New Member Introduction, #3

[Pumpkin_Head]

Voskhood02: Halloween is by no means an exclusively American holiday or institution. Like Christmas, Easter, and many other things we tend to 'americanize' the culture to suit us, but Halloween dates back to the druids of ancient Europe. Halloween is also very popular in many parts of the world, as it was before the United States Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Spain, and other countries influenced by Spanish culture call it The Day of the Dead. (I don't remember what it is in Spanish.) In fact, the Halloween tradition like most others, were brought in to America by the first settlers who came here. Pumpkins, which are indidgidious to North America are a relatively 'Johnny come lately" to Halloween tradition. Before that the Irish and various others would carve jack o'lanterns in turnips and other vegetables.

I can go on and on, but if you enjoy Halloween, you enjoy something that millions of other people do all over the world.

Mike

[NeverMore]

Howdy Olivier! Don't be put off by Halloween being an 'American' thing. As Mike said, Halloween has roots way beyond the advent of the U.S. Heck, look at what the Mexicans did, took the same roots and created a whole other holiday. They call it 'Day of the Dead'. You guys need a Russian, or Belgian? equivalent. Preferably around the same time of year so we Americans can incorporate it into our celebration

Side note: Sorry to hear a lot of your current country-mates don't trust us Americans. 'We the people' really are not that much different than 'your the people'. It's just our governments and media that suck.

[witchy]

Hi Olivier,

Welcome to our humble abode! I hope you enjoy this site as much as we do. I can't wait to see pictures of your haunt and I love the Day of the Dead too!

[Murfreesboro]

I always enjoy hearing from international fans. Keep us posted on your haunting plans!

[bluemtnspook]

Hello this is Bluemtnspook from VA. I have been visiting this forum since the early 2000's and just
decided to finally join. I always start to long for Autumn and Halloween by early May somehow each year
and I will often visit. Now I can finally say hello.

Welcome, glad to have you join!

Thank you very much-it always looked like
everyone was enjoying themselves around here.

[bluemtnspook]

Oh, wonderful news! Welcome, newcomers and lurkers and old friends!

Thank you very much, I have been a visitor for a while but
decided to finally connect here. This is the time of year when
I begin to think about October things as well

[bluemtnspook]

The more the merrier. Now all you have to do is repeat after me:
bluemtnspook do solemnly swear to sign over all my living relatives........JUST KIDDING.

Welcome to the forum. I look forward to hearing from you.

Mike
I

Hello Mike and thank you for your note,
I Bluemtnspook do solemnly...
ok wait, you mean now I have to send all those relatives back
home
Nice to meet you here.

[bluemtnspook]

Good to see you here Oliver and welcome to this spooky corner of the Net.
-Bluemtnspook

[Murfreesboro]

I may have once lived in your neck of the woods, Bluemtnspook. I lived in Staunton for several years. Both my sons were born there.

[Zanermin]

Hi community, I'm Maylo from Clifton.
I enjoy photography and reading books.
Any recommendations for Halloween reading? Preferably not just a horror story but something connected in some way to the day itself. Something like Ray Bradbury's short story, The October Game, or my favorite, Roger Zelazny's A Night in the Lonesome October

[Pumpkin_Head]

I can't think of any books, Zanermin, but welcome to the forum. It's good to have you. By the way, I'm a photographer, too. Did it for a living for 30 years before retiring in 2014.

Mike

[Murfreesboro]

Welcome, Zanermin. I'll try to research some October stories. If it were just scary stories you wanted, my go-to is always Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House.

[witchy]

Welcome Zanermin, I read Brian Lumley’s Necroscope series it was really good!

[NeverMore]

Finally! A Witchy sighting. Not that I haven't been neglectful of this board but someone turned me into a frog and it took a while to change back. Couldn't type. Have you ever tried typing with suckers on your fingers? And voice rec didn't work. Only thing that came out was "croak, croak". And of course Witchy is using the font color I chose so I have to change. Dang Witches! Just when you think they flew into a tree, they come back. All is forgiven though since she's a fan of Harry Keogh.

Any recommendations for Halloween reading?

Here's what i have tagged 'Halloween' in my Calibre library. I haven't read a lot of them but maybe you could look into them and see if they interest you. Pretty sure most of them are available on Amazon.

[witchy]

Well that's what you get for being gone so long Nevermore and Purple and green are my favorite colors!

P.S. It's a good thing I don't love frog stew, all my friends love it by the way!!