Page 28 - 201210 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - October 2012

13 Halloween Superstitions Explained 13 Halloween # 11 - Jack-O'-Lanterns A common source of fear, spiders make for Superstitions & Traditions creepy, crawly Halloween staples. They join the ranks of bats and black cats in folklore as being Explained evil companions of witches during medieval times. One superstition held that if a spider falls into a candle-lit lamp and is consumed by the Live Science flame, witches are nearby. And if you spot a spider on Halloween, goes another superstition, # 13 - On All Hallow's Eve… it means that the spirit of a deceased loved one is watching over you. # 8 - Witches A fun fall activity, carving Jack-o'-lanterns actually has its roots in a sinister, tragic fable. Celtic folklore tells the tale of a drunken farmer named Jack who tricked the devil, but his trickery resulted in him being turned away from both the gates of heaven and hell after he died. Having no choice but to wander around the darkness of purgatory, Jack made a lantern from Halloween may seem like it's all about costumes a turnip and a burning lump of coal that the and candy, but the holiday — which is relatively devil had tossed him from hell. new to America, having only become popular in Jack, the story goes, used the lantern to the early 1900s — has its roots in pagan beliefs. guide his lost soul; as such, the Celts believed The stereotypical image of the haggard witch Dating back about 2,000 years, Halloween that placing Jack-o'-lanterns outside would help with a pointy black hat and warty nose stirring a marked the Celtic New Year and was originally guide lost spirits home when they wander the magical potion in her cauldron actually stems called Samhain, which translates to "summer's streets on Halloween. Originally made using a from a pagan goddess known as "the crone," end" in Gaelic. hollowed-out turnip with a small candle inside, who was honored during Samhain. The crone Some Halloween traditions, such as Jack-o'-lanterns' frightening carved faces also was also known as "the old one" and the "Earth carving Jack-o'-lanterns, are based on Irish served to scare evil spirits away. When the Irish mother," who symbolized wisdom, change, and folklore and have been carried on throughout potato famine of 1846 forced Irish families to the turning of the seasons. Today, the kind, all- the centuries, while others, such as candy corn, flee to North America, the tradition came with knowing old crone has morphed into the are more modern Halloween additions. Read on them. Since turnips were hard to come by in the menacing, cackling witch. to find out the meaning behind 13 spooky states at the time, pumpkins were used as a Halloween staples, including spiders, witches substitute. and trick-or-treating. # 7 - Cauldrons # 10 - Bats # 12 - Black Cats The pagan Celts believed that after death, all souls went into the crone's cauldron, which Medieval folklore also described bats as Often used as symbols of bad luck, black cats witches' familiars, and seeing a bat on symbolized the Earth mother's womb. There, grace many Halloween decorations. The black Halloween was considered to be quite an the souls awaited reincarnation, as the goddess' cat's bad reputation dates back to the Dark Ages, ominous sign. One myth was that if a bat was stirring allowed for new souls to enter the when witch hunts were commonplace. Elderly, spotted flying around one's house three times, it cauldron and old souls to be reborn. That image solitary women were often accused of of the cauldron of life has now been replaced by witchcraft, and their pet cats were said to be meant that someone in that house would soon the steaming, bubbling, ominous brew die. Another myth was that if a bat flew into their "familiars," or demonic animals that had your house on Halloween, it was a sign that been given to them by the devil. Continued on Page 30 Another medieval myth told that Satan your house was haunted because ghosts had let turned himself into a cat when socializing with the bat in. witches. But nowadays, black cats aren't # 9 - Spiders synonymous with bad luck and mischief everywhere — in Ireland, Scotland and England, it's considered good luck for a black cat to cross your path. PROTECT YOUR PETS THIS HALLOWEEN! Contact Your Local SPCA, Animal Shelter or Veterinarian for details. Happy Halloween from The ‘X’ Zone Kids!