[MK Chris]

Harry Potter's birthday is the 31st July!

Firstly, that you know this and secondly that you admit to knowing it is extremely worrying.

[S4B]

Why?

[MK Chris]

Because he's a fictional character.

[MK Chris]

Jesus is an exception. Everyone in the western world over the age of 5 knows that date.

[foot-loose]

Do you really want a serious argument about why most people know when Jesus's birthday is compared to Harry Potters?

I mean, I can give you a decent discussion on the topic if you wish, but I feel that I may be stating the obvious?

[S4B]

Jesus was born in September. The 25th Dec was chosen as it coincided with the pagan festival of Saturnalia (the Sun God)

And Jesus is not a fictional character he is an historical figure. The fiction may or may not be whether he was the Son of God!

[foot-loose]

Am I not right in saying that at the time of Jesus and his merry men (like Robin Hood but with more toga's), there were only ten months in the year? November and December didn't exist? And the rest of the months were probably called something else as well.

[S4B]

It was on the jewish calendar but it you convert it to the modern calendar it was September

[Console]

I don't think they were created for them, there were already months there that were renamed for them. Also, the Roman Empire spanned both BC and AD, with Augustus being alive in both (I think).

[Ballbag]

Console speaketh the truth, July an Augus were previously named quiitillis and sextilis (I think, or a variation on the theme) because they were the fifth and sixth months of the year. With Septermber, October, November and December being 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th. January and February were added at a later date and they occoured at the end of the year and not the beginning initially. Mrach comes from the God Mars. April derives from the latin "to open" and is a reference to spring with all the flowers blooming. May comes from another God I believe. (Guess who did GCSE Latin)

*Gives brain a rest*

[Console]

I think May is named after the Greek goddess Mai (Goddess of Spring?) I think.

[foot-loose]

Is there not something about some parts of the world being a couple of years out a while back? Then when we all started talking to each other someone said "What? No, no, it's 1897 mate - not 1899! You have another few years till you need to worry about that century bug thing."

[scamp88]

I did F**k all, Halloween is the most pointless day ever, Kids knock on my door and I give them sweets? I dont give money to the beggers so why do these little street Urchins dressed up as whatever asda is selling, and then i have to give them my sweets or they will throw eggs at me, ummm no thanks

Bloody America,

Liz x

[Yudster]

I forgot to put my "No Trick or Treat Callers Please - thank you" sign on the door this year, so we got a few - but for a change they were all very polite and pleasant when we said no thank you. Its not so bad when its groups of small kids with their parents in tow, but for a few years older kids used it as an excuse to terrorise the neighbourhood, and it really got out of hand. Maybe that is ending at last. Still not buying into it though.

[SAV1OUR]

I'll tell yer what happened to me on Halloween, the funniest thing - A power-cut. Brilliant, lasted all of 15 minutes, the whole road, on both sides, street lamps, traffic lights 'n all. I'm assuming because of the sheer timing of this that whoever did it has an wicked side, and hopefully they won't lose their job!

[kendra k]

we had some trick-or-treaters. it was fun. i rushed home to give them candy.

ps. this past weekend, i was a chav.

[catherine]

Did you take any pictures kendra?

[Chris]

No, I don't think she did.

[catherine]

ohhh i didn't see the link in her post sorry

[foot-loose]

Kendra, your friend thats dressed as a whoopie cushion looks scarily like Ruby Wax.

[Ballbag]

The fella on the left, with the sensible hair. What's he supposed to be dressed as.

[Yudster]

You're strangely convincing in that outfit Kendra. And I am ashamed to say that I fancy the belly dancer - but I do.

[Andy B]

Don't forget that we now use the Gregorian calendar which was changed in 1143 (made that date up) but not by everybody which is why Ethiopians who still use the old calendar celebrated the millenium earlier this year.

They didn't have much of a system of marking dates back then, it was all based on who was in charge at the time. In the 14th month of Biggus Dickus etc...

[S4B]

Kendra you really do make a scarily good chav! Don't make a habit of dressing like that!

[foot-loose]

Figured I might as well finish this topic off - I ended up going as Leatherface outta the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I had visited a couple of fancy dress places in the afternoon, but it wasn't happening. In one of the shops - I asked the guy if he had any celbrity face masks, he said he thought he had a Pavarotti one round the back, so he goes off to check.

While he is gone, I start thinking how I could make Pavarotti work. Then I thought "hang on, this guy only died about two months ago, this might be a tad insensitive." I continued thinking... "although - if I am going to be insensitive, I could go the whole hog and dress up as a dead Pavarotti...". Unfortunatly, the guy only had a Rodney from Only Fools mask - that wasn't gonna happen.

So this did...