On October 31st, Halloween craziness rages across America like a hurricane. Millions of people take on the streets dressed up, pumpkins turn into creepy lanterns and tons of candy are collected door to door by kids.
You don’t want anything to do with this craziness? Don't be so sure about that. Any occasion is good for partying, right? That's why on Monday, October 31st, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., VIAGE is hosting its own HALLOWEEN party. A splashy evening that has everything: burlesque, devil girls, fancy costumes, music, dancing and games. After all, Halloween is really not originally an American, but a European celebration. In fact, the name "Halloween" was first used in the sixteenth century in Scotland.
Al Hallow’s Eve
On October 31st, the Celts in Britain and Ireland celebrated New Year's Eve, Samhain. This was due to the harvest season ending on November 1st. The new year was ushered in with large bonfires and the performance of all sorts of rituals. That Celtic celebration blended in the nineteenth century with the Christian feasts of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day when the deceased were remembered. The merging of these feasts turned Samhain into a celebration of the dead and was named All Hallows Eve: the evening of All Saints. Later, this became "Halloween. Still according to the Celts, that day blurred the boundaries between the worlds of the dead and the living. Therefore, they gave great feasts to honour the souls of the dead.
Best Costume
Because not only good but also evil souls could enter the world of the living that day, the Celts used scary costumes and masks to scare them off. They hollowed out tubers to use as lanterns. When the Irish and Scots emigrated to America, they soon discovered that a pumpkin, the jack-'o-lantern, was more suitable for hollowing out than a tuber.
This is my costume. I'm a homicidal maniac. They look just like everyone else.
– Wednesday, The Addams Family
Are you still ready to challenge the spirits or are you keeping the tradition alive? Come party at VIAGE on October 31st. Nothing is obligated, everything is perfect. The most obvious of course is choosing a scary outfit. But Halloween is not just about the scariest outfits. Dressing up as something funny, like a superhero or famous person, is gaining popularity. VIAGE offers you the opportunity to get your make-up done for free in the Horror Boudoirs.
Candy
Still not convinced? Then maybe this could be the reason you'd rather not stay at home. The Celts went door-to-door on October 31st to collect wood for bonfires. The Christians did the same to collect "soul cakes," with each cake eaten symbolising a liberated soul. And our kids do trick-or-treat. Instead of getting up and down from your chair all evening to hand out candy, you could come and 'snack' on all the goodies VIAGE HALLOWEEN has to offer you on Halloween night.
Are you ready to spook?
