It will be Halloween in a few days, and we found some interesting items about this annual event . . .

HALLOWEEN SPENDING SHOWS OCTOBER 31 ISN’T JUST FOR KIDS

The magic of Halloween is often seen on the costumed faces of kids who anxiously await their chance to dress up and go trick-or-treating every year. However, figures from the National Retail federation suggest that adults also love this holiday that traces its origins back to the Celtic festival of Samhain.

During the festival of Samhain, which historians have noted was mentioned in Old Irish literature that dates from the 10 ^th century onward, people would engage in various activities and rituals, including wearing costumes.

These activities were intended to ward off ghosts. More than a millennium later, costumes have not lost their appeal. Data from the NRF indicates that Americans spent $8 billion on Halloween in 2020. That marks a drop-off from the year prior; but, that decrease can at least be partially credited to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many people to cancel Halloween celebrations in 2020.

In fact, in 2020 the average Halloween celebrant spent roughly $92 on the holiday, which is more than in any year prior. The NRF reports that costumes tend to be the most costly Halloween-related expense, and the total dollars spent and number of celebrants suggests that a holiday often associated with children has long since become a holiday for kids of all ages.

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When we think of Halloween we think of many things. At the top of the list are pumpkins.

THE ADVANTAGES OF PUMPKINS

Pumpkin (a cultivar of winter squash), rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, is incredibly healthy.

Pumpkins nutrients and antioxidants may boost your immune system, ward off germs, protect your eyesight, lowers the risk of certain kinds of cancer, like lung or prostate cancer, promote skin health, help your heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs stay healthy.

In addition to making you feel good, pumpkin also helps ease inflammation, which keeps your body—and your skin—calmer and happier. Its B vitamins improve the appearance of skin and reduce wrinkles.

Just like their orange cousins, the carrot and the sweet potato, pumpkins are rich in the antioxidant beta carotene which works to combat the effects of aging on your skin. Your body changes beta carotene to vitamin A.

One cup of pumpkin can give you 200% of your recommended daily vitamin A intake which helps you have healthy eyes and see more clearly, especially in low-light conditions, also high in lutein and zeaxanthin, substances that may help prevent the formation of cataracts and nutrients in pumpkin can reduce the risk of macular degeneration, thus protecting your eyesight. Studies show this benefit comes only when you eat foods with vitamin A. You don’t get the same protection from vitamin A supplements alone.

Antioxidants (such as vitamin A, C and E) iron, and folate—all strengthen your immune system. More pumpkin in your diet can help your immune cells work better to ward off germs and speed healing when you continued Page 8 get a wound. High in vitamin C, the pumpkins rich orange color is also a sign it’s packed with potassium which is crucial for lowering blood pressure. Studies show that higher potassium levels can lower your risk of stroke, kidney stones, and type 2 diabetes. Potassium may also increase bone mineral density, boosting your bone health.

Nutrient-rich pumpkin is a healthy way to fill up; a good go-to choice. Its low-calorie content makes it a weight-loss-friendly food. High in fiber which promotes digestive health and low in calories, so you feel full without adding to your overall food’s intake for the day. Your odds of heart disease go down as your fiber intake goes up, and pumpkin is loaded with it. It’s potassium also plays a part in heart health.

It’s mildly diuretic in nature so people who take medicines such as lithium might not be able to enjoy it.

Did you know pumpkin flowers are edible?

In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies. Today some folks add these spices in their pie crust: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon cloves and ½ teaspoon of each of these three spices—ground ginger, sugar and salt.

The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake.

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Speaking of Pumpkins….

BEING A CHRISTIAN IS LIKE BEING A PUMPKIN

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff—including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, and all the bad stuff. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.

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THE COMPLICATED CONNECTION BETWEEN BLACK CATS, WITCHES AND HALLOWEEN

Come October, it’s hard to miss the many indelible images associated with Halloween. Homeowners may decorate their home exteriors with scarecrows, inflatable ghouls and goblins, and jack-o-lanterns. Local businesses also may get in on the fun, offering “spooktacular” sales and decorating their storefronts with images of vampires, witches and other symbols of Halloween.

Black cats have become synonymous with Halloween décor, but few may know how this association came to be. According to History.com, the notion of black cats as bad omens can be traced to the Middle Ages. Back then, people believed witches avoided detection by turning themselves into black cats.

The perception of black cats as something more than mere felines may even pre-date the Middle ages. For example, in Norse mythology, Freyja, a goddess of, among other things, a type of Late Scandinavian Iron Age magic known as “Sejor,” was believed to have ridden a chariot pulled by two cats. That connection to sorcery could explain the link between black cats and witches that continues to be made today.

Despite the lengthy history suggesting black cats are bad omens, it’s not all bad for these dark-colored felines. One researcher at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History found that Welsh folklore depicted black cats as harbingers of good luck, and even noted their ability to predict the weather.

Black cats are one of many symbols of Halloween. And much like jack-o-lanterns and trick-or-treating, the story of how black cats came to be associated with Halloween is interesting and thought-provoking.

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WHY DO WE SAY ‘TRICK OR TREAT’?

Homeowners think nothing of having goblins, nurses, vampires, or astronauts showing up at their doors each October asking for candy. Any other time of the year and these visitors might be turned away. But Halloween is all about the magical and the macabre, and trick-or-treating is a major component of the festivities.

Kids and adults alike cry out “trick or treat” at each house they visit. Many utter this familiar phrase without a second thought and may have no idea how this familiar custom came to be.

During the Middle Ages, less fortunate individuals would go “souling,” which was a process of going door to door asking for food on November 1 in return for saying prayers for the deceased on All Souls Day on November 2. Many centuries later, the tradition of “guising” began in Scotland around the same time of year. People began wearing masks and costumes to disguise themselves and prevent evil spirits from harming them. Spirits were thought to cross over more readily around Halloween. The custom also was called “mumming” and was celebrated in nearby England and Ireland as well.

Costumes were eventually accompanied by hijinks. Mischief makers would sing a rhyme, do a card trick or tell a story in exchange for a treat. If that treat wasn’t presented, a “trick” could be played. For 19 ^th century children, tricks included jamming hot cabbage into a keyhole to stink up a house or frightening passerby.

History.com indicates that when European immigrants arrived in America, they didn’t give up their annual mischief or requests for treats, and the custom spread throughout the early 20 ^th century in the United States.

While the practice of begging for treats in some shape or form went by many names, Merriam-Webster reports that a newspaper in Saskatchewan, Canada first mentioned the words “treat” and “trick” together in print. A 1923 article indicated, “Halloween passed off very quietly here. ‘Treats’ not ‘tricks’ were the order of the evening.” By 1927, more and more children were uttering “tricks or treats” to solicit candy from their neighbors.

Trick-or-treating gained steam throughout the 1950s, with endorsements by major candy companies. The custom also was showcased in popular comic strips.

Even though there are tricks to be made on Halloween, treats are the real draw of the day.

Thanks to our friends at The Gusher for sharing these items.

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And last of all, my favorite story of the week.

GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD

Brad lives in California . . . He was sick of the world, of Covid-19, Trump, Russian belligerence, China, global warming, racial tensions, and the rest of the disturbing stories that occupy media headlines.

Brad drove his car into his garage and then sealed every doorway and window as best he could.

He got back into his car and wound down all the windows, selected his favorite radio station, started the car and revved it to a slow idle.

Two days later, a worried neighbor peered through his garage window and saw him in the car. She notified the emergency services and they broke in, pulling Brad from the car.

A little sip of water and, surprisingly, he was in perfect condition, but his Tesla had a dead battery . . .

Brad is a registered California democrat.