What's new
  • Please note members who been with us for more than 10 years have been upgraded to "Veteran" status and will receive exclusive benefits. If you wish to find out more about this or support IcMag and get same benefits, check this thread here.
  • Important notice: ICMag's T.O.U. has been updated. Please review it here. For your convenience, it is also available in the main forum menu, under 'Quick Links"!

Halloween 2015 contest !.!.!...

Status
Not open for further replies.

yortbogey

To Have More ... Desire Less
Veteran
well ghouls & goblins{ trolls also}.... wraiths and witches, and all the other wayward souls.... IT's CONTEST time....

this year we have gone back to a good Ole photo contest...

easy to please, and not piss off... we went with the usual...

photo contest of Halloween costumes ... fun, frolic, and feast...

All you do is snap a shot / picture of U the member enjoying the season of Halloween... anything goes { just NO porn }....

pic's can be funny, spooky, kid friendly, adult driven or just plain strange... in a group or all alone...

just stick to the theme... Halloween....and always remember the TOU does apply ....


all entries MUST be posted by Monday November 2nd PST .....

any questions ask here....
any submitted pictures .... post them here
and any complaints.... contact me, don't trash the thread ...


ready set GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!



<<<FYI: winners will get them selves & the picture in the next DIGITAL issue of ICMAG>>>


pss... YES, there will be Holiday contest this year.... more too follow
 
Last edited:

yortbogey

To Have More ... Desire Less
Veteran
here we go ... katz & kittenz... itz Halloween time.... let the fun just ooze on in ...
 

yortbogey

To Have More ... Desire Less
Veteran
Best Answer: Hallowe'en is a peculiarly American distortion of an ancient Christian feast which is still celebrated in many other countries.

Hallowe'en is short for All Hallows Eve. Hallows is old English for holy or Saint so it's the Eve of All Saints Day. All Saints Day started as a Christian festival in Rome 1250 years ago as a day. Nov 1st, to celebrate all the Saints who don't have a special day. It was later extended with All Souls Day on Nov 2nd when all the departed are prayed for.

People used to start the festival the night before with a vigil, with ringing church bells and with procession. Other customs grew up around the two feasts (All Saints and All Souls) such as poor people going around to rich people and promising to pray for them in exchanged for cakes or the like.

Following the reformation, in the 17th century, England was for a while ruled by Puritans who tried to ban all Catholic customs. They stopped all the religious festivities and tried to squash the folk customs, though these kept going in some areas, and in Ireland, still mostly Catholic.The Puritans condemned these customs calling the wicked, papist, satanic, pagan.

The puritan idea about All Hallows Eve (Hallowe'en) being a time of evil, satanic customs went to the USA with people like the Pilgrim Fathers who were puritans. Although the Irish (and others) later brought their folk customs, the idea that Hallowe'en was evil stuck and, mixed with some of the customs, gave America the Hallowe'en it has today.

In countries which remained Catholic, particularly Spain, celebrations of All Saints and All Souls are not thought of as evil. They are days to celebrate and remember the lives of the dead. Graves are decorated, picnics are held, candles are lit. These customs are found all over the Catholic world from Latin America (Mexico in particular) through Europe to the Far East - the Philippines.
 

yortbogey

To Have More ... Desire Less
Veteran
from wikipedia ...


Origins[edit]
Main article: Halloween
Halloween, also spelled as Hallowe'en or Allhallowe'en, is a contraction of All Hallows' Eve, the eve or vigil before the Western Christian feast of All Hallows (or All Saints) which is observed on 1 November. This day begins the triduum of Hallowtide, which cumulates with All Souls' Day. In the Middle Ages, many Christians held a folk belief that All Hallows' Eve was the "night where the veil between the material world and the afterlife was at its most transparent."[3]
Asia[edit]
China[edit]
The more commercialized event is celebrated by expatriate Americans or Canadians. Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park (Halloween Bash) host annual Halloween shows. Lan Kwai Fong bars will be decked out with Halloween decorations to lure ex-pats and locals interest in Halloween.[4]
Traditional "door-to-door" trick or treating is not commonly practiced in Hong Kong due to the vast majority of Hong Kong residents living in high-rise apartment blocks. However, in many buildings catering to expatriates, Halloween parties and limited trick or treating is arranged by the management. Instances of street-level trick or treating can be found in Hong Kong occur in ultra-exclusive gated housing communities such as The Beverly Hills populated by Hong Kong's super-rich and expatriate areas like Discovery Bay and the Red Hill Peninsula. For the general public, there are events at Tsim Sha Tsui's Avenue of the Stars that try to mimic the celebration.[5]
Mainland China has been less influenced by Anglo traditions than Hong Kong and Halloween is generally considered "foreign." As Halloween has become more popular globally it has also become more popular in China, however, particularly amongst children attending private or international schools with many foreign teachers.[6]
Japan[edit]

A Halloween display in a local bank window, in Saitama, Japan.
Halloween arrived only recently in Japan, mainly in the context of American pop culture. Western-style Halloween decorations such as jack-o'-lanterns can be seen in many locations, and places such as Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan put on special Halloween events. The wearing of elaborate costumes at night is recently very popular in areas such as Amerikamura in Osaka and Kobe where, in October 2012, about 1700 people dressed in costumes to take part in the Halloween Festival.[7]
Philippines[edit]
In Philippines, Halloween is celebrated as All Saints Day 1 November, immediately followed by All Souls day (Araw ng Patay) on 2 November.[8]
Trick-or treating is gradually replacing the tradition of Pangangaluluwà, a local version of the old English custom of souling. Some provinces in the Philippines still celebrates "Pangangaluluwa" by forming a group that will go house to house and offer a song in exchange for money or food. But like other traditions, this tradition is starting to fade. The custom had Filipino children singing carols about the souls in Purgatory and asking for abúloy (alms for the deceased) to pay for Masses for the dead. Along with the requested alms, householders sometimes gave the children suman (rice cake). During the night various small items, such as items of clothing, plants, etc., would "mysteriously" disappear, only to be discovered the next morning in the yard, or in the middle of the street. In older times, it was believed that during Halloween, spirits of loved ones visit and manifest their visit by taking an item.[9]
Singapore[edit]
Singapore Chinese celebrates "Zhong Yuan Jie / Yu Lan Jie" (Hungry Ghosts Festival, some sort of Chinese Halloween) during lunar seventh month. It is believed that the gates of hell are opened and the spirits come back to visit their families. Throughout the month, there will be Chinese Opera and live music performances on a temporary setup stage and outdoor banquet dinner near the stage in various districts of Singapore.[10] These performances and banquets are funded by residents of the individual district.
In recent years, Halloween celebration is becoming more and more popular in Singapore, with influences from the west and probably the fun element of Halloween.[11] In 2011, citizens vented frustration because Wildlife Reserves Singapore decided to cancel its Halloween event.[12] In 2012, there are over 19 major Halloween celebration events around Singapore.[13] In 2013, Universal Studios Singapore Halloween Horror Nights is coming back for the third time.[14] Sentosa Spooktacular is back for the fifth time since 2009.[15][16] Museum of Horrors is back for the fourth time.[17]
Australia and New Zealand[edit]
While not traditionally a part of Australian culture, non-religious celebrations of Halloween modeled on North American festivities are growing in momentum in Australia, in spite of seasonal differences and the transition from spring to summer. Criticism stems largely from the fact that Halloween has little relevance to Australian culture.[18][19][20] It is also considered, by some Australians, to be an unwanted American influence; as although Halloween does have Celtic/European origins, its increasing popularity in Australia is largely as a result of American pop-culture influence.[20][21] Supporters of the event claim that the critics fail to see that the event is not entirely American, but rather Celtic and is no different to embracing other cultural traditions such as Saint Patrick's Day (an Irish tradition).[22]
As in neighbouring Australia, Halloween in New Zealand is not celebrated to the same extent as in North America, although in recent years the non-religious celebrations have been achieving some popularity especially among young children.[23]
Europe[edit]

The children of the largest town in Bonaire gather together on Halloween day.
Halloween is more successful and partially ousting some older customs like the Rübengeistern (turnip ghosts), Martinisingen and others.[24] The University of Graz undertook a research project about Halloween led by Editha Hörandner. According to her, the often heard claims of Celtic or pagan origin is used as a sort of "quality brand" (Gütesiegel) for the authenticity of the tradition.
Bosnia and Herzegovina[edit]
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, vignesh Halloween was not celebrated until recently. For the past few years, it has been popular among younger generations.[25] Halloween is a work day in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since wearing masks has become highly popular among children and teenagers, e.g. in many Bosnian schools, both elementary as well as high schools (gymnasiums and vocational), students will usually wear costumes and masks on Halloween. There it is called Noć vještica (English translation: Night of Witches).
Germany[edit]

"Don't drink and fly" decoration for Halloween, 2008 in Pinneberg
Halloween was not generally observed in Germany prior to the 1990s, in part due to the opposition of the Lutheran Church. It has been increasing in popularity, however, with a fifth of Germans now telling pollsters they celebrate Halloween. Halloween has been associated with the influence of U.S. culture, and "Trick or Treating" (in German,"Süßes oder Saures") has been occurring in some areas such as the Dahlem neighborhood in Berlin, which was part of the American zone during the Cold War. Complaints of vandalism associated with Halloween "Tricks" are increasing, particular from many elderly Germans unfamiliar with "Trick or Treating."[26]
Ireland[edit]

A traditional Irish turnip (rutabaga) jack-o'-lantern, c. early 20th century, on display in the Museum of Country Life, Ireland.
On Halloween night, adults and children dress up as creatures from the underworld (e.g., ghosts, ghouls, zombies, witches, and goblins), light bonfires, and enjoy spectacular fireworks displays – in particular, the city of Derry is home to the largest organized Halloween celebration on the island, in the form of a street carnival and fireworks display.[27]

Snap-Apple Night (1832) by Daniel Maclise. Depicts apple bobbing and divination games at a Halloween party in Blarney, Ireland.
Games are often played, such as bobbing for apples, in which apples, peanuts, and other nuts and fruit and some small coins are placed in a basin of water. The apples and nuts float, but the coins, which sink, are harder to catch. Everyone takes turns catching as many items possible using only their mouths. In some households, the coins are embedded in the fruit for the children to "earn" as they catch each apple. Another common game involves the hands-free eating of an apple hung on a string attached to the ceiling. Games of divination are also played at Halloween, but are becoming less popular.[28] Lunchtime (the midday meal, sometimes called "dinner" in Ireland[29]), on Halloween is called Colcannon.
Halloween is today associated with anti-social behaviour with 31 October being the busiest day of the year for the Emergency Services.[30][31][32] Bangers and fireworks are illegal in the Republic of Ireland; however, they are commonly smuggled in from Northern Ireland where they are legal.[33][34][35] Bonfires are frequently built around Halloween.[36] Trick-or-treating is popular amongst children on 31 October and Halloween parties and events are commonplace.
Romania[edit]
Halloween in Romania is celebrated around the myth of "Dracula" on 31 October.[citation needed] The spirit of Dracula is believed to live there[where?] because the town[which?]was the site of many witch trials; these are recreated today by actors on the night of Halloween.[37] The most successful Halloween Party in Transylvania takes place in Sighisoara, the citadel where Vlad the Impaler (aka Dracula) was born.[38] The prestigious Fodor's travel guide placed Halloween in Transylvania on a list of Top Ten Must-Do-Adventures. However, regarding the fact that Dracula is a fictional character created by Bram Stoker, this should not be considered a tradition in Romania. See "Day of the Dead". During this tradition people light up candles in the cemetery, on the shrines of their close relatives and loved ones who have died.[39]
Russia[edit]
Celebration of Halloween began in the 1990s, when costume and ghoulish parties spread throughout night clubs throughout Russia. Halloween is generally celebrated by younger generations and is not widely celebrated in civic society (e.g. theaters or libraries). In fact, Halloween is among the Western celebrations that the Russian government and politicians—which have grown increasingly anti-Western in the early 2010s—are trying to eliminate from public celebration.[40][41][42]
Sardinia[edit]

carved pumpkin, Bono, Sardinia
In the town of Gadoni on 2 November, torches made of sheafs of asphodel stems 2–4 m (7–13 ft) long, are brought through the streets of the town by the young people at dusk.[citation needed] The meaning of this ritual is to accompany the wandering souls and spirits far from the town.[citation needed] Out of the windows are put sas Concas de Mortu (Head of the deads), carved pumpkins that look like skulls, with candles inside.[43][44][45]
Switzerland[edit]
In Switzerland, Halloween, after first becoming popular in 1999 is on the wane. Switzerland already has a "festival overload" and even though Swiss people like to dress up for any occasion, they do prefer a traditional element, such as in the Fasnacht tradition of chasing away winter using noise and masks.
United Kingdom[edit]
England[edit]
See also: Mischief Night
There are certain customs associated with All Saints' Day (All Hallows Eve) and All Souls' Day. In the past, on All Souls' Eve families would stay up late, and little "soul cakes" were eaten. At the stroke of midnight, there was solemn silence among households, which had candles burning in every room to guide the souls back to visit their earthly homes and a glass of wine on the table to refresh them. The tradition of giving soul cakes that originated in Great Britain and Ireland was known as souling, often seen as the origin of modern trick or treating in North America, and souling continued in parts of England as late as the 1930s, with children going from door to door singing songs and saying prayers for the dead in return for cakes or money.[46]
There has been concern about the potential for antisocial behaviour, particularly among older teenagers, on Halloween. Cases of houses being "egg-bombed" or having lit fireworks posted through the letterbox (especially when the occupants do not give money or gifts) have been reported, and the BBC reported that for Halloween 2006, police forces stepped up patrols to respond to such mischief.[47]
Scotland[edit]
The name Halloween is first attested in the 16th century as a Scottish shortening of the fuller All-Hallows-Even, that is, the night before All Hallows Day.[48] All observances of Halloween made an application to the agency of evil spirits, and Dumfries poet John Mayne's 1780 poem made note of pranks at Halloween; "What fearfu' pranks ensue!", as well as the supernatural associated with the night, "Bogies" (ghosts).[49] Eminent Scottish poet Rabbie Burns was influenced by Maynes composition, and portrayed some of the customs in his poem Halloween (1785).[49] According to Burns, Halloween is "thought to be a night when witches, devils, and other mischief-making beings are all abroad on their baneful midnight errands".[50]
Traditional customs and lore include divination practices, ways of trying to predict the future. By the 18th century, most of the customs were methods for young people to search for their future husbands or wives. A traditional Scottish form of divining one's future spouse is to carve an apple in one long strip, then toss the peel over one's shoulder. The peel is believed to land in the shape of the first letter of the future spouse's name.[51]
If children approached the door of a house, they were given offerings of food (Halloween being a harvest festival), which served to ward off the potential spirits that may lurk among them. The children's practice of "guising" (derived from "disguising"), going from door to door in supernatural-themed costumes for food or coins, is a traditional Halloween custom in Scotland and Ireland.[52] Among the earliest record of Guising at Halloween in Scotland is in 1895, where masqueraders in disguise carrying lanterns made out of scooped out turnips, visit homes to be rewarded with cakes, fruit and money.[53]
A traditional Halloween game includes apple "dooking",[54] or "dunking" or (i.e., retrieving one from a bucket of water using only one's mouth), and attempting to eat, while blindfolded, a treacle/jam-coated scone hanging on a piece of string. In some places, apple-dunking has been replaced (because of fears of contracting saliva-borne illnesses in the water) by standing over the bowl holding a fork in one's mouth and releasing it in an attempt to skewer an apple using only gravity.
Canada and United States[edit]
Halloween is largely celebrated in the same manner in French and English-speaking Canada and the United States. In the United States, where lingering Puritan tradition restricted the observance of many holidays, Halloween did not become a holiday until the 19th century. American almanacs of the late 18th and early 19th centuries do not include Halloween in their lists of holidays. The transatlantic migration of nearly two million Irish following the Irish Great Famine (1845–49) finally brought the holiday to the United States. Scottish emigration, primarily to Canada before 1870 and to the United States thereafter, brought the Scottish version of the holiday to each country.[52] The earliest known reference to ritual begging on Halloween in English speaking North America occurs in 1911, when a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario reported that it was normal for the smaller children to go street "guising" on Halloween between 6 and 7 p.m., visiting shops and neighbors to be rewarded with nuts and candies for their rhymes and songs.[52]

Children in Halloween costumes at High Point, Seattle, 1943
American librarian and author Ruth Edna Kelley wrote the first book length history of the holiday in the U.S; The Book of Hallowe'en (1919), and references souling in the chapter Hallowe'en in America; "All Hallowe'en customs in the United States are borrowed directly or adapted from those of other countries. The taste in Hallowe'en festivities now is to study old traditions, and hold a Scotch party, using Robert Burns's poem Halloween as a guide; or to go a-souling as the English used. In short, no custom that was once honored at Hallowe'en is out of fashion now".[55] The main event for children of modern Halloween in the United States and Canada is trick-or-treating, in which children, teenagers, (sometimes) young adults, and parents (accompanying their children) disguise themselves in costumes and go door to door in their neighborhoods, ringing each doorbell and yelling "Trick or treat!" to solicit a gift of candy or similar items.[56] Teenagers and adults will more frequently attend Halloween-themed costume parties typically hosted by friends or themed events at nightclubs either on Halloween itself or a weekend close to the holiday. In many cases costumes targeted at adults are relatively sexual in nature, particularly for young women, with the event being used as an occasion to wear revealing clothing or costumes that are also common in sexual role-play, e.g. doctor/nurse, police officer, schoolgirl, cowboy/girl, nun, etc.

Community Halloween party in Frazier Park, California.
At the turn of the 20th century, Halloween had turned into a night of vandalism, with destruction of property and cruelty to animals and people.[57] Around 1912, the Boy Scouts, Boys Clubs, and other neighborhood organizations came together to encourage a safe celebration that would end the destruction that had become so common on this night.[58]
The commercialization of Halloween in the United States did not start until the 20th century, beginning perhaps with Halloween postcards (featuring hundreds of designs), which were most popular between 1905 and 1915.[59] Dennison Manufacturing Company (which published its first Halloween catalog in 1909) and the Beistle Company were pioneers in commercially made Halloween decorations, particularly die-cut paper items.[60][61] German manufacturers specialised in Halloween figurines that were exported to the United States in the period between the two World Wars.

Kids on Halloween, Woody Creek, Colorado
Halloween is now the United States' second most popular holiday (after Christmas) for decorating; the sale of candy and costumes is also extremely common during the holiday, which is marketed to children and adults alike. The National Confectioners Association (NCA) reported in 2005 that 80 percent of American adults planned to give out candy to trick-or-treaters.[62] The NCA reported in 2005 that 93 percent of children planned to go trick-or-treating.[63] According to the National Retail Federation, the most popular Halloween costume themes for adults are, in order: witch, pirate, vampire, cat, and clown.[64] Each year, popular costumes are dictated by various current events and pop culture icons. On many college campuses, Halloween is a major celebration, with the Friday and Saturday nearest 31 October hosting many costume parties.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Halloween
 

yortbogey

To Have More ... Desire Less
Veteran
for me.... it's a BIG celebration just off theOld~ CapitolHill in Seattle.... serious fun.... ENTIRE neighborhood decorates,dressesUP,and performs... street after street... in a grand old fashion..... HELL, last year there was a FlashMOB dance to MJ's thriller, @ least 500 people or so in just that performance alone.... BEST time of the year, and my daughter LOVES it.....
 

Payaso

Original Editor of ICMagazine
Veteran
Wish I could be there in Seattle... sounds like a blast!!!

Halloween is fun for kids of all ages :) Looking forward to seeing something ghoulish... !
 

fuggzy

Member
Forget this heat, I'm going to WA

Forget this heat, I'm going to WA

:woohoo:
picture.php

:laughing:
 

Payaso

Original Editor of ICMagazine
Veteran
I'm getting a pumpkin or three today to carve up... ought to be a stoned out fun trip!
 

yortbogey

To Have More ... Desire Less
Veteran
Mix up a preservative solution for your carved pumpkin consisting of 2 teaspoons of household bleach per gallon of water.

Fill a sink, bucket, or tub with enough of the bleach solution to totally immerse the carved jack o lantern. Place the jack o lantern in the bleach mixture right after you have finished carving it. Soak the carved pumpkin for 8 hours or overnight.


Remove the pumpkin from the liquid and allow it to air dry. Spray the pumpkin inside and outside with a commercial pumpkin preservative or use your own mixture, consisting of 1 teaspoon of bleach in water. Spray the pumpkin once daily, to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold.

Smear petroleum jelly on all of the cut surfaces of the pumpkin. This will prevent the pumpkin from drying out and getting that puckered, shriveled look.

Protect the jack o lantern from sun or rain, since one will dry the pumpkin out, while the other will promote the growth of mold. If possible, refrigerate your jack o lantern when it's not in use.
How Pumpkin Preservation Works

Bleach is dilute sodium hypochlorite, an oxidizer that kills microorganism that decay the pumpkin, including mold, fungi, and bacteria. You need to reapply it because it loses its effectiveness fairly quickly. The petroleum jelly locks in moisture so the jack o lantern doesn't get dehydrated.

Now that you know how to keep it fresh, make a science Halloween jack o lantern.


:tiphat:
 

trichrider

Kiss My Ring
Veteran
:chin:i've always been of the mind that that shriveled decaying jackolantern that dissolves when you pick it up or kick it was part of the tradition...but yeah, great info on keeping them longer.
picked up 2 for the grandkids to carve...gonna go back and get one for old granddad!

one of my favorite memories of halloween was trick or treating...
we would gather cattails (ripe ones) and where tricks were imperative, we would break cattails on their walks or mailboxes.

better than toilet paper.

that was so long ago...sigh.:covereyes:
 

SwampyTHC

Member
can we have a seperate pumpkin carving comp im not the type of bloke to get dressed up lol happily sit there stoned carving something up though
 

MedGrowerTom

Organic Dank Land
Veteran
I'll bite, might do both the carvings and costumes(think we have a party to go end of month, so will update here in the next 2 1/2 weeks. Good luck folks.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top