Daylight Saving Time: All Together, Now

At 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, time falls back an hour throughout the U.S. -- except in Hawaii and most of Arizona.(Oct. 29) -- The hour we gain each fall is upon us. Whether you delight in the bonus or lament the loss of evening light, have you considered that you're joining an event along with nearly everyone else in America, practically in unison? The thought would normally strike us as profound if the time switch weren't so mundane. Take a look at the numbers. We've got 307.8 million people in the U.S., according to a Census Bureau estimate. The only states that don't observe daylight saving time are Hawaii and Arizona, although the Navajo reservation in Arizona does make the change. That means for about 300.2 million of us -- or 97.5 percent of the population -- we're changing our clocks back to standard time this weekend. And over just a few hours, if you count all the time zones. To compare, a mere 95 million in the U.S. watched this year's Super Bowl. Opening presents Christmas morning? Well, 93 percent of Americans say they celebrate Christmas, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll taken last year.
Sure, you've got the recluse living in a forest cabin, marking the day by sunrise and sunset only. And others who don't track time or comprehend its passage as society sees it. But they'd have to exist in great numbers to make Christmas higher than the time change on the participation scale.And we all breathe and experience day or night at the same time. But these are natural events, not man-made ones. You may also argue that events like the Super Bowl and Christmas are more interesting because they're voluntary, whereas the time change is less so if you want to participate in mainstream society. ("It's 3 p.m., you say? I say it isn't!") Does that make the mass switchover any less awe-inspiring? It's remarkable on the coordination scale alone.

And don't forget that for most of us, at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, the time jumps back to 1 a.m.

Information obtained from AOL: Claire Robinson

Geat Pumpkin Fluff Dip or Pumpkin Pie Recipe! EASY

Pumpkin Fluff Dip

Makes 32 servings; 1 point each

Weight Watchers approved

16 oz. fat-free Cool Whip

1.5 oz. pkg. s/f instant vanilla pudding

15 oz. canned pumpkin

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

In a large bowl, mix pudding, pumpkin, and spice.

Fold in Cool Whip.Refrigerate.

CREAMY PUMPKIN PIE

1 c. canned pumpkin

1/2 c. cold milk

1 (6 serving) pkg. Jello vanilla instant pudding

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

3 1/2 c. or 8 oz. Cool Whip

1 graham cracker pie crust

Combine pumpkin, milk, pudding mix and spice in small bowl. Blend with whisk or electric mixer for 1 minute. Fold in 2 1/2 cups Cool Whip. Spoon into crust. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Top with remaining Cool Whip.

History of Halloween

It is interesting to see where our Holidays originate and what they mean....here is the Halloween explanation from the Columbia Encyclopedia . . .

Halloween

Halloweenhăl′əwēn', häl′–, Oct. 31, the eve of All Saints' Day, observed with traditional games and customs. The word comes from medieval England's All Hallows' eve (Old Eng. hallow=saint). However, many of these customs predate Christianity, going back to Celtic practices associated with Nov. 1, which was Samhainsä'wĭn, the beginning of winter and the Celtic new year. Witches and other evil spirits were believed to roam the earth on this evening, playing tricks on human beings to mark the season of diminishing sunlight. Bonfires were lit, offerings were made of dainty foods and sweets, and people would disguise themselves as one of the roaming spirits, to avoid demonic persecution. Survivals of these early practices can be found in countries of Celtic influence today, such as the United States where children go from door to door in costumes demanding trick or treat.

Make it a safe and fun Halloween - from: Kim Duclos Coldwell Banker Wardley