- Available in: Kindle $3.99, Paperback $11.99
- ISBN: 979-8496180160
The Origins of a Hallowed Evening
Halloween is celebrated each year on October 31. It is a holiday that all kids look forward to, as do some adults. The tradition originated with an ancient Gaelic festival known as Samhain. This festival marked the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter. During the festival people lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off ghosts.
Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints in the eighth century. All Saints Day began incorporating many of the Samhain traditions. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later became Halloween. A century later, the Church shifted the date of All Saints’ Day to November 1st. November 2nd then became All Souls’ Day. Over time, it is believed that Samhain and All Saints’/All Souls’ influenced each other, and eventually syncretised (that’s definitely an Emily word) into the modern holiday we know as Halloween.
Costumes and Treats
Costumes, the spooky and exciting part of holiday. While costumes began as tributes to saints, that tradition fell out of favor. Eventually pranksters, young Scottish and Irish kids, got the idea to dress up in scary-looking attire to spook their unsuspecting neighbors. Next thing you know, Halloween costumes again became all the rage. Funny, scary, spooky, and sometimes filed with a little “Hocus Pocus.”
Halloween became a day filled with activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats. The candy-grabbing concept went mainstream in the United States in the early to mid-1900s. Families provided treats to children in hopes that they would be immune to any holiday pranks.
Of course, Halloween origins are not really what’s important to Nuff when it comes to celebrating this holiday.
What’s the best thing about Halloween?
Is it the Tricks or the Treats? One thing for sure, it is probably not being tricked into losing your treats. Join Nuff in this exciting adventure as he finds out for himself whether playing Tricks or getting Treats is the best thing about Halloween.
Read along as Nuff finds out what happens when you pull some tricks on the wrong people, at the wrong time, and discovers the real way to enjoy Halloween. Boo!
Reviews
“This book follows a boy named Nuff, who quickly learns that treats are much better than tricks!
I love that the story demonstrates the importance of friendship and gratitude as well!” — SW
“On Halloween, Nuff is bored asking for treats and decides to do tricks. He learns an important lesson. Highly recommended.” — Rich Linville
“Kids enjoyed this Halloween story about Nuff learning that treats are better than tricks – on Halloween and everyday. Great lessons about being kind and about friendship. Perfect book for fall!” — Pamela Breece
