It’s
October and it’s time for Halloween. For this article I wanted to
present a quick discussion highlighting some interesting and fun
facts about the Halloween holiday; mainly, its history and the
superstitious beliefs associated with it.
The
History (and My History) of Halloween
I
attended Catholic school and can remember that one of my teachers was
very adamant about NOT celebrating the Halloween holiday. She
insisted that it supported pagan practices and traditions and it was
a work of the devil. I did not want to disrespectful so I did what
most well-mannered and well-behaved children did when their teachers
said things they did not believe or agree with. I ignored her. Hey!
I just wanted a pumpkin full of candy! LOL.
But as an adult, I was a little curious about the history of Halloween. It turns out my teacher was right. It was derived from pagan customs. More specifically, it is a modification of activities associated with an ancient Celtic ritual of Samhain, which was a festival that celebrated the changing of the seasons from summer to winter. Uumm? That doesn’t exactly sound devilish.
Amanda
Pagan wrote a post titled “A
Brief History of Halloween”,
which was published in the official blog for the New York Public
Library. Her explanation of the holiday’s history is very colorful.
As it is a library blog, she also provided a list of a dozen books as
recommended reading if you want to know more. Halloween may have had
religious import or application in the beginning but as of today, for
most people (including me), the day no religious significance at all.
It’s just a day set aside for apple-bobbing, eating tricks and
treats, visiting haunted houses that simultaneously frighten you and
make you laugh, dressing up in funny costumes, and maybe
binge-watching some scary movies. Nothing more.
Halloween
Superstitions
Black cats, witches, and pumpkins? Oh my! Where do all of these superstitions come from? Obviously, since the holiday is derived from a Celtic ritual, the superstitions that are prevalent to this day have Celtic roots. I personally don’t believe these superstitions, especially not the one about black cats being bad luck. Some believed black cats were witches in disguise or witches reborn or they were just witch-helpers. If you do the research you will find a lot of information pertaining to all of the folklore about black cats. You’ll find everything except the name of the person who started it!
There
are numerous superstitions linked to this holiday. If you are
interested in an explanation of the various beliefs about everything
from bats and black cats to ghosts and spirits to spiders and trick
or treat, check out this “Guide
to Halloween Superstitions”.
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Fun
Links of Interest:
Halloween
History – How Halloween Has Traveled the Globe | SAPIENS
The
History of Halloween: A timeline through the centuries | Make It
Grateful
Samhain
Folklore, Superstitions and Legends | Learn Religions
12
(Mostly) Spooky Halloween Superstitions | Mental Floss
Original Source