DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   Since Halloween is just a few months away, and ghoulies and ghosties are on everyone's mind.  It might be a good time to explore how various cultures handle paranormal beliefs.  I will write about the basic beliefs of the Japanese, Jewish and Native Americans.    We Americans are quite open minded about the paranormal, especially lately with the many different shows about ghosts and other paranormal activity.  More than 30 percent of all Americans believe in ghosts. I have never seen one personally, but the town I live in, in California has 2 expected places that are known for being haunted.  One I have stayed the night in (one of them is a hotel and the other used to be a boys prison).     Let's put our beliefs aside for a moment and take a look into the basic beliefs of three other cultures regarding ghosts and spirits.   JAPAN       The Japanese culture, which is rich in superstition and t...

   On this costume filled, candy gorging out of your minds holiday, chances are there are a few things you don't know, so here are some things you may or may not know about everybodys favorite trick or treat'n holiday. When it comes to candy sales, Halloween makes stores jump for joy (especially in their pocket books).  According to the National Confectioners Association, giving and eating candy during major holidays accounts for about a third of all confections sold annually. Candy is keeping retailers and dentists happy. In 2002, each person in the U.S. consumed approximately 24 pounds of candy. Census researchers report that 1,040 manufacturers in 2001 produced $12 billion dollars worth of chocolate and cocoa. Another 616  candy manufacturers made non-chocolate candy that year. Candy corn is a big portion of those treats made annually. (I don't know why it must be like giving people fruit cake at Christmastime) In fact, October 30th is National Candy Co...

Take some dead body parts.  Stitch them together.  Add one mad scientist, and toss in a lightning bolt for good measure.  What do you get?  The Frankenstein monster!  Alternately portrayed as both mindless killer and a misunderstood gentle giant, the Frankenstein monster is a classic Halloween creep.  Learn more  about him with these 13 freaky facts.                                                                                                       ...

For a late night snack you have a craving for brain pudding instead of ice cream and pickles.(still might be all if you're a pregnant zombie) You start grunting a lot and pointing instead of speaking words. (more than just being in the bathroom) You drag your feet a lot while walking. Hygiene and using the bathroom are a thing of the past. You turn gray and green, your hair falls out occasionally, your teeth rot, and you become boney BECAUSE YOU'RE DEAD!!! You tend to sleep walk a lot with your eyes open. Hang out at the mall  to be with your dead friends. (I might be thinking of teenagers) Sometimes find a gutter to sleep in. ( more comfortable because you really don't care, BECAUSE YOU'RE DEAD!!!) Lose different body parts over time. ( ears, eyes, fingers, toes, hair, etc....) Often find yourself rummaging through the trash at the county dump. (almost like dumpster diving, except on a bigger scale!) The last time you changed clothes was 3 or 4 weeks ago.(im...

   I know it may be a little early but I also love Christmas.  I have been writing alot of articles about Halloween time.  So here are some phobias that people may have during Christmas time.  Many people dread the Christmas season for many reasons.  Although the season is stressful, most people don't have actual phobias connected with the holidays.  But Christmas is stressful to many.  And it seems to aggravate a lot of phobias. Ochlophobia or Agoraphobia-(Fear of crowds) It also includes fear of lines, traffic jams and even social events.  Many people suffer from just the fear of not pleasing others during this season and end up overwhelming themselves with too much responsibility. Katagelophobia-(Fear of ridicule or embarrassment) this might include not giving the right gift, being around family and their comments, Christmas party pranks, etc. Mythophobia-(Fear of making a false statement) slipping and telling a secret you shouldn't, or...

Japan-the Japanese celebrate the "Obon Festival" (also known as "Matsuri" or "Urabon") which is similar to our Halloween in that it is dedicated to the spriits of ancestors.  Special foods are made and bright red lanterns are hung.  The lanterns are lit and then set afloat on the different waterways.  During the "Obon Festival", a fires is lit every night in order to show the ancestors where their families might be found.  "Obon" is one of the main occasions during the Japanese year when the dead are believed to return to their birthplaces.  Memorial stones are cleaned and dances performed.  The festival takes place during July or August. Korea-their festival is know as "Cusok."  It's at this time that families thank their ancestor for the fruits of their labor.  Families pay respect to these ancestors by visiting their tombs and making offerings of rice and fruits.  It takes place in August. Mexico, Latin America and Sp...

   As one of the world's oldest holidays, Halloween is still celebrated today in many countries around our blue planet.  It is in  North America that it has most of the popularity.  Every year, 65 percent of Americans decorated their home and offices for Halloween. The only other holiday to exceed it is Christmas.  Halloween is the holiday when the most mount of candy is sold and is second only to Christmas again.  So lets start our country countdown and see what they do for Halloween. Austria- some people will leave bread, water and a lighted lamp on the table before going to bed on Halloween night.  They do this because it was once believed such things would welcome the dead souls back to earth, on a night which is believed by the Austrian people, to be brimming with strong cosmic energies. Belgium- they believe that it is unlucky for a black cat to cross your path and also unlucky if it should enter a home or travel on a ship.  The cust...