At the library: Upcoming events and Halloween trivia

October is an exciting month at the Washington Public Library.

On Friday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m., the Red Cedar Chamber Music will present 'Love & Life.” This marriage of words and music will take you on a journey of love. Akwi Nji is the spoken word artist. This event will be held in the second floor Reading Room.

Washington Writers' Workshop will meet on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 10 a.m. until noon. Katherine Gibbel, from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, will give a presentation on the craft of writing during the first hour. Washington Workshop members will read their submissions during the second hour. Adults and teens are welcome.

The 'Harry Potter Party” for teens takes place on Wednesday, Oct. 31, at 4 p.m. Spend an evening at Hogwarts, get your wand, play a simple game of quidditch, and test your Harry Potter knowledge.

Halloween's origins date back to the Celtic feast of Samhain. Two thousand years ago, the Celts lived in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France. They celebrated their New Year's on Nov. 1. Their crops had been harvested and the cold and darkness of winter had settled over the land. They viewed their year as over. In order to wean the people from their pagan holidays, Christianity declared Nov. 1, to be 'All Saints Day.” This became a 'Hallowed Day.”

The spirits of the dead were thought to roam the earth on the eve before All Saints' Day, or on”All Hallowed Evening.” Over time this evolved into 'Halloween.” Some of the favorite celebrations are carving pumpkins, bobbing for apples, costume parties, bonfires and visiting haunted attractions. 'Trick or Treat” grew out of bribing the spirits with a 'Treat” so they would not harm you.

In the late Eighteenth Century and early Nineteenth Century, Halloween was not widely celebrated in America. It was contrary to the Pilgrims' beliefs and not approved by other religious groups. It was not until the massive migration of the Irish and the Scots in the late Nineteenth Century that Halloween festivities became popular and were widely accepted and celebrated in America.

Here are some Halloween books at the Washington Public Library to help you celebrate:

Joanne Sullivan's, 'Halloween A Grown-Up Guide To Creative Customs”

'Pumpkin Decorating” by Vicki Rhodes

Adult Non-Fiction

Leslie Meir'ss 'Wicked Witch Murder”

Large Print Fiction.

'Crafts for Halloween by Kathy Ross and 'Haunt Your House” For Halloween by Cindy Fuller

Juvenile Non-Fiction

Cynthia Rylant's 'Moonlight the Cat” and 'Pumpkin Moon” by Tim Preston

New materials:

Adult fiction

The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

Virgil Wander by Leif Enger

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

Vendetta by Iris Johnson

When We Were Young by Karen Kingsbury

The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton

Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks

Desperate Measures by Stuart Wood

Adult non-fiction

Leadership in Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin