October 31, 2014
Happy Halloween! It is cool, clear and frosty here in central Minnesota this morning. I doubt if I will have many goblins coming to Millstream Village, but maybe I should put out a bowl with some of those tiny candy bars anyway. This is the note from Writer’s Almanac by Garrison Keillor:
“Today is All Hallows’ Eve, or Halloween. The modern holiday comes from an age-old tradition honoring the supernatural blending of the world of the living and the world of the dead. Halloween is based on a Celtic holiday called Samhain. The festival marked the start of winter and the last stage of the harvest, the slaughtering of animals. It was believed that the dark of winter allowed the spirits of the dead to transgress the borders of death and haunt the living.
Eventually, Christian holidays developed at around the same time. During the Middle Ages, November 1 became known as All Saints’ Day, or All Hallows’ Day. The holiday honored all of the Christian saints and martyrs. Medieval religion taught that dead saints regularly interceded in the affairs of the living. On All Saints’ Day, churches held masses for the dead and put bones of the saints on display. The night before this celebration of the holy dead became known as All Hallows’ Eve. People baked soul cakes, which they would set outside their house for the poor. They also lit bonfires and set out lanterns carved out of turnips to keep the ghosts of the dead away. “
The Upsala Swanville football team is playing in the Fargo Dome at 3 pm today. They will be playing Royalton in the playoffs. Go USA Patriots!!
The APHC show this week will be a live broadcast from the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis. Special guests include the Scottish music institution Battlefield Band and hot jazz preservationist Vince Giordano. This will be the first Joke Show in many years. If you have a great joke, go to prairiehome.org and submit it for consideration.
“Man alone, of all the creatures on earth, can change his own pattern. Man alone is architect of his destiny. The greatest revolution in our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.” William James
Category : General 