October 31 – a holiday celebrated in the United States, Canada, and the British Isles by children going door to door while wearing costumes and begging treats and playing pranks.
Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, ghost tours, bonfires, costume parties, visiting “haunted houses”, carving Jack-o’-lanterns, reading scary stories and watching horror movies.
Halloween is one of the few festivals whose popularity has increased, not declined, in recent years. Since about 1980, the media have shown growing interest, shops are full of scary masks and witches’ hats, and children have taken to roaming the streets in costume, knocking on doors, saying a rhyme, and expecting money or sweets. They use pumpkins, not turnips, as lanterns.
Halloween — or All Saints’ Day Eve — is not just for trick or treaters. The holiday’s origins lie in pagan practices, most notably the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the beginning of the Celtic new year. According to legend, this was the time when the spirits of those who had died during the previous year came to visit, searching for a living body they could possess. To frighten these spirits away, the living dressed up in costume and roamed the neighborhood, creating noise and mayhem.
In the United States, 31 October has become a major celebration that appeals to adults as well as children, as shown by the elaborate homemade and store-bought decorations people use to decorate their homes, and also by the adult street festivals, masquerades, and parties found all over the United States. Commercially, Halloween has become second only to Christmas in the amount of revenue it generates.
As of the rising trend of text messaging, peoples send Halloween text messages, scary text, Halloween poems, Halloween quotes, Halloween pranks & jokes, funny halloween quotes, halloween sayings, halloween jokes, famous halloween quotes, and Halloween graphics to friends, family, near and dear ones via mobile — Happy Halloween.
Halloween in 2012 is on Wednesday, the 31st of October.
Halloween Health and Safety Tips:
 | Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible. |
 | Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult. |
 | Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you. |
 | Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat. |
 | Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. Always WALK and don’t run from house to house. |
| Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation. |
 | Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible. |
| Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses. |
 | Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe. |
 | Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls. |
| Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers. |
| Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. |
 | Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes. |
Enjoy the day, Happy Halloween.
Dr. Anil Singhal
+919810264825
