Dear Ones,

This morning I read an article about the hottest Halloween decoration trend: giant skeletons. Apparently 12-foot tall skeletons are very popular, and have been since last year. This year these skeletons have been joined by another version called the “Inferno,” which has a pumpkin head and fake sinew on its limbs. Spooky!

Each year as the end of October draws near, I remember when our children were young and the neighborhood was overrun with trick-or-treaters on Halloween. We used to hand out more than 10 pounds of candy each year – almost three large bags of miniature candy bars, etc. purchased at Costco.

As the children in the neighborhood grew, the Halloween crowds shrank. When I moved here to Beaufort I was surprised the first year when there were no trick-or-treating children where I was living. I guess that trunk-or-treat events happen in some neighborhoods, or at schools?

Halloween has a more serious side, which we sometimes celebrate here at UUFB: Samhain (pronounced “SOW-wen”), a Celtic pagan holiday when people acknowledge the cycle of life, and believe the veil between the world of the living and dead is particularly “thin.” Many Halloween traditions have their origins in Samhain. Samhain was “Christianized” into All Hallows Eve, followed by All Saints Day on Nov. 1^st and All Souls Day on Nov. 2^nd.

The past few years we’ve honored All Souls Day with a ritual of remembrance. This coming Sunday, Oct. 31^st, we will acknowledge the veil between life and death, and remember those who have joined the ancestors before us. I hope to see you then.

    Blessings,
        Rev. Lori Hlaban