Hilltowns Senior News for Friday, October 28, 2016
Samhain (usually pronounced sow-en, because Gaelic spelling has very little to do with actual speech) is the origin of the Celtic harvest festival that we call Halloween. To many pagans, Samhain is the night when the veil between the worlds is thin, and communication with spirits and ancestors is possible.
The name “Halloween” is a contraction of “All-Hallows Evening,” the night before All Hallows Day, also called All Saints Day. It is a time when there is said to be a stronger connection between the souls in Heaven and the living.
This is no accident. The early Christians were no slouches when it came to advertising. In the sixth century, Pope Gregory I sent a letter to the Bishop Mellitus (which means “honey,” but maybe his mom just liked the sound of it), suggesting that the locals might be more receptive to Christianity if an association could be made between the two.
By renaming the existing festivals, a bridge could be built "to the end that, whilst some gratifications are outwardly permitted them, they may the more easily consent to the inward consolations of the grace of God.” Festivals were not the only things re-purposed by Mellitus and Gregory; temples became churches, Roman and Egyptian cups became chalices, and animal sacrifices became religious feasts.
Ironically, during the Protestant Reformation, Roman Catholicism was reviled because of this connection to paganism. The desire to return to a “purer” form of Christianity included the rejection of much of the ritual and symbolism in Catholicism.
All this ghostly activity had its perils. It was not terribly safe to be out that night, and offerings of food were set out to appease the spirits. Turnips were carved into protective spirit-faces, and people would disguise themselves to confuse any lurking demons who might be tempted to cause trouble. Sound familiar? (Yeah, I know it’s a bad pun, but we are talking about witches and such.)
One of the best-known “familiars” (servants and companions of witches) is the black cat. The Pilgrims were an especially rigid and superstitious lot. They believed that Satan was lurking in every corner, just waiting to snare the insufficiently vigilant. “Spectral evidence” (things that cannot be seen) was a major factor in the witch trials at Salem.
Having a pet cat, especially a black one, could result in severe punishment. An interesting sidelight is that several of the slang terms and names for cats were also used to describe old or poorly-dressed women. A couple of examples are Grimalkyn (grey cat), and “moggie,” the British term for an ordinary cat, and in the late 19th Century, a slovenly woman. There are other, less polite references as well.
The good or bad luck brought by black cats is a little more confusing; it seems to depend upon your country of origin or lifestyle. In Scotland, a black cat's appearance at your house signifies wealth. In Japan, they are also good luck. In England, they are good signs if they walk toward you, but in Germany, this is only true if the cat crosses from left to right.
If you were a seafaring soul, the best luck was to be had if your "ship's cat" was black, and your wife at home might keep one to increase the effect. If you were a pirate, the cat must be walking away. Cats as good luck tracks all the way back to ancient Egypt, and the cat-goddess Bast. You could gain her favor by keeping her image in your home, and cat mummies have been found in Egyptian tombs.
However, in Germany, if a black cat crosses a person's path from right to left, it is a bad omen.
English monarch Charles I believed that when his beloved black cat died, his luck was gone. He may have been right, because he was charged with high treason the next day. The 18th Century pirates mentioned previously believed that if the cat walked toward you, your luck would all be bad. If a black cat arrives on ship but then walks away, you will sink on your next trip. If you were not a pirate, in the United Kingdom, the reverse is true: cat walking toward you was good, cat walking away equalled bad. Got that?
If you pet a black cat on Halloween, it will probably purr, which is always a magical thing.
Coming up
October (what’s left of it) is Learn to Bowl Month, National Caramel Month, National Chili Month, and National Sarcastic Awareness Month. The 31st is Girl Scout Founder's Day, National Knock-Knock Jokes Day, and National Magic Day. November is Adopt A Senior Pet Month, Banana Pudding Lovers Month, and Banana Pudding Lovers Month.
The 1st through 7th is National Fig Week, National Farm Toy Show Days, and World Communication Week. November 1st is Birth of Baha'U'Llah day, Hockey Mask Day, and Dia de Los Muertos (Day of The Dead). The 2nd is National Men Make Dinner Day (Must Cook; no BBQ Allowed). Public Television Day is the 3rd, and Punkin Chunkin days are the 3rd through 5th.
November 1st is a free concert at 1 p.m. at Proctor’s in Schenectady, featuring the Empire State Youth Orchestra. Call Linda Carman of the Hilltown Seniors at 872-2448 to reserve your free tickets. Transportation will be provided by Helderberg Senior Services. Bus will leave at 11:30 a.m.
The next shopping bus to Walmart and Colonie Center will be on Nov. 2, and then Nov. 16. Call CDTA at 437-5161 two days in advance to arrange for pickup.
The workshop on depression has been changed to Friday, Nov. 4 at the senior center. Walgreens will be sharing information with us about this common condition.
Crafts after lunch on Tuesday, Nov. 15 will be pine cone zinnias. You’d be amazed how pretty they are.
Menu
In case you missed the announcement, the lunch program is now offering transportation to and from lunch. No driving in the rain, or wondering if you feel up to taking the car out; we can provide door-to-door service! Just let Linda Hodges (872-0940) know you’d like a ride when you call to reserve lunch.
We also have the lunchtime menu for next week at the Berne Community and Senior Services Center. Halloween will be a party, with decorations and costumes optional. Tuesday, Nov. 1 is our monthly birthday celebration. Doors open at 11 a.m. and lunch is served promptly at noon. We also have games, dominoes, and cards on Mondays and Tuesdays.
— Monday, Oct. 31, sweet and sour chicken, Asian vegetables, rice, wheat bread, pineapple chunks, and milk;
— Tuesday, Nov. 1, beef Stroganoff, Brussels sprouts, wheat bread, glazed pear with vanilla ice cream, milk and birthday cake;
— Friday, Nov. 4, potato crunch fish, baked sweet potatoes and apples, pineapple juice, rice pilaf, wheat bread, lemon cake, and milk.
Please call Linda Hodges 24 hours in advance to 872-0940 to reserve lunch or arrange transportation. You can also email her at: , or sign up when you come in. Tell us how many are coming, your name, and your telephone number. If you’d like to help out, give Mary Moller a call at 861-6253, or email her at , and put “volunteer” in the subject line.
Lunches are provided by Helderberg Senior Services, the Albany County Department of Aging, and Senior Services of Albany. The Town of Berne Community and Senior Services Center is located at 1360 Helderberg Trail (Route 443) in Berne.