Halloween is a secular celebration based on ancient Druid
customs, dating back to 700 BC.
The Druids, a Celtic religious order in ancient Britain,
Ireland and France, believed the souls of the dead returned to
mingle with the living on "hallowed eve." People dressed in
costumes to disguise themselves from these spirits.
The idea was borrowed by early Christians. Halloween is
celebrated on Oct. 31, just before All Saints Day (Nov.1) and
All Souls' Day (Nov. 2). Irish Catholics brought their
Halloween traditions to North America.
The tradition of carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns
originated with Irish children who carved out the centres of
rutabagas, turnips and potatoes, and placed candles inside.
The first Halloween cards were produced in 1908. Hallmark
produced its first Halloween cards in the 1920s along with a
limited line of Halloween party accessories, such as nut cups
and bridge tallies.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Hallmark began producing
Halloween centerpieces, masks, children's things and paper
partyware items.
Halloween is a favourite family tradition and an occasion to
recognize the fall harvest and autumn season. Adults love to
celebrate or participate in Halloween activities and for many
it is as popular as New Year's Eve.
Halloween is also one of the fastest growing holidays for
home décor - both inside and out. By some estimates, Halloween
ranks number two in holiday home décor behind Christmas.
Favourite Halloween activities include trick-or-treating,
visiting haunted houses, watching scary movies, trekking though
pumpkin patches, taking hay rides, and attending costume
parties.
Hallmark offers more than 350 Halloween cards, including
cards for children, humor cards and even cards from the dog or
cat. Several new cards feature sound, songs and lights.
Here are some diabolically good ideas for Halloween
decorating from Hallmark:
-  Paint thrift-store tables and chairs black. Shroud
furniture and windows in tattered sheets and shredded
cheesecloth. 
-  Buy candlesticks, goblets and urns, and paint them
black. Scatter throughout household. Create a spooky
centerpiece by placing a spider on a goblet full of dry ice and
water. The fog effect will last about a half hour. Drape large
spiderwebs made out of white yarn from ceilings and
walls. 
-  Arrange a candle display of various colors (including
black) and sizes on a tray in your fireplace. Around it, place
ceramic pumpkins containing small votive candles. Place
sunglass-wearing pumpkins, an assortment of candles, a black
urn and a large mirror on your mantel. Generously drape
spiderwebs and spiders throughout. 
-  Cover a table with shredded cheesecloth and arrange on
it a black urn, some festive, uneven candles and fanned-out
Admit One tickets. (You can buy the tickets or create them.)
Add cobwebs. 
-  Stack weathered-looking books in a corner, add
multicolored spiders and cobwebs and an ominous crow. 
-  Cover an old lamp with cobwebs, and place it on a side
table covered with shredded cheesecloth and a few creepy
crawlers, accompanied by a black ceramic pumpkin with a candle
inside. 
-  Line your front stoop with candle-illuminated black
ceramic pumpkins.
