Nancy's Notes
by Nancy Hawker

When people think of Halloween, they think of green-faced witches riding brooms with pointy hats, black cats, pumpkins and ghouls.

What most people do not realize is there is actually a "true meaning" of Halloween.

Halloween is an ancient holiday referred to as Samhain (pronounced sow-win).

In reality, Samhain was celebrated by ancient western Europeans long before Jesus was born.

It marks the third and final harvest of the season, when most of the plant life dies until spring.

In ancient times, people were at the mercy of the seasons. In western Europe, most people were farmers, and felt a deep connection to the earth and the seasons.

Samhain, with its association with the passing of plant life until spring, is also a time to remember the dead. Just as the plants will die in the next few weeks, ancient peoples acknowledged the fact that people die as well.

In Mexico, they celebrate what they call "The Day of the Dead." They, too, recognize the meaning of the season.

Along with the changing of the seasons, the ancient peoples, especially of western Europe, recognized the power of the moon.

They realized even then that the moon dictated not only the tides but also people's moods. They saw a correlation in women's cycles and the 28-day cycle of the moon.

Many people today still plant backyard gardens and crops by the cycles of the moon.

I find it strange that in a place so rooted in agriculture, people don't recognize the turning of the seasons as a time to celebrate life, death and rebirth.

No, most modern-day religions do not place any importance on nature, but without nature none of us could survive.

I attended a Roman Catholic school for the first half of my life. Through the years, my teachers spent many an afternoon trying to just about deny the existence of Halloween.

We were only permitted to dress up for "All Saints Day," which is Nov. 1. We could only dress up as saints - and let me tell you, it was just oodles of fun for elementary school children.

But for some reason many can't explain, millions of people still celebrate Halloween, even if they do not know from where the holiday originates. It's almost as if most are holding true to their ancestry without even knowing it.