The Witching Hour approaches......

So it turns out my mother is not that keen on Halloween but will be donning a witches hat at our party to get into the 'spirit' of things. We never celebrated Halloween as children,  although it just wasn't as big a deal then. And I have never been keen on the trick or treating aspect mainly as it is often adopted by teenagers.  Opening the door repeatedly to a group of near-adults who have turned up in slipknot masks and are demanding money with menaces is not my idea of funtimes. They haven't generally rocked up for the gingerbread men.  Do I sound like a miserable sod? I am not honestly! Little nippers are always welcome!

Halloween was a Celtic celebration of summers end and the hope for  mild winter. Of course, there is the evil spirits bit , which inspires the dressing up and where the Celts thought people 'you done wrong' can come back from the 'other side' and haunt you.  There was animal sacrificing to appease the gods (plural) so I imagine you can file that under 'W' for 'Worshipping false idols'.  I expect this is one of the reasons some Christians object the celebrations.

For me it just an excuse for a dress up party which my niece usually hosts but as she is in New York until Saturday I have stepped into her witchy, pointy shoes.  I am hosting it on Sunday (a day early, easier with the children) and as its so close to Little E's birthday I'm tying them in together. I've appliqued an old t-shirt with a pumpkin (see below) and bought some stripey tights and a stripy witches hat.  Lttle E and Cousin B will be in shop bought affairs, what can I say there's only so many hours in the day for sewing and I have toffee apples and cakes to make and pumpkins to carve and scarey red bubbly stuff to brew up! (although if I had time I would definitely be rustling up the bat costume over at MADE.) I can't wait!

Backward, turn backward,

O Time, in your flight

make me a child again

just for to-night!

~Elizabeth Akers Allen