MY! What an enormous list of two-cents everyone's put in! (Can't resist adding mine)

Turnips? I'll admit I'm confused, I mean, they aren't even hollow and I'd think you'd have a really hard time making them so. Maybe with a mellon baller or something. . . I'll have to try that.

To the best of my knowledge, the tradition of Samhain (Pronounced alternately sow-een, su-en, sown, or sam-hane by some north americans) Is the Celtic new year, and there are some referrences I've found to a God of the Underworld, never been able to determine if they in fact used the word for his name, seen varying reports. I have also never yet found any reliable information substantiating the claim that the priests of the ancient Celts actually burned anything alive. DOn't know, heck they might have, I'm not saying my ancestors were any less strange than other peoples. BUT, I've not found anything I could label as proof. I have to go with my wife's opinion, she's the celtic archaeologist of the group, I'm just an actor. :)

As for the skull and death thing, yes that is Mexican, (and to some small extent Guatamalan) but mostly it comes from the Mexican "El Dia de los Muertos." (Which is sort of a misnomer, as there are actually two days, but Los Dias De Los Muertos doesn't roll off the tongue as well) The days coincide with the Catholic All Souls Day and All Saints Day on november 1st and 2nd, during which the people of mezo-america believe that the spirits of the dead can return to their homes and enjoy the pleasures of earthly life. The peoples of the region put out candles to light the path, and a combination of Marigold flower and Incense which have a distinctly powdered bone smell when mixed lead the way from the grave to the house altar. On the altar are usually placed fruits, incense, pan del muerte (bread of the dead)and all the foods and things loved oned enjoyed while they were alive. In an interesting side note, the families eat the food after the celebrations because it is a part of the ritual to realize that the dead can only enjoy the spiritual aspect of the food, not the material.

Skulls and crosses abound during the day, and there are many parades and performances about death and dying.

Side note: The cross existed in Mexico long before the Spanish brought Christianity with them, the Mayas had been using the cross for centuries as a symbol of the four elements (one at each point of the cross) and the soul or spirit at the center.

There, TIlell's little history lecture for the day. :)