Bit by the Bug Beginnings: Another Bug is Born

  Welcome to Week 3 of...

Well, howdy doody everyone.  It is LISA HERE with the third image that is part of our Too Cute To Spook Collection.  Today I bring you...

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No, you aren't seeing things.  This image currently does not have a name.  However, we are hoping that will not be the case come two weeks time.  You'll definitely want to get in on this deal so keep reading to find out how.

Before we get to that though, it is time to learn about the origins of Trick or Treating...

As I mentioned last week when we explored the origins of Hallowe'en, the ancient Celtic people celebrated the festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in) from October 31st to November 2nd.  During some of these celebrations, people in the villages would disguise themselves in costumes made of animal skins to drive away any unwelcome spirits that might try and cross the veil. 

As far back as the year 370 there was a custom that took place on or about the festival of Samhain that involved young boys and men gathering in 'gangs' and heading out to visit all the farms within the district where they would levy some good natured blackmail in an attempt to obtain either money or some bread that would be distributed at a gathering later in the evening. 

During the medieval period which was roughly from 476 to the 14th century, people would dress up as ghosts, demons and other sinister creatures.  They would then go on to perform outrageous antics in exchange for food and drink.  Additionally, for people afraid of the dark and worried that food stores would not last, winters were a rather scary and uncertain time of year.   Thus, on Hallowe'en, during the time when it was believed that veil between worlds was thinned, some believed that ghosts came back to the earthly plane. In order to avoid being recognized by ghosts if they left there home during this time of year, people would wear masks so that the spirits would mistake them for other ghosts.  Then there are the festivities surrounding All Soul's Day.  During the All Souls' Day parades in Great Britain, the poorer people of the region would beg for food and they would be given pastries called 'soul cakes'.  This exchange was made in return for the promise that the recipients would pray for the dead relatives of those families who donated the pastries.  This practice was known as 'going-a-souling'.  It is also recorded that in the late 1800's people in Scotland would go masquerading in disguise, carrying lanterns made out of scooped out turnips.  They would visit homes and be rewarded with cakes, fruit and money.  All of these customs seem to have become the precursors to today's trick-or-treating.

Stay tuned next week when we continue to learn more about this unique holiday.

Now let's check out what one of our DT came up with to showcase Naomi's cute little witch...

 

I love this sweet little witch all coloured up in Suze's favourite colour orange.  I also love the addition of the button and the dots on either side.  It created a really neat effect. You can check out the details of this creation over on Suze's blog, Craftysuze.

Sneak peek guesses...

Man, I'm going to have to start making these peeks a little harder.  You guys are certainly giving my design skills a workout. Over half of the people who commented got the answer correct.   So, Ike, Fit Kitty, Kimberly and D~, please send me an email by clicking HERE with the subject heading 'CBD Sneak Peek: Witch' and I'll send you off a digital paper suitable for Hallowe'en.  Please note that it might take me a few days to get back to you though, so I appreciate your patience.

Now, it is your chance to win a copy of this cute little witch and more...

It is time once again to try and give away a few copies of this adorable new release PLUS you could win even more images.  Naomi and I have decided that we want one of our followers to name this little witch.  That means that your cute little picture is over there in the sidebar under Google Friends Connect because for some reason the email subscription is only showing three people so I have no way of verifying who is following that way--sorry :o( .  To be eligible (other than being a follower), just leave me a comment letting me know the name you think this witch should have.  The person whose name we choose for the witch will receive not only a copy of the witch with its new name but also Pumpkin Kins which was the first new release in the Too Cute To Spook Collection PLUS a Hallowe'en image of your choice from the store AND a couple extra goodies thrown in by me.  There will also be some other prizes distributed depending on how many people join in.  So, what is stopping you from entering?!  We are rather excited to see what ideas you come up with.  You can enter up to three different name ideas.  Leave your suggestions in a comment ON THIS POST by noon on October 30th, in order to have your chance at winning this image and more.

 

 

Winners will be announced on October 31st when we hope to have a special Hallowe'en post!!!!

Which brings me to the winners of the last new release.  To be eligible to win a copy of the last new release. Pumkin Kins, I had asked you to leave me a comment letting me know what your favourite Hallowe'en tradition is.  Once again there was a great response and I learned what six of you love most about Hallowe'en.  Here are the answers I received (please note that I have edited out parts of the comments and only included the actual answer to the question.  To see the full comment, please go to the comment section of that original post HERE)...

 

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...
Believe it or not ... I love all things Fall EXCEPT Halloween! LOL!! I only do it for the kids!! LOL!!!...

Fit Kitty said...
My favourite Halloween tradition is getting out my cat masks/ costumes and deciding which cat I'll be: black, white, pink, or tiger-striped. Fun!

Edwina said...
My favorite changes through time. I love seeing the children dressed up so giving out candy to them is my most favorite. Having Hot Apple cider with a snack apple Cider doughnuts is my next favorite.

Kimberly Goodman said...
Our favorite Halloween thing to do is driving our little guy to Ohio (we live equal distance from their zoo and ours) and let him go Trick or Treating with the animals. It is fun as we see some of the animals (some are not out due to the costumes scaring them), spend a wonderful day out together as a family and our son gets some treats. Then the following weekend we go to a pumpkin farm and take a hayride out to the fields for the little guy to pick his favorite pumpkin. Fun for the whole family.

D- said...
I do not have a fav tradition so to speak but I do love to decorate my hallway bulletin board with a Halloween/fall theme each year. I change the board up each month. It is so fun to hear the excited voices outside my classroom door as they discover the newly added details.

Iris said...
For the past few years, my favorite Halloween tradition has been handing out Halloween candy at my church - it is fun to see the children of our congregation as well as the neighborhood children dressed up in their costumes. Some of the adults dress in costume too - my husband always dresses as a chipmunk which is pretty funny since in real life he is a quiet, rather reserved person.

 

Thank you so much ladies for sharing your precious traditions with me. Okay, so I can't keep giving away the store or I really will get fired so I'm going to go back to giving away one image for roughly every three people.  So with six eligible answers that means I am going to hand out two of the images.  So with the help of the random name generator, the following two individuals will receive a copy of Pumkin Kin's...

Julie Tucker-Wolek

 Edwina

 (names were chosen using a random name generator at Mini Web Tool)

Julie and Edwina, please contact me by clicking HERE with the subject heading 'Image Win:  Pumpkin Kins' to get your copy of Naomi's sweet image from the last release.  Like I mentioned above to the winners of the sneak peek, it might take me a few days to get back to you,  so I appreciate your patience.

Finally, here is this week's Hallowe'en joke for the kid in all of us:

 Q:  What do you call a witch who lives at the beach?
A:  A sand witch.

(source:  http://www.squidoo.com/halloween-rhymes-the-fun-the-silly-and-the-scary)

 

We've got one final image in our Too Cute To Spook special collection of Hallowe'en images.  I hope that you will all join me on Saturday when it is time to show the next peek.  Although I better make this one a bit harder, you guys are just coming up with the answers too easily.

 

Until Saturday, have a fantastic couple days and good luck everyone!

 

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Author Unknown.. (N.D.). Trick-or-treating. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trick-or-treating. Last accessed 17th Oct. 2013. Banville, Sean . (2009). Esl Listening Exercises. Available: http://www.eslholidaylessons.com/10/halloween.html. Last accessed 17th Oct. 2013. Bonewits, Isaac . (1997, 2006 c.e.). The Ancient Celtic Fire Festivals. Available: http://www.neopagan.net/Halloween-Origins.html. Last accessed 17th Oct. 2013.