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Harvest Festival - Corn Doll


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Is it just me who is mystified as to why we are allowed to show, use and even make corn dollies at harvest time but we cannot celebrate halloween?

 

The making of corn dollies goes back many thousands of years. It was a Pagan custom and evolved from the beliefs of the corn growing people who believed in the Corn Spirit.

 

Corn dollies were made at Harvest time from the last sheaf of corn cut. The Corn Spirit was supposed to live or be reborn in the plaited straw ornament or corn doll and was kept until the following spring to ensure a good harvest. The corn dolly often had a place of honour at the harvest banquet table.

 

Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).

 

The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.

 

To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.

 

 

I'm baffled. Is it me or could these two not be linked to provide a wonderful learning opportunity? I'll leave it there or my soapbox will come out and I'll still be on it at midnight!

 

Just wondered what others though.

 

Fluff x

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Fluff, well said, I love the idea of celebrating and thankyou for the insight to the meaning behind Halloween we always have such a wonderful party at home my children look forward to it every year, last year we hired the local village hall out and invited about 50 friends it was brilliant, I am on the soapbox with you. :):D

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Who say's we cannot celebrate halloween, we have a party every year. :D Like all festivals parents have a choice whether their child participates or not.

 

Peggy

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Hear Hear,

my daughter already thinks I am the wicked witch of the west.

 

We celebrate halloween every year, again we tell parents and if they don't agree they don't have to participate.

 

Net xx

 

:oxD

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Sorry going abit one sided :o

 

Well my next door neighbour has a theme each year and puts things out in the front garden. Last year she put a paper mache spider in the front with lots of other things. The children in the neighbourhood love it, but she only lets them come for trick or treat on halloween day! xD

Not sure of this years theme yet.

 

 

Beth

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Who say's we cannot celebrate halloween, we have a party every year. :D Like all festivals parents have a choice whether their child participates or not.

 

Peggy

 

 

Do you know I'm not actually sure 'who' says we can't. Since I started at this nursery I've been told that 'the LEA won't allow us to celebrate halloween.'

 

I try each year to persuade the nursery teachers that we should 'do' halloween but never get anywhere.

 

We do do some spooky stuff but only around the time of Goose Fair (huge fair in Nottingham) which is early October.

 

Will contact the LEA as I'm wondering now!!!

 

Fluff x

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Do you know I'm not actually sure 'who' says we can't. Since I started at this nursery I've been told that 'the LEA won't allow us to celebrate halloween.'

 

I try each year to persuade the nursery teachers that we should 'do' halloween but never get anywhere.

 

We do do some spooky stuff but only around the time of Goose Fair (huge fair in Nottingham) which is early October.

 

Will contact the LEA as I'm wondering now!!!

 

Fluff x

 

 

I'm sure you will find it is one of those 'urban myths' :o

 

Peggy

 

 

I have worked in schools where Hallow'een is banned but we celebrate every year. This year there is a whole school 'Scary Day' followed by a disco. I've ordered my costume :D

 

 

Can't wait to see a photo Marion, here or on your school website xD

 

Peggy

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