Without a doubt the most recognizable symbol of Halloween is a pumpkin carved into a jack-O-lantern. To understand the origins of how pumpkin carving began and what it really means we must first take a look at the holiday itself. How long has Halloween been around? Have there always been pumpkins carved? Here are some answers!

For most of the general population it is known as Halloween and is a night for dressing up, telling ghost stories, having spooky parties, trick-or-treating and pumpkin carving. What most people don't know is that Halloween is actually based on an ancient Celtic holiday known as Samhain (pronounced "sow wan"), which means "summer's end".

It was the end of the Celtic year, starting at sundown on October 31st and going through to sundown November 1st. It was a night to honor loved ones that had passed on since the veil between their realm and ours is at it's thinnest on that night.

Celebrated for centuries by the Celts of old, Witches and many other nature based religions, it is the most magical night of the year. It is the Witches' New Year, and the Last Harvest. Although the religious significance of it has passed for the general public, Halloween is a "magical" night for all!

On this magical night, glowing jack-O-lanterns, carved from turnips or gourds, were set on porches and in windows to welcome deceased loved ones, but also to act as protection against malevolent spirits. Burning lumps of coal were used inside as a source of light, later to be replaced by candles.

When European settlers, particularly the Irish, arrived in American they found the native pumpkin to be larger, easier to carve and seemed the perfect choice for jack-O-lanterns. Halloween didn't really catch on big in this country until the late 1800's and has been celebrated in so many ways ever since!

Pumpkins are indigenous to the western hemisphere and were completely unknown in Europe before the time of Columbus. In 1584, the French explorer Jacques Cartier reported from the St. Lawrence region that he had found "gros melons", which was translated into English as "ponpions," or pumpkins.  In fact, pumpkins have been grown in America for over 5,000 years. Native Americans called pumpkins "isquotersquash."

Did you know that pumpkins are not a vegetable - they are a fruit! Pumpkins, like gourds, and other varieties of squash are all members of the Cucurbitacae family , which also includes cucumbers, gherkins, and melons.

Tags: Halloween

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"This photograph, possibly showing the ghost of a cowled monk standing by an altar rail was taken in the early 1960s by the vicar of a church in England. At the time he saw nothing that was out of the ordinary. But his developed film showed the tall phantom monk seen here. It appears to be about three meters (9 feet) tall. The film was carefully checked by photographic experts but showed no signs of tampering."

I remember seeing this when I was younger and it scared the crap out of me.

This well known "ghost" photo was snapped by Reverend K. F. Lord at Newby Church in North Yorkshire, England in the 1960's. He claims he was merely taking a photo of the alter and didn't see anything unusual at the time, until the photograph was developed. This particular photo has been the subject of many arguments and much controversy over the years due to the rather "fake" appearance of the figure in the photo.

Newby Church was built in the late 1870's and was not reportedly haunted.

What do you think?

Tags: Apparition Church Monk

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I wanted to explain more about that time where I was relaxing on my bed, in my own very first apartment (a real crappy one, but it was my first).

It was at night, cause I remember only having the only lamp I had on. My apartment was a small basement bachlor, basiclly one big room with a small bathroom (the bathroom had 2 sinks...awesome!). My small bed was just around the corner from the bathroom, so I could leave the bathroom light on at night.

I was reading and ready to turn in soon, but I wasn't that sleepy. I was reading about structre firefighting. I remember laying the book downright beside me and putting my head on my pillow. I was comfy and cozy, just the way I have to be to fall asleep. My eyes were not shut. My right ear was against the pillow. I stayed like this for a few minutes, going over the pictures I had seen in the book about different types of structure fires when I heard very distinct whispering coming from inside my pillow!!! Inside!

I cannot tell if was male or female voices, but it sounded like moe than one vioce, almost gibberish, but it was whispering. Soft but audible. Keep in mind this lastest only for a few brief seconds, maybe about 5 seconds too long, as I jumped up, grabbed my pillow, ran upstairs and threw it out the back window. I was scared shitless. And somewhat pissed because that was a damn good pillow too, but there was no way I was going to keep that pillow in my home.

I wasn't hearing things, and I wasn't asleep. I'm not crazy either. I know what I heard. It wasn't my ear shifting over the pillow. It was whispering. I had goosebumps for a few minutes after too, and called my mother, whom I knew would listen to me. She gave me holy water the next day and I used it in my apartment, so I could sleep there again. And she let me use one her pillows.

I'm not crazy. This wasn't a dream. I was not half alseep.  I wasn't on any drugs or mind altering substances. I will never forget that incident...ever.

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Here in Toronto, there has been a record amount of rain 220mm, that's double the amount it was last year, 127mm! It's soggy, wet and somewhat uncomfortable. But, I know that some ghost hunters believe there is a corrolation between rain, lightining and ghost sightings. I still don't really understand this. Maybe someone could assist me.

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I just created my profile, and I am hoping to connect with other ghost enthusiasts soon, hopefully in my area as well.

I have been interested in ghosts since I was a child, as I remember experiencing some things as a child at my grandmother's house.

My granny (bless her soul) had a two story house in Toronto, where she lived with my grandfather. It was built in the 50's, a brick and woodframed house, sturdy and built to last. Granny had a very large backyard where she practiced her love of gardening. She also fed the local wildlife with sugarbread, grains and seeds. She sheltered injured wildlife, and kept 2 wonderful dogs. (too young to remember what breeds, but one was named 'Laddie')

My brother and I went there to stay almost every weekend. (This gave my mom a break, lol) It was always an adventure because one of the upstairs bedrooms was a 'junk room', where granny had put miscellaneous items over the years. Things from toys to shower curtians...you get the idea. It more more like a mountain for me to climb on, and find new toys to play with.

Because I was young, my brother stayed in one guest room, and granny and I in her room. I loved to snack on milkbones (yes, thats a dog treat...lol) and would play with granny's 2 dogs. Laddie would moslty only eat half of a milbone, than leave it someone to finish up later. Laddie had so many unfinished milkbones laying around the house, under the beds, in the basement, in the backyard...you name it, and a half chewed milkbone was there.

I clearly remember one night, lying in bed, terrified because of sounds I was hearing coming from under the bed. (Granny was religious, so my vaules with God had been established, and I knew that God could help me if I was ever afraid)

Granny always put me to bed first after watching the evening news. Sometimes I fell alseep right away, other times I would hide under the covers if a thunderstorm was passing over. It was, to me, a creepy house at night. Granny was a stickler for keeping the lights off to save energy, and I cannot remember having a nightlight on all the time. But this one night really scared me.

I was by myself in bed (can't remember the season, but it was dark out, most likely summer) and started to hear these scratching noises coming from under the bed. I remember those sounds to this day, with full clarity. It was as if something hard was slowly moving itself across the wooden floor of granny's bedroom. I was paraylzed with fear because tis wasn't a normal sound of the house. I knew at that age that houses settle at night (with the varying temperature changes, my granny would later add) Wood creeks. But this wasn't wood creeking.

I knew there were a few half-eaten milkbones under the bed from Laddie. I assumed it was the milkbones that were being slowly pushed around under the bed. It made sense to me at that time, as later the next day, and after complaining to granny about strange noises under the bed, she 'investigated' with me and we only found a few milkbones under the bed. She said it was probably hungry mice trying to drag the milkbones to their 'cubbyholes' in the house. (grandpa did catch a few mice in some mice traps)

Weither or not it was paranormal doesn't matter. This was one of the events on my granny's house that got me to start asking questions and raised my curiosity about ghosts.

And I still haven't found any answers yet. I don't think I have been witness to any paranormal activity, except when I heard whispering coming from my pillow when I had my first apartment. That pillow was tossed out the window. Fast.

So here I am.

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