew there must be a “catch”? Not really. God prefers you remain faithful (committed) to living your life according to His Word. There have been some individuals who will attest to the fact they have tried this but found it too hard to stay with for the long term. If you think you can simply read the Bible and especially The Gospels, then follow every thing that is taught like you would a text book for any of the professions, you will fail, just as you would fail by thinking you could become a lawyer or a doctor, a nurse or a teacher, by reading all the text books required and not spending one hour in practice under the supervision of a professor, doctor, or teacher.

From my experience and I know many others will agree with this statement: You can not live the Christian life or a life for Christ, without His guidance and by His grace. The Christian life is not a do-it-all-by-yourself program. If you are new at this life style, you will need older Christians to help you, but more important you need to set aside some time to seek God's instruction provided by reading and studying His Word, and by prayer (all kinds of prayer - petition, thanksgiving, praise, supplication, meditation.).

Remember you don't have to go this route. God gives you a choice. It will take commitment and determination if you prefer the training program above as there will be so many types of interruptions to “re-rail' you. But if you stick to it, with God's help, you will find the abundant life promised in His Word.

However if after you accept Jesus as your Savior, you decide that it is, “good enough”, you probably will find that it may very well be “good” but it will never be enough. Another consideration is that you will miss the better life, God has planned for you. But it's your life, your blessings, your heavenly rewards, make your decision accordingly.

Help Along the Way

If you aren't regularly attending a church solid in Bible teaching, don't waste another Sunday, seek one out. Once you find one, make it a priority to attend regularly, and find someway to get involved with it. It might be with the music part of the church; offering to teach children's church or Sunday school, bringing refreshments for fellowship hours, ushering, or just showing up to help with cleaning and maintenance. Lastly, let the ministers know you would like to share your testimony with the group some time. Telling others about what God has done and is doing in your life is commanded by Jesus, to all His disciples, and encouraged by the Apostle Paul for all believers to do.

Where Good Churches Fail

It might seem strange to even consider a church failing. But even the best churches sometimes fail to present the fact: God is not only loving, compassionate and forgiving, He is also a fair and righteous Judge, who because of His Holiness can not tolerate sin.

This thought can be kind of scary, and for this reason I suppose some ministers shy away from presenting the side of God as being a Fair and Righteous Judge, who will have the final say in where we will spend eternity. One fact that is definite is that each of us will stand before Him some day to be judged.

God will judge you on only a couple of things, but these are enormously important.

• Whether or not you have accepted His Son as your Savior, at some point during your earthly life. It will be too late at this point to make this decision, better get it done while you still have time down here. For at this point, if you haven't accepted Jesus as your Savior, God will sentence you to spend all of eternity in Hell. (In that dark, fearsome place which no one can imagine how awful it will be.) If you did accept Jesus as your Savior during your earthly life, you will be ushered through the gates of heaven, but not before God the Father and Judge ask one more question…
• How have you lived your life according to His Word, and the promptings of the Holy Spirit? The answer to this question will determine your rewards.

Is Hell a Fictional Place?

No, it is a real place, whose location is known only to God, just like Heaven is a real place known only to Him.

According to God's Word, believed by Christians to be the only Truth in this world, Hell is described in the following ways.

Isaiah, Chapter 5:14 (Isaiah warns those who will not live according to God's commandments that

“Hell has enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.” (KJV)

We get a glimpse of the physical properties of Hell according to Isaiah 30:33

“… Tophet (that abominable place, Combined Bible Dictionary and Concordance , page 424) has been prepared for a long time. It has been made ready for the king of Assyria. Its fire pit has been made deep and wide. It has plenty of wood for the fire. The breath of the Lord will be like a stream of burning sulfur. It will set the wood on fire. (NIrV)

We know from what Jesus told us, that the road to hell is wide and the gate is large. ( Matthew 7:13)

Jesus tells us that the end of times will be like a harvest in Matthew 13:37-43 (NIV)

“…The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are the angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin, and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

In 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 1 verses 6a, 8-9 we learn this about God and Hell.

“God is just. …He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power.” (NIV)

The Book of Revelations provides many descriptions of Hell.

Chapter 19:20: But the beast is captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.” (NIV)

Chapter 20:10: “And the devil…was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (NIV)

Verses 12a, 13b. 15: “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opned, which is the book of life. …and each person was judged according to what he had done. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (NIV)

Chapter 21:8 : “but the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters, and all liars- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

There has been some argument regarding the fact the Bible confuses Hell's physical characteristics. If Hell is dark and those who go there will burn; how can it be dark, when fire gives light? The Bible only tells us there is a Lake of Fire unbelievers will be thrown into with Satan and his army. Hell is talked about as being a dark place. Consider that the burning spoken about may not be from the fire, of the Lake of Fire. Hell may exist below the Lake of Fire: Hot water can cause severe burning, so can chemicals which don't emit a light. The devil is the master of confusion, and it is reasonable to assume he will try to confuse both believers and non-believers as to the Bible's information regarding Hell, the end of the age, and the Lake of Fire.

The important fact is that the Bible has given us enough information on both Hell and Heaven to make the obvious choice to be heaven. It also clearly tells us the way to get there. And the fact this way is narrow and difficult. But the choice is ours. A good glimpse of heaven can be found in Revelation 21:15-22:5.

Conclusion

God has wired us to seek out light. For this reason alone it isn't any wonder we don't like the dark, and the dislike is often magnified by fear. Everything evil is associated with the dark. We are to shun evil, to even fear it knowing how it can destroy us and our relationship with God.

Maybe this is why it isn't silly to be afraid of the dark. It could be by being afraid of the dark we are motivated to seek out the Light that can dispel all darkness from our lives by recognizing Jesus as the Light of the world and for each of our lives.