Advent

Advent, the fourth Sunday preceding Christmas Day, marks the beginning of the Christmas season. It is the period of waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity.

German Lutherans introduced the Advent calendar, though I suspect the original calendars differed markedly from the commercially produced chocolate ones that fill the stores today. More ecumenical calendars can be found or made though. I have one made of wood that I bought from a local church. When it's completed, it depicts the Nativity scene.

The Hollow Christmas tree is up now. Nothing like a good quality artificial tree if you like to start decorating sooner rather than later. Personally I don't think you should use real trees unless you get a potted one that can be planted outdoors after Christmas in a suitable location. However I appreciate that most communities now have Christmas tree recycling services to ensure the spent trees are put to good use, rather than just dumped into landfills. Which is probably more than can be said for disposing of an unwanted artificial tree. And let it not be said that I advocate the demise of Christmas tree growers and sellers!

So make a list, check it twice, and enjoy the Season!

Happy Thanksgiving

Guy Fawkes Night

Also known as Bonfire Night here in England, Guy Fawkes Night is on November 5th. It commemorates the discovery of a plot by a group of Roman Catholic conspirators to blow up the British House of Parliament on November 5, 1605.

Fawkes was the lead conspirator, a soldier knowledgeable in the use of explosives. With him were twelve other men. The idea was to assassinate the English king, James I (originally James VI of Scotland) who was a Protestant, and restore the realm to Catholicism.

However one of the conspirator's brothers-in-law received an anonymous letter warning him to stay away from Parliament. The letter was shown to the King on November 1 and a search turned up the explosives. A further search also turned up Fawkes, who initially refused to implicate his co-conspirators. Under torture he recanted, named them and all 13 were later arrested and executed for treason.

In January of the following year, 1606, the Thanksgiving Act was passed to commemorate the foiling of the then named "Gunpowder Plot". The act remained in place until 1859 but despite it's repealm the custom of Guy Fawkes Night remained a yearly celebration throughout much of Britain with barbeques and fireworks.

More recently, the interference of over-zealous Health & Safety acts, along with economic pressures has seen a major decline in the number and size of Bonfire Night festivities.

That's A Wrap!

The candy has been scarfed, the haunts are quiet once more, Jacks are slowly going moldy and the screams of delight and terror fade away for another year. Halloween 2010 was mostly a great success, from what I've heard from fellow haunters on both sides of the Atlantic.

There were a couple of firsts this year for those of us at The Hollow. We've been here nearly ten years now and for the first time ever we had trick or treaters AND two other houses on the street were decorated and handing out candy! Four ghoulies appeared at our door, bags in hand. I was so excited.

If this sounds small potatoes to you, you need to understand that for the most part, Halloween isn't celebrated in England. What little there is tends to be confined to school activities or private parties. We're pioneering Halloween on this side of the Atlantic.

To everyone who stopped by the blog during the Cryptkeeper 2010 Challenge, many thanks. I hope you enjoyed our Trailers of Terror theme.

We look forward to bigger and better for Halloween 2011!