Cheerleader: Ready? Okay! (Hardcover)
Book Description
We've got spirit. Yes we do! And that's not all
they've got. How about those pleated skirts. Those matching
sweaters. The pom-poms, megaphones, and spirit sticks --
cheerleaders really do have it all. And here to prove it
is Cheerleader, a peppy tribute to the glory and pageantry
of cheerleading. Positively packed with all things cheer-related,
Cheerleader harks back to the days when entire communities
swarmed the stands to witness the game-day spectacle with
cheerleaders at the forefront -- pinnacles of perk and poise.
Featuring over 100 vintage images, chapters on cheerleading's
history, fashion, and cult status, and sections on boy cheerleaders,
mascots, and majorettes, this colorful compendium shows
that school spirit will always be at the height of fashion.
Ready? Okay! About the Author
Elissa Stein is a writer, illustrator, and graphic designer
of several offbeat books. It remains a mystery why Elissa
never made the cheerleading squad -- but she did make
the kickline (which she likes to believe is practically
the same thing). She lives in New York City with her family.
Review: THREE CHEERS FOR A WINNER !!!
This book is a pleasure to read from cover-to-cover. The
author clearly loves her subject matter and infuses the
history of cheerleading with fun and good humor. I especially
loved the photographs. The book would make a great TV
documentary. Since reading "Cheerleader", I
have ordered all of Ms. Stein's other books.
Review: Captures the energy, excitement
and changes of the best,
From matching sweaters and pompons to coke and candy posters
and ads, the allure of cheerleads in culture and advertising
has long been evident in American culture, and here is
captured by Elissa Stein in her visual celebration Cheerleader:
Ready? Okay! From a history of cheerleading to cheerleader
fashion, Cheerleader: Ready? Okay! captures the energy,
excitement and changes of the best.
ReviewL Great photos! Great fun!
The photographs are amazing. The content is witty and
well researched. A great gift for anyone who was a cheerleader--or
for those of us who just looked on from the bleachers.
Review: Ready to read more!
I loved this book! The pictures are great where did she
find them? It's a great gift for anyone interested in
cheerleading and a fun read even for people who aren't.
Review: High school memories
I loved this book! The great illustrations brought back
memories of freezing at the big game, yelling myself hoarse
when our team made the goal, and thoroughly enjoying myself.
It's a must to take to your reunion
Review: fun, funny...recommended!
bought this for my stepdaughter...then read it myself.
enjoyable, witty...ms. stein is a sharp, colorful writer.
anyone who's ever been a cheerleader (or ogled one) should
read this!
Review: Fun and Upbeat Portrayal
of an American Institution
Ms. Stein did a tremendous job finding iconic images of
cheerleaders from the end of the 1800's up through today.
It is a rare combination of well researched content and
beautiful pop culture eye candy. Hat's off to Ms. Stein
and Chronicle Books for another hip and beautifully designed
book which I am sure any current or former cheerleader
would love to own.
Review: Cheerleader: Ready? Okay!
I had to pick up this book! Immediately attracted to the
vintage photographs depicting decades of cheerleading
chic, Stein's witty compilation of the history and the
enthusiasm of the "pom-pom" people had me cheering
on the sideline. Elissa Stein does not hold back on this
all inclusive, colorful compilation of everything you
did not know there was to know about cheerleaders. I give
this book five rah- rah-rah's!!!
Review: Wonderful collection of
CHEER-ful memorabilia!,
This book is chock full of cheerleader "stuff"
from patterns to posters. I can't believe the author managed
to pull together so much interesting and historical material
and write about it in an authoratative but completely
FUN and amusing fashion! I recommend it to anyone who
was a cheerleader, is a cheerleaders, wants to be a cheerleader,
loves a cheerleader or hated cheerleaders when they were
in high school because they secretly wanted to BE a cheerleader!
Review: Cool book, I suggest checking it
out!
I love anything retro, and vintage cheerleader things
are among one of my favorite things to check out. However,
until now, there was no book such as this one! I am really
happy to have found it, and it's very fascinating. Five
star find.
Cheer! (2003)
From the Back Cover
Take it on the field or into your own backyard! Whether
you want to go out for the squad or just learn the hottest
new moves, Cheer! will give you the tools to show YOUR
spirit. Let UCA (Universal Cheerleaders Association) instructor
Lacey Taylor take you step-by-step through the key moves
and chants, essential cheers, and the big dance routines.
Plus, Lacey and the UCA staff of experts will show you
what it takes to become a successful leader. Cheer! makes
it easy to follow along at your own pace, and is designed
specifically to bring beginners up to speed and help more
experienced cheerleaders advance to the next level. Practice
alone or with your friends. Cheer! is a great way to stay
fit, develop confidence, and cheer with the best. You
know you've got what it takes to lead, so get the competitive
edge with Cheer!
Product Description:
Take it on the field or into your own backyard! Whether
you want to go out for the squad or just learn the hottest
new moves, Cheer! will give you the tools to show YOUR
spirit. Let UCA (Universal Cheerleaders Association) instructor
Lacey Taylor take you step-by-step through the key moves
and chants, essential cheers, and the big dance routines.
Plus, Lacey and the UCA staff of experts will show you
what it takes to become a successful leader. Cheer! makes
it easy to follow along at your own pace, and is designed
specifically to bring beginners up to speed and help more
experienced cheerleaders advance to the next level. Practice
alone or with your friends. Cheer! is a great way to stay
fit, develop confidence, and cheer with the best. You
know you've got what it takes to lead, so get the competitive
edge with Cheer!
Review: not for the experienced
I bought this dvd hoping for a fun workout to remind me
of my high school days. Unfortunately anyone who has ever
cheered before will not learn anything new from the dvd.
The dvd is also not long or involved enough to work up
a good sweat. It would probably be cute and educational
for the aspiring cheerleader but is not worthy of its
place among the workout tapes of today.
Review: A great beginner cheer video
i bought this video being a new cheerleader and it really
helped me with the basics.I learned 1 cheer 2-3 sidelines
and 1 reapeted cheer. PLUS a great dance routine.I really
suggest this for an aspiring cheerleader. but to be a
great one do this video everyday or as often as you can
and sign up in a gymnastics class which is exactly what
im doing.
i plan to try out for my squad next april and i know i
will make it from all this video has taught me.(and being
in gymnastics)
The Ultimate Guide to Cheerleading
: For Cheerleaders and Coaches (Paperback)
Book Description
Cheerleading is a mix of dedication, strength, and talent.
It's art and sport wrapped into one, and any courtside
or competitive performance is a result of practice, creativity,
camaraderie, and more practice—plus a lot of fun! Commit
yourself to taking your cheer ambitions to the next level,
and you'll uncover how rewarding this high-intensity activity
can be.
The Ultimate Guide to Cheerleading has everything
you need to be a successful participant in cheerleading,
be it as a team member or coach. Written for both novices
and those experienced in the cheering game, inside is
all the essential information you need for fun and success,
including:
• Step-by-step photos of game cheering,
jumps, stunting, pyramids and more
• Specific activities to prepare for tryouts and improve
skills throughout the season
• Routine choreography and other creative ideas
• Important coaching guidelines and safety information
• Tips on how to start a cheerleading program from scratch
• And much, much more!
About the Author
LESLIE WILSON is a cheerleading instructor and has coached
cheerleading, choreographed routines, and developed cheerleading
programs for teams all across North America and Europe.
She also has a strong background in dance, gymnastics,
martial arts, and fitness. Ms. Wilson lives in Burlington,
Ontario.
A fabulous resource for beginner to advanced
coaches!, August 15, 2005
Reviewer: Kate H. "Kate H." (Ontario, Canada)
- See all my reviews
Leslie's 'Ultimate Guide to Cheerleading: For Cheerleaders
and Coaches' is a fabulous resource for beginner to advanced
coaches! I found it very helpful, and I have been coaching
for several years, all levels. The illustrations make
it a "hands-on" learning experience for those
who are visual learners, great for beginners! I found
it especially unique that she demonstrates the techniques
and skills herself in the photos, not many writers can
provide their own illustrations, and done perfectly. I
found it very useful, thumbs up. Thank you for sharing
your passion and knowledge with us. Can't wait for the
next project Leslie! Way to go!
-Kate, SuperStar Cheerleading, Ontario
Review: Excellent for intermediate
and advanced teams
A terrific resource for people who want to do a more athletic
form of cheerleading. However it moves quickly past a
lot of the basics that the older but still relevant "The
Official Cheerleaders Handbook" covers in depth in
terms of jump variety, basic stunts, and correct motion
technique.
In its favor:
*Good section on how to approach and land
a jump complete with pictures.
*This is the book to have for learning intermediate
and advanced stunts, both all-girl and co-ed. Covers thigh
stands, various load-ins for preps and extensions, moves
to hit at the top of the stunt, transitions, and dismounts.
(Also includes collegiate level single base coed stunts.)
I might have liked a few more pictures of the process
of building each stunt rather than just a few of them,
but the key ones are all there and the explanations are
very concise.
*Good section of sample cheers and chants,
though fewer than the "Handbook"
*Good notes to coaches to help them guide
their team, from formation of a new squad to raising spirit
level through the school year to the competition mat.
This book is a must-have, but it would not
have been as helpful to my brand-new middle school squad
last year as it will be this year, as they were only ready
for the stag and thigh stand material in the "Handbook".
(And its do's and don'ts guide was more instructive for
new cheerleaders than "Ultimate" would be because
it featured photographs instead of a written list.)
My recommendation is to have "The Ultimate
Guide", "The Handbook" and "Coaching
Cheerleading Successfully" on your shelves if you
are a coach or a cheer advisor.
Coach ~Jen
Review: Great coaches guide booklet
I had high expectations for this book and I wasn't disappointed
after reading most of the sections. It would be a great
tool for any coach who wants to add a little spark to
their squad. I love the mounting chapter because it gives
you step-by-step instructions on how to load the flyer.
I coach 6-8 year olds and I plan on sharing this book
with the coaches of the older divisions also.
Review: The Ultimate Guide to Cheerleading
The Ultimate Guide to Cheerleading is a book that tells
you all about cheerleading. It also tells about all the
moves and it has pictures showing the moves. I like the
book telling and showing all the moves that cheerleaders
do. The effect it had on me is it gave me confidence that
I can do anything if I put my mind to it. Like if I wanted
to be a cheerleader and if I put my mind too it, I could
become a cheerleader.
I would recommend this book to any girl who wants to be
a cheerleader. but thinks she doesn't have what it takes
or if she thinks she's to fat to be a cheerleader so she
starves herself, but starving yourself or working out
24/7 is not the answer? If you work out a little each
day and have a well-balanced diet you could become a cheerleader.
Also if you put your mind to it enough you can be anything.
Review: All you'll ever need to know
I came from not knowing anything about cheerleading, and
read this book. Now I know enough to coach a team, doing
twisting dismounts and 2 and a half high pyramids. It's
absolutely awesome, and the price is so cheap (I spend
20 pounds on mine, this is nothing)
Review: Love this book!!!
This book is a great resource for learning all there is
to know about cheerleading. I come from a town that has
never had cheerleaders until my squad was formed a year
ago. Our captain saw the book and picked it up thinking
it might help us. It was excellent in learning all the
basics and then on to more advanced stunts and jumps.
It also helped us figure out how to run
try-outs and things. The instructions were fabulous on
teaching us everything properly. I now own a copy of the
book and urge anyone in cheerleading or interested in
it to buy a copy. It is the best resource to learn more
that I have found.
Review: WELL WORTH THE MONEY...GREAT
FOR COACHES
I've cheered most of my life, and was recently asked to
coach a new All Stars team...this book was a HUGE help
in getting everything organized for parent meeting &
try-outs.
I love the fact that it is directed towards both cheerleaders
& coaches. The tips through out the book are great!
I have recommending to all my cheerleaders that they pick
up a copy of this book...it's great!
Review: A Fabulous Resource!
This is a great book! I found all sections well laid out
and written and particularly enjoyed the graphic interface
of "hint and tip" type text boxes found throughout
the book. The author is very knowledegable and demonstrates,
in photographs, many items in the motion and jump sections.
It is indeed the perfect resource for coaches and cheerleaders.
The stunt section for all-girl and co-ed alone is enough
reason to buy it! They are very detailed and cover all
the basic (including drills) through advance stunts for
both all-girl and co-ed. Short of video, this is one of
the best instructional stunt resources I've ever had.
I find myself recommending it often to other coaches and
have refered to it many time due to questions I receive
as founder and president of PennACCA (Pennsylvania Association
of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors).
It is one of the most up-to-date books on
the market, so it is definately number one in my cheer
resource library. My only personal drawback was a lack
of choreography description, but I have yet to find a
book that can adequately describe this!
It is a good instructional book, especially
for new coaches, but I think even veteran coaches would
benefit from what is offered. It covers every aspect for
cheer programs (starting a squad, fundraising, tryouts,
technique, stunts, even competition). I would recommend
it for coaches and cheerleaders of all types of cheer
(all star owners would probably still want a book on the
business side of owning an all star) because this book
covers all you need to know. I would definately say make
it part of your library!
Review: Cheerleading and Dance Competitions
I found this book to be very informative and helpful for
those involved in cheer and dance competitions. As one
of the founders of the Florida Cheer & Dance Association
(www.floridacheer.com), I get many questions relating
to cheerleading, coaching, and competing at local events
in Florida. Anyone who is involved in high school, recreational,
all star, or individual cheerleading competitions will
benefit from reading this book. Whether it be pom, stunt,
junior, senior, or pee wee, this book explains it all.
Even jazz, funk, hip hop, or others involved in dance
competitions, all competitive dancers can learn from reading
this book. It is also helpful for Co-ed, varsity, and
college cheerleaders. I will be recommending this book
to all cheerleaders that attend our Florida Cheerleading
Camps and Clinics. This book was recommended by a forum
member on our website at www.floridacheer.com (home of
the Sunshine Cup and the Florida State Championship for
cheer and dance) This book is required reading for all
FCDA (Florida Cheer & Dance Association)staff.
Review: Well Done!
I have found that over the years I have had a difficult
time trying to find good books on cheerleading. However,
I came across this new source and I thought it produced
a great deal of useful information, especially for the
novice cheerleader. The chapter on stunting was very well
done, but I was hoping to find a lot more information
on choreography and advanced dance movements. As a varsity
cheerleading squad we like to incorporate as much of the
dance movements in our routine as we do the gymnastic
movements, so I feel that both are very important in order
to produce an excellent performance!
All about Halloween:
Halloween
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of
October 31, usually by children dressing in costumes and
going door-to-door collecting candy. It is celebrated
in much of the Western world, though most commonly in
the United States, the United Kingdom, the Republic of
Ireland, Canada and sometimes in Australia and New Zealand.
Irish, Scots and other immigrants brought older versions
of the tradition to North America in the 19th century.
Most other Western countries have embraced Halloween as
a part of American pop culture in the late 20th century.
The form "Halloween" derives from
Hallowe'en, an old contraction, still retained in Scotland,
of "All Hallow's Eve," so called as it is the
day before the Catholic All Saints holy day, which used
to be called "All Hallows," derived from All
Hallowed Souls. In Ireland, the name was Hallow Eve and
this name is still used by some older people. Halloween
was formerly also sometimes called All Saints' Eve. The
holiday was a day of religious festivities in various
northern European pagan traditions, until it was appropriated
by Christian missionaries (along with Christmas and Easter,
two other traditional northern European pagan holidays)
and given a Christian reinterpretation. Halloween is also
known as the Day of the Dead, and it is a day of celebration
for Wiccans and other modern pagan traditions, though
the holiday has lost its religious connotations among
the populace at large.
Halloween is also called Pooky Night in
some parts of Ireland, presumably named after the pookah,
a mischievous spirit.
In the United Kingdom in particular, the
pagan Celts celebrated the Day of the Dead on Halloween.
The spirits supposedly rose from the dead and, in order
to attract them, food was left on the doors. To scare
off the evil spirits, the Celts wore masks. When the Romans
invaded Britain, they embellished the tradition with their
own, which is the celebration of the harvest and honoring
the dead. These traditions were then passed on to the
United States.
Halloween is sometimes associated with the
occult. Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween
is one of the "liminal" times of the year when
the spirit world can make contact with the natural world
and when magic is most potent (see, for example, Catalan
mythology about witches).
Anoka, Minnesota, USA, the self-proclaimed
"Halloween Capital of the World," celebrates
with a large civic parade.
Contents [hide]
1 Symbols
2 Trick-or-treating
3 Games
4 Foods
5 Cultural history
5.1 Celtic observation of Samhain
5.2 Norse Elven Blót
5.3 Halloween customs
5.4 "Punkie Night"
5.5 "Mischief Night"
6 Religious viewpoints
7 See also
8 External links
9 Further reading
Symbols
Jack-o'-lanterns may be carved with a funny face.Halloween's
theme is spooky or scary things particularly involving
death, black magic, or mythical monsters. Commonly-associated
Halloween characters include ghosts, witches, bats, black
cats, owls, goblins, zombies and demons, as well as certain
fictional figures like Dracula and Frankenstein's monster.
Homes are often decorated with these symbols around Halloween.
Black and orange are the traditional colors
of Halloween. There are also elements of the autumn season,
such as pumpkins and scarecrows, reflected in symbols
of Halloween.
The jack-o'-lantern, a carved vegetable
lit by a candle inside, is one of Halloween's most prominent
symbols. In Britain and Ireland, a turnip was and sometimes
still is used, but immigrants to America quickly adopted
the pumpkin because it is much larger and easier to carve.
Many families that celebrate Halloween will carve a pumpkin
into a scary or comical face and place it on the home's
doorstep on Halloween night for fun. Traditionally, something
like this was done in order to scare evil spirits away.
Trick-or-treating
The main event of Halloween is trick-or-treating, also
known as guising in Scotland, in which children dress
up in costume disguises and go door-to-door in their neighborhood,
ringing the bell and yelling "trick or treat!"
The occupants of the house (who might themselves dress
in a scary costume) will then hand out small candies,
miniature chocolate bars or other treats. Homes sometimes
use sound effects and fog machines to help set a spooky
mood. Other house decoration themes (that are less scary)
are used to entertain younger visitors. Children can often
accumulate many treats on Halloween night, filling up
entire pillow cases or shopping bags.
In Scotland, children or guisers are likely
to recite "The sky is blue, the grass is green, may
we have our Halloween" instead of "trick or
treat!", they will then have to impress the members
of the houses they visit with a song, trick, joke or dance
in order to earn their treats.
Tricks play less of a role in modern Halloween,
though the night before Halloween is often marked by pranks
such as soaping windows, egging houses or stringing toilet
paper through trees. Before indoor plumbing was so widespread,
tipping over or displacing outhouses was a popular form
of trick.
Typical Halloween costumes have traditionally
been monsters such as vampires, ghosts, witches, and devils.
The stereotypical Halloween costume is a sheet with eyeholes
cut in it as a ghost costume. In 19th-century Scotland
and Ireland the reason for wearing such fearsome (and
non-fearsome) costumes was the belief that since the spirits
that were abroad that night were essentially intent on
doing harm, the best way to avoid this was to fool the
spirits into believing that you were one of them. In recent
years, it has become common for costumes to be based on
themes other than traditional horror, such as dressing
up as a character from a TV show or movie. In 2001, after
the September 11 attacks, for example, costumes of firefighters,
police officers, and United States military personnel
became popular among children. In 2004, an estimated 2.15
million children in the United States were expected to
dress up as Spider Man, the year's most popular costume.
[1]
A program started by UNICEF involves the
distribution of small boxes by schools to trick-or-treaters,
in which they can collect small change from the houses
they visit for donation to the charity.
A child usually "grows out of"
trick-or-treating by his or her teenage years. Teenagers
and adults instead often celebrate Halloween with costume
parties or other social get-togethers.
Games
There are several games traditionally associated with
Halloween parties. The most common is bobbing for apples,
in which apples float in a tub or a large basin of water;
the participants must use their teeth to remove an apple
from the basin. Another common game involves hanging up
treacle or syrup-coated scones by strings; these must
be eaten without using hands while they remain attached
to the string, an activity which inevitably leads to a
very sticky face.
Some games traditionally played at Halloween
are forms of divination. In Púicíní
(pronounced "pook-eeny"), a game played in Ireland,
a blindfolded person is seated in front of a table on
which are placed several saucers. The saucers are shuffled
and the seated person then chooses one by touch. The contents
of the saucer determine the person's life for the following
year. A saucer containing earth means someone known to
the player will die during the next year, a saucer containing
water foretells travel, a coin means new wealth, a bean
means poverty, etc. In 19th-century Ireland, young women
placed slugs in saucers sprinkled with flour. The wriggling
of the slugs and the patterns subsequently left behind
on the saucers were believed to portray the faces of the
women's future spouses.
In North America, unmarried women were frequently
told that if they sat in a darkened room and gazed into
a mirror on Halloween night, the face of their future
husband would appear in the mirror. However, if they were
destined to die before they married, a skull would appear.
The custom was widespread enough to be commemorated on
greeting cards from the late nineteenth century.
Foods
Because the holiday comes in the wake of the annual apple
harvest, candy apples (also known as toffee apples) are
a common treat at Halloween. They are made by rolling
whole apples in a sticky sugar syrup, and sometimes then
rolling them in nuts. At one time candy apples were a
common treat given to children, but this practice rapidly
waned after widespread rumors that some individuals were
embedding items like pins and razor blades in the apples
that they would pass out to children. The vast majority
of the reported cases turned out to be hoaxes, and the
few that were real caused only minor injuries, but many
parents were under the assumption that the practice was
common. At the peak of this hysteria, some hospitals were
offering to x-ray children's Halloween haul at no cost
in order to look for such items.
A Halloween custom which has survived unchanged
to this day in Ireland is the baking (or more often nowadays
the purchase) of a barmbrack (Irish "báirín
breac"). This is a light fruit cake into which a
plain ring is placed before baking. It is said that whoever
finds this ring will find his or her true love during
the following year.
Other foods associated with the
holiday:
candy corn
hot apple cider
roasted pumpkin seeds
Cultural history
Celtic observation of Samhain
In the Druidic religion of the ancient Celts, the new
year began with the winter season of Samhain on November
1. Just as shorter days signified the start of the new
year, sundown also meant the start of a new day; therefore
the harvest festival began every year on the night of
October 31. Druids in the British Isles would light fires
and offer sacrifices of crops, animals and sometimes humans,
and as they danced around the fires, the season of the
sun would pass and the season of darkness would begin.
When the morning of November 1 arrived,
the Druids would give an ember from their fires to each
family who would then take it home to start a new cooking
fire. These fires were intended to keep the homes warm
and free from evil spirits such as "Sidhe" (pronounced
"shee," most notable of which are the beán
sidhe or banshees), because at this time of year it was
believed that the invisible "gates" between
this world and the spirit world were opened and free movement
between both worlds was possible.
Bonfires played a large part in the festivities.
Villagers cast the bones of the slaughtered cattle upon
the flames; the word "bonfire" is thought to
derive from these "bone fires." With the bonfire
ablaze, the villagers extinguished all other fires. Each
family then solemnly lit their hearth from the common
flame, thus bonding the families of the village together.
Hundreds of fires are still lit each year in Ireland on
Halloween night.
Neopagans still celebrate the sabbat of
Samhain on Halloween, as well as also taking part in secular
Halloween activities.
Norse Elven Blót
In the old Norse religion and its modern revival, Ásatrú,
the day now known as Halloween was a blót which
involved sacrifices to the elves and the blessing of food.
A poem from around 1020, the Austrfaravísur
('Eastern-journey verses') of Sigvatr Þorðarson,
mentions that, as a Christian, he was refused board in
a heathen household, in Sweden, because an álfablót
("elves' sacrifice") being conducted there.
However, we have no further reliable information as to
what an álfablót involved, but like other
blóts it probably included the offering of foods,
and later Scandinavian folklore retained a tradition of
sacrificing treats to the elves. From the time of year
(close to the autumnal equinox) and the elves' association
with fertility and the ancestors, we might assume that
it had to do with the ancestor cult and the life force
of the family.
Halloween customs
Observance of Halloween faded in the South of England
from the 17th century onwards, being replaced by the commemoration
of the Gunpowder Plot on November 5. However it remained
popular in Scotland, Ireland and the North of England.
It is only in the last decade that it has become popular
in the South of England again, although in an entirely
Americanized version.
The custom survives most accurately in Ireland,
where the last Monday of October is a public holiday.
All schools close for the following week for mid-term,
commonly called the Halloween Break. As a result Ireland
is the only country where children never have school on
Halloween and are therefore free to celebrate it in the
ancient and time-honored fashion.
The custom of trick-or-treating is thought
to have evolved from the European custom called souling,
similar to the wassailing customs associated with Yule.
On November 2, All Souls' Day, beggars would walk from
village to village begging for "soul cakes"
- square pieces of bread with currants. Christians would
promise to say prayers on behalf of dead relatives helping
the soul's passage to heaven. The distribution of soul
cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace
the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming
spirits at the Samhain. See Puck (mythology).
In Celtic parts of western Brittany. Samhain
is still heralded by the baking of kornigou. Kornigou
are cakes baked in the shape of antlers to commemorate
the god of winter shedding his "cuckold" horns
as he returns to his kingdom in the Otherworld.
"Punkie Night"
"Punkie Night" is observed on the last Thursday
in October in the village of Hinton St. George in the
county of Somerset in England. On this night, children
carry lanterns made from hollowed-out mangel-wurzels (a
kind of beet; in modern days, pumpkins are used) with
faces carved into them. They bring these around the village,
collecting money and singing the punkie song. Punkie is
derived from pumpkin or punk, meaning tinder.
Though the custom is only attested over
the last century, and the mangel-wurzel itself was introduced
into English agriculture in the late 18th century, "Punkie
Night" appears to be much older even than the fable
that now accounts for it. The story goes that the wives
of Hinton St. George went looking for their wayward husbands
at the fair held nearby at Chiselborough, the last Thursday
in October, but first hollowed out mangel wurzels in order
to make lanterns to light their way. The drunken husbands
saw the eerie lights, thought they were "goolies"
(the restless spirits of children who had died before
they were baptized), and fled in terror. Children carry
the punkies now. The event has spread since about 1960
to the neighboring village of Chiselborough.
Sources: on-line report from the Western
Gazette and a National Geographic radio segment. Chiselborough
Fair is memorialized by Fair Place in the village. The
National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
reported that there was "a fair for horses and cattle
on the last Thursday in October."
"Mischief Night"
The night before Halloween, known in some areas as "Mischief
Night" or "Devil's Night," is often associated
with destructive activities performed by adolescents.
Some of the acts range from minor vandalism to theft,
or even violence. Many youths involved in mischief night
would be considered too old for traditional trick-or-treating.
The most common wrong-doing is trashing people's houses,
lawns, and trees within property with tons of toilet paper.
A dialect survey begun in 1999 by Harvard
University indicates that there are a number of terms
for this particular day of the year, but that the vast
majority (70.38%) have no special word for it.
Religious viewpoints
The majority of Christians ascribe no doctrinal significance
to Halloween, treating it as a purely secular entity devoted
to celebrating imaginary spooks and handing out candy.
The secular celebration of Halloween may loom larger in
contemporary imagination than does All Saints' Day.
The mingling of Christian and pagan traditions
in the early centuries following the founding of the Christian
Church have left many modern Christians uncertain of how
they should react towards this holiday. Some fundamentalist
Christian groups consider Halloween a Pagan holiday and
may refer to it as "the most evil day of the year,"
refusing to allow their children to participate. Among
these groups it is believed to have developed Satanic
influences. In some areas, complaints from these fundamentalist
Christians that the schools were endorsing a Pagan religion
have led the schools to stop distributing UNICEF boxes.
Other Christians, however, continue to connect
this holiday with All Saints Day. Some modern Christian
churches commonly offer a "fall festival" or
harvest-themed alternative to Halloween celebrations.
Still other Christians hold the view that the holiday
is not Satanic in origin or practice and that it holds
no threat to the spiritual lives of children - being taught
about death and mortality actually being a valuable life
lesson.
Costume
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The term costume can refer to wardrobe and dress in general,
or to the distinctive style of dress of a particular people,
class, or period. It can also refer to the artistic arrangement
of accessories in a picture, statue, poem, or play, appropriate
to the time, place, or other circumstances represented
or described, or to a particular style of clothing worn
to portray the wearer as a character or type of character
other than their regular persona at a social event such
as a fancy dress party or in an artistic theatrical performance.
Theatrical costumes, in combination with
other aspects, serve to portray performers' age, gender
role, profession, social class, personality, and suchlike.
Sometimes theatrical costumes literally mimic what the
costume designer thinks the character would wear if the
character actually existed. On the other hand, often stylized
theatrical costumes can exaggerate some aspect of a character.
National costume or regional costume can
express local (or exiled) identity and emphasise uniqueness.
The wearing of costumes has become an important
part of Mardi Gras and Halloween celebrations, and (to
a lesser extent) people may also wear costumes in conjunction
with other holiday celebrations, such as Christmas and
Easter. Mardi Gras costumes are usually jesters and other
fantasy characters, while Halloween costumes traditionally
take the form of supernatural creatures such as ghosts,
vampires, and angels. Christmas and Easter costumes typically
portray mythical holiday characters, such as Santa Claus
or the Easter Bunny, and costumes may serve to portray
various other character themes during secular holidays,
such as an Uncle Sam costume worn on the 4th of July for
example.
Some people wear costumes for erotic
purposes. Most people consider this harmless fun, but
some regard this behavior as a form of fetishism. Some
say it is both.
Get Your Halloween Party
Started!
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Funny Comical Costumes
Want a funny look for Halloween? We have super hilarious
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to keep your friends laughing.
Sexy Adult Costumes
If you’ve been wanting to explore your more naughty side
we have plenty of super sexy costumes for women from naughty
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that our sexy adult costumes are quite a treat! You'll
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Looking for a great adult costume? LTM has them.
Political Masks and Costumes
Why not have a little fun with politics? We have all of
your favorite politician masks like: George Bush, John
Kerry, Bill Clinton or even Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Halloween Accessories & Props
We have accessories galore to complete your perfect Halloween
look We have anything from funky teeth that would scare
the heck out of your dentist, ultraviolet makeup, special
facial scar and prosthetics, stage blood, go-go boots,
wigs, angel wings, sickles, swords, pitch forks, moustaches,
wigs... you name it and we have it!
Halloween Traditions - Where did it all start?
Why do we dress up in Halloween costumes, bob for apples,
carve pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns, and tell ghost stories
on this night?
Our traditions of Halloween can generally
be traced to the time of the Celtic civilization and their
annual celebration following harvest time. The Celts were
a group of people that lived in the area near the British
Isles around 400 B.C.
Each year the Celts would hold a celebration
at the end of harvest. The festival was held near the
end of October which they called “Samhain” which literally
means “summer’s end”. Samhain marks one of the two major
“doorways” of the Celtic year. October 31, lies exactly
between the Autumn equinox and the winter solstice. It
is theorized that these ancient people with their reliance
on astrology thought this was a very potent time for magic
and communion with spirits. The Celts believed all laws
of space and time were suspended during this time allowing
the spirit world to intermingle with the living. In later
years it is thought that the tradition of wearing costumes,
evolved as people would disguise themselves from the spirits
in order to keep from being possessed.
Why do we trick-or-treat?
Trick or treating actually is an American tradition, but
it may have had it's origins also with the ancient Irish.
During their annual harvest festival they would leave
food at altars and doorsteps as a way of saying thank
you to the Gods and to appease spirits. Candles were lit
and left in windows to help guide ancestors and loved
ones home. Apples were buried along roadsides for spirits
who had no descendants to provide for them. There are
other theories as well, but nevertheless this does provide
some insight as to why we trick-or-treat today.
So there you go, that's how the Halloween
tradition began! Keep the Halloween tradition going with
LTM Party Halloween costumes, for adults, children, teens,
and Halloween decorations for the perfect Halloween party.
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