JaneCoates2014AutumnFestivalsintheWestDiwali-aHinduandSikhfestivaloflightDiwaliAJewishFestival-afestivaloflightHanukahHalloweencostumesHarvestFestival?HarvestFestivalisacelebrationofthefoodgrownontheland.Thanksgivingceremoniesandcelebrationsforasuccessfulharvestarebothworldwideandveryancient.InBritain,wehavegiventhanksforsuccessfulharvestssincepagantimes.Wecelebratethisdaybysinging,prayinganddecoratingourchurcheswithbasketsoffruitandfoodinafestivalknownas'HarvestFestival',usuallyduringthemonthofSeptember.HarvestFestivalremindsChristiansofallthegoodthingsGodgivesthem.Thismakesthemwanttosharewithotherswhoarenotsofortunate.InschoolsandinChurches,peoplebringfoodfromhometoaHarvestFestivalService.Aftertheservice,thefoodthathasbeenputondisplayisusuallymadeintoparcelsandgiventopeopleinneed.CorndolliesThemakingofcorndolliesgoesbackmanythousandsofyears.ItwasaPagancustomandevolvedfromthebeliefsofthecorngrowingpeoplewhobelievedintheCornSpirit.Whatwerecorndolliestraditionallymadefrom?CorndolliesweremadeatHarvesttimefromthelastsheafofcorncut.TheCornSpiritwassupposedtoliveorberebornintheplaitedstrawornamentorcorndollandwaskeptuntilthefollowingspringtoensureagoodharvest.Thecorndollyoftenhadaplaceofhonourattheharvestbanquettable.ConkersDuringthemonthsofSeptemberandOctober,afavouriteplaygroundgameisconkersBritainisbelievedtobetheonlycountryintheworldwherethegameofconkersisplayedwithhorsechestnutsintheautumn.Theconkerisahardbrownnutwhichisfoundinapricklycasing.Thegreenoutercasingoftheseedwillturnbrownandcrackopenrevealingtheconkersinside.Theyfallfromthetreewhentheyareripeduringtheautumnmonths.ConkersforplayingThebestconkerstoplaywithareuncracked,firmandsymmetrical.Makeaholethroughthemiddleofofyourchosenconker.Threadastrongpieceofstringabout25cmlong,throughtheholeandtieaknotatoneend,sothatitdoesn'tpullthrough.Howtoplayconkers?Eachplayerhasaconkerhangingonitsstring.Playerstaketurnsathittingtheiropponent'sconker.Ifyouaretheonewhoseconkeristobehitfirst,letithangdownfromthestringwhichiswrappedroundyourhand.Theconkerisheldattheheightyouropponentchoosesandisheldperfectlystill.Youropponent,thestriker,wrapshisconkerstringroundhishandjustlikeyours.Hethentakeshisconkerintheotherhandanddrawsitbackforthestrike.Releasingtheconkerheswingsitdownbythestringheldintheotherhandandtriestohithisopponentsconker(yours)withit.Ifaplayermisseshittinghis/heropponentsconkertheyarealloweduptotwofurthergoes.Thegamegoesoninturnsuntiloneorotherofthetwoconkersiscompletelydestroyed.Hintsonhowtomakeyourconkersharder.Soakyourconkerinvinegar.Bakeyourconkerintheoven.Useanoldconkerfrompreviousyears.