Happy All Hallows Eve!

May the spirits and souls of the dead find their way upon their journey and may they be placated by your generous gifts of food whilst they wander.


The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows
Jack Santino

Some music from a talented, and just becoming recognized original artist, Moon Trance by Lindsey Stirling. A kind of "Thriller Meets The Devil Went Down to Georgia". Enjoy!



www.facebook.com/lindseystirl ...
twitter.com/LindseyStirling
www.lindseystirling.com/

That made me laugh out loud, thanks ZHawke! I'm pretty sure I would've been saying some "colorful metaphors" had that prank been pulled on me.

From our archives , one of my kids' favorite Halloween e-cards ever: ak.imgag.com/imgag/product/preview/flash.../ap/3125133/graphic1

And one of the best light shows ever!


I think I need to watch this one again tonight



What are your favorite Halloween flicks?

Operation Gratitude: 2015 Halloween Candy for the Troops!

DO’s:

• DO ship your candy NO LATER THAN November 15 to:
Operation Gratitude
17330 Victory Boulevard
Van Nuys, CA 91406-5438
ATTN: Halloween Candy/Angel Cuevas

• DO separate chocolate and non-chocolate candy.
• DO line your boxes with big bags to safely ship loose candy, or place the candy into zip-close bags.Say THANKS to our Troops
• DO include donations of individually-packaged toothbrushes, dental floss and toothpaste — we need to keep smiles on the troops’ faces all shiny, bright and healthy!
• DO fill out the Donation Form and include the number of pounds of candy, number of toothbrushes, etc., you are shipping. This donation form is a downloadable PDF file, so even if you don’t see a window pop up, a file has been downloaded.

DON’Ts:

• DON’T ship the candy to any other Operation Gratitude address than the Victory Boulevard address.
• DON’T purchase candy for us at the 1/2-off sales after Halloween — just send us your extra/leftover candy and please consider making a financial donation instead.
• DON’T use boxes any larger than 24″x 24″x 20,” please.
• DON’T send Pixy Stix – unfortunately, they make a mess for the troops.

www.facebook.com/OperationGratitude/

Customized Halloween Pumpkin Stencils

13 Halloween Superstitions & Traditions Explained
by Remy Melina | October 29, 2011
#12. Jack-O-Lanterns

A fun fall activity, carving Jack-o'-lanterns actually has its roots in a sinister, tragic fable. Celtic folklore tells the tale of a drunken farmer named Jack who tricked the devil, but his trickery resulted in him being turned away from both the gates of heaven and hell after he died. Having no choice but to wander around the darkness of purgatory, Jack made a lantern from a turnip and a burning lump of coal that the devil had tossed him from hell.

Jack, the story goes, used the lantern to guide his lost soul; as such, the Celts believed that placing Jack-o'-lanterns outside would help guide lost spirits home when they wander the streets on Halloween. Originally made using a hollowed-out turnip with a small candle inside, Jack-o'-lanterns' frightening carved faces also served to scare evil spirits away. When the Irish potato famine of 1846 forced Irish families to flee to North America, the tradition came with them. Since turnips were hard to come by in the states at the time, pumpkins were used as a substitute.

#6, Trick-Or-Treating in Costumes
In olden times, it was believed that during Samhain, the veil between our world and the spirit world was thinnest, and that the ghosts of the deceased could mingle with the living. The superstition was that the visiting ghosts could disguise themselves in human form, such as a beggar, and knock on your door during Samhain asking for money or food. If you turned them away empty-handed, you risked receiving the wrath of the spirit and being cursed or haunted.

Another Celtic myth was that dressing up as a ghoul would fool the evil spirits into thinking that you were one of them so that they would not try to take your soul. In the U.S., trick-or-treating became a customary Halloween tradition around the late 1950s, after it was brought over by Irish immigrants in the early 1900s.

Re-Treat Your Extra Halloween Candy

Do you have left over candy from Halloween that you don’t want sitting around your house? Did your children get a huge pile of candy from trick or treating that is way more than you want them to have? Do you have officemates, friends, or family that might also have a huge pile of candy that they wonder what to do with that you would be willing to collect?

Please think about ‘re-treating’ this candy to share with our Jefferson County Family Integrated Treatment Court (FIT Court) parents and their families during the dockets. FIT Court assists parents seeking treatment for addiction while their children live in foster care or another safe environment. Having snacks in the courtroom helps create a welcoming space for our families.

Beginning Friday, October 30, until Tuesday, November 10, there will be a box in the Human Services building main entrance near the welcome desk (900 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO). For staff, there is box outside Dori Baranski’s office (Room 290) to collect any re-treated candy!
Thank you and Happy Halloween!





More on FIT Court:
The Jefferson County Family Integrated Treatment Court is a voluntary Family Drug Court within a dependency and neglect court case designed to address child abuse, neglect concerns and parental substance abuse in families with young children. Fifty-five percent of Jefferson County ongoing child protection cases have substance abuse/addiction identified as a risk factor or safety concern. FIT Court involves frequent court appearances with individualized interaction between the FIT Court parent and the Magistrate, random drug testing and substance abuse treatment, and a collaborative team approach to working with FIT Court parents. A FIT Court graduate stated, "Now I am in school, I am positive, I have a future, I am going to great things. This is the most days of sobriety since I was 14 years old." FIT Court is a partnership of Jefferson County Department of Human Services, Savio House, and the 1st Judicial District.


Mallory Hyatt
Public Information Coordinator
303-271-4389
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