Independence Way: first wave

Summer Solstice

Time flies. Less than two months until Halloween decorations start hitting the stores.

CNN Discusses Halloween in June

Halloween Fast Facts

By CNN Library

updated 2:16 PM EDT, Thu June 13, 2013

(CNN) -- Here is a look at what you need to know about Halloween, celebrated annually in the United States on October 31. In 2013, Halloween falls on a Thursday.

Facts:
The word Halloween is an abbreviated version of the phrases All Hallows' Eve or All Hallows' Evening.

Halloween comes from an ancient pagan festival celebrated by Celtic people over 2,000 years ago called Samhain (prono: SOW ehn).

The festival took place in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and northwestern France.

Samhain means "summer's end" and marks the beginning of winter. Samhain is also thought to celebrate the beginning of the Celtic year. The Celts believed that Samhain was a time when the dead could walk among the living.

Trick-or-treating began in areas of the United Kingdom and Ireland. People went house-to-house "souling" - asking for small breads called "soul cakes" in exchange for prayer.

Adults also went door-to-door asking for food and drinks in exchange for a song or dance.

Jack-o'-lanterns are the symbol of Halloween. People in Ireland and Scotland originally used beets or turnips as lanterns on Halloween.

An Irish legend says that jack-o'-lanterns are named for a man called Jack who could not go to heaven or hell and was forced to walk the earth forever with only a coal from hell to light his lantern.

The name jack-o'-lantern can also be derived from the night watchman who would light the street lanterns every evening.

Immigrants from Ireland and Scotland brought Halloween to the United States in the 1800s. Haitian and African immigrants brought voodoo beliefs about black cats, fire, and witchcraft.

Halloween Statistics for 2012:
(ALL from the National Retail Federation)
Spending in the United States this year is estimated to reach $8 billion, up significantly from 2011's $6.86 billion.

Consumers are projected to spend $79.82 per person, with an average of $28.65 on costumes and $23.27 on candy.

51.4% will decorate their home or yard, and 45% will wear a costume.

15.1% will dress up their pets.

Top Children's Costumes for 2012
1 Princess - 9.7% - 4,845,653
2 Batman - 5.4% - 2,697,334
3 Spider-Man - 4.6% - 2,315,411
4 Witch - 4.5% - 2,267,670
5 Disney Princess - 3.1% - 1,551,564

Top Adult Costumes for 2012
1 Witch - 9.5% - 5,883,176
2 Vampire - 5.2% - 3,209,005
3 Pirate - 4.6% - 2,836,947
4 Batman Character - 3.7% - 2,325,366
5 Zombie - 3.6% - 2,255,605

Top Pet Costumes for 2012
1 Pumpkin - 12.7%
2 Devil - 6.9%
3 Hot Dog - 5.7%
4 Cat - 3.7%
5 Bee - 3.6%

More Stuff

Each Goodwill resident will get a party popper and a bag of red, white, and blue candy corn. Each staff member will get a plastic, patriotic necklace. 20 more days till the event.

Have no idea why Blogger posted this upside down, but you get the point

Lights

These will go on the artificial tree in the front yard.

Sparklers & Submersible Tealights

24 sparklers and 8 submersible tealights have arrived. The sparklers are almost two feet long each, and the tealights are red and white. I already have blue submersibles from Easter. More is on its way.