Tanya, Sec 2

Annual Camp was an enriching experience and was also my first time camping at Camp Christine so everything was rather new and a first-time experience for me. As expected, Camp Christine was really muddy and my shoes got muddy real quick. At first I was pretty grossed out by the mud on my shoes but got used to it soon.

Christy, Sec 1

Before the camp, my patrol and I (Celine Ma’am, Pearlyn Ma’am, Hui Juan Ma’am, Kalista, Adeline, Rexanne, Yee Shuen, Aindrae & Yin Shyn) had a few meet-up dates whereby we discussed proposals, practiced for patrol item and did our patrol identities and flag. However there were time clashes thus not being able to do them as a whole patrol together. During the times we met up, sec2s gave us advices on what to prepare and expect for the camp. I myself felt scared for the camp as it would be the first time camping as a Guide and I was afraid I would be under-prepared. Time past fast and very soon it was the day of the camp.

The three days passed by in a blur as well, for some activities time seemed to drag, but more often than not, time passed very quickly. Activities done there included tent pitching, gadget tying, bathing and changing parade, clean up, luggage inspection, indoor cooking, campfire and not missing out the outdoor adventure at Sarimbun.

Tent pitching, campfire and the outdoor adventure at Sarimbun were a first and it was very interesting. However pitching the tent had been tiring due to the weight of the poles and tent itself but there was a sense of accomplishment felt; after we set it up and the fact that it lasted us for 3 days 2 nights, even through the constant heavy rain.

I think as a whole, our time spent on each activity could be reduced, but I think day by day, we all learnt to have a better sense of urgency and quicken our movements. Our volume was also much better than on a normal CCA activity. Relationships were further developed and bonds between us were stronger thus teamwork was well-displayed.

Overall the whole camp was exhausting; no doubt almost everyone was happy to go home on the third day. However this camp had also been a fruitful one, learning new stuff, gaining more insights and knowing each other better. It is really my honour to be in Sprite; I really enjoyed time spent when smiles and laughter were exchanged, constant encouragement and advice given during the tough times, and of course the joking after a tiring day back in the tent. I am very lucky to be in Sprite patrol, it was a patrol where we worked hard together and yet have fun on top of the care of our sec3 Ma’ams. It was fun while it lasted, and I am pretty sure Annual Camp 2012 in Camp Christine would be ingrained in my head.

 

 

Alyssia, Sec 1

 

My patrol prepared for annual camp by meeting to discuss our patrol item and to do the patrol identities. I was actually quite nervous for the camp because it was something new to me. Although it was exhausting throughout the camp, it is actually rather meaningful as I was able to learn new things such as pitching a tent. I was also able to bond with my patrol mates.

On the first day, we did luggage inspection and learnt to pitch a tent. It was new and interesting to me. We also did gadget tying. Overall, we could have done better if we had taken less time to get to places.
On the second day, we went to Serambun Camp. We played Splish Splash, Challenge Valley and Low Elements, where we learnt how to work better as a team. Overall, we improved from the previous day's performance, however we could have been faster.
I bonded a lot with my batch mates and patrol mates during the camp. In short, it was a meaningful camp and I learnt many new things.

 

Hi Guides,

Qi Rou, Sec 2, Orchid Patrol

On 30^th October 2012, we had our annual hike. We started at the esplanade and proceeded to hike all around the City Hall area. We were only equipped with a compass and a map, and had to orienteer our way around. Unfortunately, my combined patrol only manages to complete two stations. This was due to the fact that we kept on reading the directions on the map wrongly and overshooting our destinations. We also had quite sufficient time to look for the last destination but failed to locate it due to us not being able to read the map properly, despite the fact that we could refer to local maps. I also did not give the Sec 1s much chance to orienteer. Another reason that we could not complete the hike well was probably because we walked a lot of times. Even though we tried to run, we still gave up to our fatigue along some of the way and ended up brisk walking, which wasted a lot of time. I think that we should have a better sense of urgency and run more. I think that this was a very disappointing hike as we only managed to complete two stations. I also think that we should endure more and continue running even if we feel tired. This way, we might have been able to complete more stations. I wish that I had been more urgent persevering. I hope that I can do better if I have the chance to so that we can prove we can do it.


Adeline, Sec 2, Hibiscus Patrol

I felt that I could have done better for annual hike as my patrol spent quite a long time trying to get to the first station. If we were able to read the map better, we would have saved a lot of time and that way we might have been able to complete our hike. However, because we wandered around a lot trying to find the first station, we managed to familiarize ourselves with the area so we were able to get to the other stations a lot faster. I think I could have put in more effort for this hike because it was difficult for me to run at a certain point of the hike because I got a headache then which caused me to lag while running. I'm grateful to Kalista who helped me carry some of my stuff when I found it difficult to keep running and also to the seniors who kindly bought us green tea towards the end of the hike which refreshed us greatly. Overall, I think I did average for this hike and I definitely could have done better.


Jaslyn, Sec 1, Flowerpecker Patrol

Yun Yee, Sec 2, Hibiscus Patrol

Hi Guides,

Please refer to the table below for your duty for openhouse this Saturday, and read up on what you are suppose to do.

Do your best for Open House, and let the parents and fellow juniors have a great impression of AHS and of Guides!

 

Shift/ Duty	9am – 1pm	1pm – 5pm
Presenters	Grace(Sec3), Li Ying(sec 2), Adeline, Nicole, Yin Shyn	Pearlyn, Tanya, Kristie, Yan Hui, Joanna, Evin
Dessert/drinks	Gracia, QI Rou, Lynn	Yuvonne, Celeste, Li Ying(sec1)
Souvenirs	Esther, Joycelina, Yee Shuen, Bernie, Jaslyn, Zhi Wei	Chi Hui, Francesca, Xing Yi, Hui Min, Ilena

 

Campfire songs:

Manito:

I love my Manito yes I do (x3)

I love my Manito but I won’t tell who!
I’ve got a feeling warm and gay
As she cast her eyes my way
I’ll reveal her name one day
But who she is I will not say
I love my Manito yes I do (x3)
I love my Manito but I won’t tell who!

Grace:

Below is the information regarding the four festivals that you are supposed to include in your scrapbook which will be done in the combined patrols.

Since the hike was not completed by all the patrols, you do not need to include the places that were not visited. More information should be added on and try to be creative as possible.

We hope that your scrapbooks will be of an excellent standard including your honest reflections about your performance during the hike. Do note that every guide is required to do a reflection.

Deadline: Friday, 9th November 2012

Please put in your best efforts and work hard. I know that you all can do it.

Gracia

Chinese Chinese- Ren Ri (The Human Day)
Renri refers specially to the 7th day of zhengyue, the first month in the Chinese calendar. According to Chinese customs, renri was the day human beings were created. According to Chinese genesis, the goddess with snake body (2852-2738 B.C.) created chicken on the first day of the first lunar month, dog on the 2nd day, sheep on the 3rd day, pig on the 4th day, cow on the 5th day, horse on the 6th and human on the 7th day.
The goddess made many human using mud mixed by yellow soil and water. Also she taught human about the marriage so that humans can reproduce themselves. Therefore, the 7th lunar day of the year becomes the human's birthday.
Most people just eat pettitoes with angel hair noodle. The long noodle stands for longevity and raw fish for success.  Once, Chinese ate seven vegetables (celery, shepherd's purse spinach, green onion, garlic, mugwort and  colewort) on the human day, which can repel the evil spirits and sickness away.
People also eat Yu Shen on this day. Yu means ‘fish’ but when pronounced it can also sound like ‘extra’ . Shen does not only mean ‘raw’ but also ‘life’. So essentially who eats raw fish on Yan Yat also lives longer.

Indian 
Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai , which is around January/February.
The word Thaipusam is a combination of the name of the month, Thai, and the name of a star, Pusam, which is at its highest point during the festival.

A major feature of Thaipusam celebrations is body piercing with hooks, skewers and small lances called 'vel'. Many of these devotees even pull chariots and heavy objects with hooks attached to their bodies. Many others pierce their tongue and cheek to impede speech and thereby attain full concentration on the Lord. Most devotees enter into a trance during such piercing due to the incessant drumming and chanting of "vel vel shakti vel."

On the day of the festival, they will shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, carrying various types of burdens, known to them a kavadi. At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but they also pay back their sins by physical hurt, such as piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers.
The spear pierced through his tongue or cheeks reminds one constantly of Lord Murugan. It also prevents one from speaking and gives great power of endurance. In Singapore, the Thaipusam ceremony starts in the early hours of the morning where devotees fulfill their vows with a 4.5 km walk from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple along Serangoon Road to Sri Thendayuthapani Temple on Tank Road. They usually carry milk pots and wooden Kavadis (consists of two semicircular pieces of wood or steel which are attached to a cross structure that can be balanced on the shoulders of a devotee.) The festival is not just an exclusively Indian affair; several Chinese devotees and people of other races also come to fulfill their vows on this day.
Thaipusam, this sacred ritual, is definitely a true act of faith.
Malay Festive Culture
Islamic(Muslim) New Year

The Hijra New Year, also known as Islamic new year (Arabic: رأس السنة الهجرية‎ Ras as-Sanah al-Hijriyah) is the day that marksthe beginning of a newIslamic calendar year, and is the day on which the year count is incremented. The first day of the year is observed on the first day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar.
Since the Islamic year is eleven to twelve days shorter than the Gregorian year, the Islamic new year does not come on the same day of the Gregorian calendar every year. While some Islamic organisations prefer determining the new month (and hence the new year) by local sightings of the moon,[1] most Islamic institutions and countries, including Saudi Arabia[2], follow astronomical calculations to determine future dates of the Islamic calendar.
There are various schema for calculating the tabular Islamic calendar (i.e. not based on observation), which results in differences of typically one or even two days between countries using such schema and those that use lunar sightings. For example, theThe Umm al-Qura Calendar used in Saudi Arabiawas reformed several times in recent years. The current scheme has been introduced in AH 1423 (15 March 2002).[3]
A day in the Islamic calendar is defined as beginning at sunset. For example, 1 Muharram 1432 was defined to correspond to 7 or 8 December 2010 in official calendars (depending on the country). For an observation-based calendar, a sighting of the New Moon at sunset of 6 December would mean that 1 Muharram lasted from the moment of sunset of 6 December to the moment of sunset of 7 December, while in places where the New Moon was not sighted on 6 December, 1 Muharram would last from the moment of sunset of 7 December to the moment of sunset of 8 December. [4]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_New_Year

Maal Hijrah, which is also called Awal Muharram, is an important day for muslim. It falls on the first day of Muharram on every Muslim calender year, which is the first day on muslim calender.

     ​The meaning of Maal Hijrah in English is migration. On this day, Muslim remember Nabi Muhammad S.A.W migrate from Mekkah to Madinah on the year 622 A.D. Besides, Maal Hijrah also mean changes from bad to good side and can be said as starting point and evaluate inner-self on self achievement.

     ​Awal means begining in English and Muharram is the first month of muslim calender. In another words, this is the first day in Muslim calendar. Therefore, this is also the new year for all Muslim.

     ​This day has became an important religious day for all muslim. All the mosque will have solat sunat.

http://www.librarynet.com.my/resources/articles_050202.html
                               

EURASIAN 
Eurasian Festival - Halloween
Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity, life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. Halloween is an example of a Eurasian festival and a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows. Although Halloween isn't celebrated as lavishly as it is in the US, Halloween is making an upsurge in Italy, and is celebrated there and in the UK, Ireland, and France.
Most scholars believe that it was originally influenced by western European harvest festivals and festivals of the dead while others believe that it originated independently of Samhain, a festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It is also thought to have been influenced by the Christian holy days of All Saints’ Day. It was traditionally believed that the souls of the dead wandered Earth until All Saints' Day, and Halloween gave them one last chance to get vengeance on their enemies before moving onto the next world. It is thought that, to avoid being recognized by a soul, people would wear masks and costumes to disguise themselves. They would also light bonfires to ward off roaming ghosts.
Over time, Halloween evolved into a secular, community-based event characterized by child-friendly activities such as trick-or-treating.The night before Halloween people went door to door begging for food (or soul cakes) to feed the poor. Of course, things were tweaked a bit during the time between then and now, the excellent Trick or Treat! In a number of countries around the world, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people continue to usher in the winter season with gatherings, costumes and sweet treats.
Typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

Tanya, Sec 2

Annual Camp was an enriching experience and was also my first time camping at Camp Christine so everything was rather new and a first-time experience for me. As expected, Camp Christine was really muddy and my shoes got muddy real quick. At first I was pretty grossed out by the mud on my shoes but got used to it soon.

Christy, Sec 1

Before the camp, my patrol and I (Celine Ma’am, Pearlyn Ma’am, Hui Juan Ma’am, Kalista, Adeline, Rexanne, Yee Shuen, Aindrae & Yin Shyn) had a few meet-up dates whereby we discussed proposals, practiced for patrol item and did our patrol identities and flag. However there were time clashes thus not being able to do them as a whole patrol together. During the times we met up, sec2s gave us advices on what to prepare and expect for the camp. I myself felt scared for the camp as it would be the first time camping as a Guide and I was afraid I would be under-prepared. Time past fast and very soon it was the day of the camp.

The three days passed by in a blur as well, for some activities time seemed to drag, but more often than not, time passed very quickly. Activities done there included tent pitching, gadget tying, bathing and changing parade, clean up, luggage inspection, indoor cooking, campfire and not missing out the outdoor adventure at Sarimbun.

Tent pitching, campfire and the outdoor adventure at Sarimbun were a first and it was very interesting. However pitching the tent had been tiring due to the weight of the poles and tent itself but there was a sense of accomplishment felt; after we set it up and the fact that it lasted us for 3 days 2 nights, even through the constant heavy rain.

I think as a whole, our time spent on each activity could be reduced, but I think day by day, we all learnt to have a better sense of urgency and quicken our movements. Our volume was also much better than on a normal CCA activity. Relationships were further developed and bonds between us were stronger thus teamwork was well-displayed.

Overall the whole camp was exhausting; no doubt almost everyone was happy to go home on the third day. However this camp had also been a fruitful one, learning new stuff, gaining more insights and knowing each other better. It is really my honour to be in Sprite; I really enjoyed time spent when smiles and laughter were exchanged, constant encouragement and advice given during the tough times, and of course the joking after a tiring day back in the tent. I am very lucky to be in Sprite patrol, it was a patrol where we worked hard together and yet have fun on top of the care of our sec3 Ma’ams. It was fun while it lasted, and I am pretty sure Annual Camp 2012 in Camp Christine would be ingrained in my head.

 

 

Alyssia, Sec 1

 

My patrol prepared for annual camp by meeting to discuss our patrol item and to do the patrol identities. I was actually quite nervous for the camp because it was something new to me. Although it was exhausting throughout the camp, it is actually rather meaningful as I was able to learn new things such as pitching a tent. I was also able to bond with my patrol mates.

On the first day, we did luggage inspection and learnt to pitch a tent. It was new and interesting to me. We also did gadget tying. Overall, we could have done better if we had taken less time to get to places.
On the second day, we went to Serambun Camp. We played Splish Splash, Challenge Valley and Low Elements, where we learnt how to work better as a team. Overall, we improved from the previous day's performance, however we could have been faster.
I bonded a lot with my batch mates and patrol mates during the camp. In short, it was a meaningful camp and I learnt many new things.

 

Hi Guides,

Qi Rou, Sec 2, Orchid Patrol

On 30^th October 2012, we had our annual hike. We started at the esplanade and proceeded to hike all around the City Hall area. We were only equipped with a compass and a map, and had to orienteer our way around. Unfortunately, my combined patrol only manages to complete two stations. This was due to the fact that we kept on reading the directions on the map wrongly and overshooting our destinations. We also had quite sufficient time to look for the last destination but failed to locate it due to us not being able to read the map properly, despite the fact that we could refer to local maps. I also did not give the Sec 1s much chance to orienteer. Another reason that we could not complete the hike well was probably because we walked a lot of times. Even though we tried to run, we still gave up to our fatigue along some of the way and ended up brisk walking, which wasted a lot of time. I think that we should have a better sense of urgency and run more. I think that this was a very disappointing hike as we only managed to complete two stations. I also think that we should endure more and continue running even if we feel tired. This way, we might have been able to complete more stations. I wish that I had been more urgent persevering. I hope that I can do better if I have the chance to so that we can prove we can do it.


Adeline, Sec 2, Hibiscus Patrol

I felt that I could have done better for annual hike as my patrol spent quite a long time trying to get to the first station. If we were able to read the map better, we would have saved a lot of time and that way we might have been able to complete our hike. However, because we wandered around a lot trying to find the first station, we managed to familiarize ourselves with the area so we were able to get to the other stations a lot faster. I think I could have put in more effort for this hike because it was difficult for me to run at a certain point of the hike because I got a headache then which caused me to lag while running. I'm grateful to Kalista who helped me carry some of my stuff when I found it difficult to keep running and also to the seniors who kindly bought us green tea towards the end of the hike which refreshed us greatly. Overall, I think I did average for this hike and I definitely could have done better.


Jaslyn, Sec 1, Flowerpecker Patrol

Yun Yee, Sec 2, Hibiscus Patrol

Hi Guides,

Please refer to the table below for your duty for openhouse this Saturday, and read up on what you are suppose to do.

Do your best for Open House, and let the parents and fellow juniors have a great impression of AHS and of Guides!

 

Shift/ Duty	9am – 1pm	1pm – 5pm
Presenters	Grace(Sec3), Li Ying(sec 2), Adeline, Nicole, Yin Shyn	Pearlyn, Tanya, Kristie, Yan Hui, Joanna, Evin
Dessert/drinks	Gracia, QI Rou, Lynn	Yuvonne, Celeste, Li Ying(sec1)
Souvenirs	Esther, Joycelina, Yee Shuen, Bernie, Jaslyn, Zhi Wei	Chi Hui, Francesca, Xing Yi, Hui Min, Ilena

 

Campfire songs:

Manito:

I love my Manito yes I do (x3)

I love my Manito but I won’t tell who!
I’ve got a feeling warm and gay
As she cast her eyes my way
I’ll reveal her name one day
But who she is I will not say
I love my Manito yes I do (x3)
I love my Manito but I won’t tell who!

Grace:

Below is the information regarding the four festivals that you are supposed to include in your scrapbook which will be done in the combined patrols.

Since the hike was not completed by all the patrols, you do not need to include the places that were not visited. More information should be added on and try to be creative as possible.

We hope that your scrapbooks will be of an excellent standard including your honest reflections about your performance during the hike. Do note that every guide is required to do a reflection.

Deadline: Friday, 9th November 2012

Please put in your best efforts and work hard. I know that you all can do it.

Gracia

Chinese Chinese- Ren Ri (The Human Day)
Renri refers specially to the 7th day of zhengyue, the first month in the Chinese calendar. According to Chinese customs, renri was the day human beings were created. According to Chinese genesis, the goddess with snake body (2852-2738 B.C.) created chicken on the first day of the first lunar month, dog on the 2nd day, sheep on the 3rd day, pig on the 4th day, cow on the 5th day, horse on the 6th and human on the 7th day.
The goddess made many human using mud mixed by yellow soil and water. Also she taught human about the marriage so that humans can reproduce themselves. Therefore, the 7th lunar day of the year becomes the human's birthday.
Most people just eat pettitoes with angel hair noodle. The long noodle stands for longevity and raw fish for success.  Once, Chinese ate seven vegetables (celery, shepherd's purse spinach, green onion, garlic, mugwort and  colewort) on the human day, which can repel the evil spirits and sickness away.
People also eat Yu Shen on this day. Yu means ‘fish’ but when pronounced it can also sound like ‘extra’ . Shen does not only mean ‘raw’ but also ‘life’. So essentially who eats raw fish on Yan Yat also lives longer.

Indian 
Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai , which is around January/February.
The word Thaipusam is a combination of the name of the month, Thai, and the name of a star, Pusam, which is at its highest point during the festival.

A major feature of Thaipusam celebrations is body piercing with hooks, skewers and small lances called 'vel'. Many of these devotees even pull chariots and heavy objects with hooks attached to their bodies. Many others pierce their tongue and cheek to impede speech and thereby attain full concentration on the Lord. Most devotees enter into a trance during such piercing due to the incessant drumming and chanting of "vel vel shakti vel."

On the day of the festival, they will shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, carrying various types of burdens, known to them a kavadi. At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but they also pay back their sins by physical hurt, such as piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers.
The spear pierced through his tongue or cheeks reminds one constantly of Lord Murugan. It also prevents one from speaking and gives great power of endurance. In Singapore, the Thaipusam ceremony starts in the early hours of the morning where devotees fulfill their vows with a 4.5 km walk from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple along Serangoon Road to Sri Thendayuthapani Temple on Tank Road. They usually carry milk pots and wooden Kavadis (consists of two semicircular pieces of wood or steel which are attached to a cross structure that can be balanced on the shoulders of a devotee.) The festival is not just an exclusively Indian affair; several Chinese devotees and people of other races also come to fulfill their vows on this day.
Thaipusam, this sacred ritual, is definitely a true act of faith.
Malay Festive Culture
Islamic(Muslim) New Year

The Hijra New Year, also known as Islamic new year (Arabic: رأس السنة الهجرية‎ Ras as-Sanah al-Hijriyah) is the day that marksthe beginning of a newIslamic calendar year, and is the day on which the year count is incremented. The first day of the year is observed on the first day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar.
Since the Islamic year is eleven to twelve days shorter than the Gregorian year, the Islamic new year does not come on the same day of the Gregorian calendar every year. While some Islamic organisations prefer determining the new month (and hence the new year) by local sightings of the moon,[1] most Islamic institutions and countries, including Saudi Arabia[2], follow astronomical calculations to determine future dates of the Islamic calendar.
There are various schema for calculating the tabular Islamic calendar (i.e. not based on observation), which results in differences of typically one or even two days between countries using such schema and those that use lunar sightings. For example, theThe Umm al-Qura Calendar used in Saudi Arabiawas reformed several times in recent years. The current scheme has been introduced in AH 1423 (15 March 2002).[3]
A day in the Islamic calendar is defined as beginning at sunset. For example, 1 Muharram 1432 was defined to correspond to 7 or 8 December 2010 in official calendars (depending on the country). For an observation-based calendar, a sighting of the New Moon at sunset of 6 December would mean that 1 Muharram lasted from the moment of sunset of 6 December to the moment of sunset of 7 December, while in places where the New Moon was not sighted on 6 December, 1 Muharram would last from the moment of sunset of 7 December to the moment of sunset of 8 December. [4]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_New_Year

Maal Hijrah, which is also called Awal Muharram, is an important day for muslim. It falls on the first day of Muharram on every Muslim calender year, which is the first day on muslim calender.

     ​The meaning of Maal Hijrah in English is migration. On this day, Muslim remember Nabi Muhammad S.A.W migrate from Mekkah to Madinah on the year 622 A.D. Besides, Maal Hijrah also mean changes from bad to good side and can be said as starting point and evaluate inner-self on self achievement.

     ​Awal means begining in English and Muharram is the first month of muslim calender. In another words, this is the first day in Muslim calendar. Therefore, this is also the new year for all Muslim.

     ​This day has became an important religious day for all muslim. All the mosque will have solat sunat.

http://www.librarynet.com.my/resources/articles_050202.html
                               

EURASIAN 
Eurasian Festival - Halloween
Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity, life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. Halloween is an example of a Eurasian festival and a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows. Although Halloween isn't celebrated as lavishly as it is in the US, Halloween is making an upsurge in Italy, and is celebrated there and in the UK, Ireland, and France.
Most scholars believe that it was originally influenced by western European harvest festivals and festivals of the dead while others believe that it originated independently of Samhain, a festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It is also thought to have been influenced by the Christian holy days of All Saints’ Day. It was traditionally believed that the souls of the dead wandered Earth until All Saints' Day, and Halloween gave them one last chance to get vengeance on their enemies before moving onto the next world. It is thought that, to avoid being recognized by a soul, people would wear masks and costumes to disguise themselves. They would also light bonfires to ward off roaming ghosts.
Over time, Halloween evolved into a secular, community-based event characterized by child-friendly activities such as trick-or-treating.The night before Halloween people went door to door begging for food (or soul cakes) to feed the poor. Of course, things were tweaked a bit during the time between then and now, the excellent Trick or Treat! In a number of countries around the world, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people continue to usher in the winter season with gatherings, costumes and sweet treats.
Typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.