Tag: BOMs

HocusPocusVille our new Block of the Month (bom) club is now underway… I’ve packed up the first month’s kit and waiting for Floss then it will go in the mail to all of you gouls and goblins who love Halloween.

What is the definition of Halloween anyway?

Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that while “some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, whose original spelling was Samuin (pronounced sow-an or sow-in)”.^[1] The name is derived from Old Irish and means roughly “summer’s end”.^[1]

Here’s another tidbit I thought was interesting:

Development of artifacts and symbols associated with Halloween formed over time. For instance, the carving of jack-o’-lanterns springs from the souling custom of carving turnips into lanterns as a way of remembering the souls held in purgatory.^[5] The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween in North America where pumpkins are both readily available and much larger – making them easier to carve than turnips.^[6] The American tradition of carving pumpkins preceded the Great Famine period of Irish immigration^[7]and was originally associated with harvest time in general, not becoming specifically associated with Halloween until the mid-to-late 19th century.^[8][9]

Complements of Wikipedia Search: Halloween read more here.

Until next time, stay happy and creative with this tip:

Begin quilting by finding and using the very best materials you can afford.