Halloween and Folklore

Halloween is one of the most popular Holidays in the Western world. Americans in 2023 expect to spend over 12.3 billion dollars on Halloween decorations, candies, and other spooky festivals. That is a 69% increase from last year's Halloween spending. But have you ever wondered where this beloved holiday originated from? The possible spooky origins? Like many holidays Halloween is a long-story history of different events, festivals, beliefs, and cultures that led to the Halloween we know today.

Halloween seems like it’s been around forever. The early settlers of America brought over Halloween traditions like dressing up and trick or treating. However, it all began with the Pagan fire festival of Samhain. Samhain was the most important of all fire festivals in Pagan culture. The festival is often celebrated at the end of October and early November, usually lasting for three days and nights. The ancient Celts believed the barrier between the living and the deceased broke during Shamin allowing for the living and deceased to interact with each other.

They also believed that monsters and different beasts would try to kidnap or slaughter them. Celts would often leave offers to Faires, Sidhs, and other monsters out of their village.

The Celebration was mandatory, and if someone did not join the ritual. Not participating in the celebration would have the Gods respond in anger, punishing the person with severe illness or killing them. Additionally, if anyone committed a crime or drew their weapon during the celebration, they would have faced immediate capital punishment.

When we hear of a werewolf, we often think of a man turning into a monstrous bi-padel wolf hybrid that emerges on a full moon. However, the first werewolves were not that. Lycaon the son of Pelasgus, the eponymous of humanity. It is often considered the first acknowledgment of a human-wolf hybrid. It is also the scientific medical term lycanthropy comes from.

Lycaon was the son of Eplashus and Meliboa and the King of Acadia. Lycaon was known to be quite promiscuous, some tales say that he had over fifty sons with dozens of various wives. However, all of his sons were reckless and sociopathic. Seeing their rambles, Zeus decided to test the boys. He visited the kingdom of Acrida under the guise of a pheasant. He asked the boys if they had any food, and the boys fed Zeus. The boys living in their nefarious ways fed Zeus the innards of a child they had butchered. This infuriated Zeus so much that he destroyed the table where he sat, afterward, executing King Lycaon and his sons. However, some versions claim that Lycaon was not executed but was forcefully turned into a wolf.

The story of Lycaon and his nefarious sons was assumed to be told at the Lycaea, a celebratory ceremony that was held at Mount Lycaea to honor Zeus.

Black cats are synonymous with Halloween. Black cats are believed to bring misfortune to any unsuspecting persons who glance at them. Although, we recognized that black cats do not have any supernatural qualities besides being supernaturally adorable. Where do the fears and superstitions around our dark-furred feline friends come from?

Around the late 12th and early 13th centuries, black cats became associated with the witch and the devil. They were often seen as spies sent by the witches or Lucifer himself to influence humanity. How did this fear begin? In France, a group of women who were accused of witchcraft were seen in the company of a black cat. In the eyes of the Church- cats were nocturnal and witches did their devilish deeds at night. The two must be connected. And when settlers came to America the myths around Black cats came to inspire several different folktales. Scottish immigrants believed that spotting a black cat was an omen of death- that someone in your family was to perish soon.

However, not all superstitions around black cats are nefarious. Some believe that black cats brought good fortunes instead of misfortunes. In the border towns between England and Scotland, a black cat sitting upon a perch is thought to bring good fortune. In Appalachia, black cats are believed to have healing powers, if you had an eye infection, or a stye, having the tail of a black cat rubbed against your eye would cure you of your infection.

Now, it is time to conclude our tales of tales before next year's Halloween. We hope that you have a Halloween, and be careful out there. You do not know what could be lurking in the dark.

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