Inside the Legend: It's The Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester

HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN

The history of Halloween dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celtics lived 2,000 years ago in what is now Ireland, United Kingdom and Nortthern France. The festival of Samhain was celebrated on October 31st and marked the end of the summer harvest and the beginning of winter. This time was often associated with death because it was believed that the night before the new-year the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. The roaming spirits were known to cause trouble, damage crops, and also make it easier to predict the future. It is believed that these tales of what was to come in the predictions made may have been the beginning of telling “ghost stories.” One of the Druid rituals during Samhain was the building of a huge bonfire where the people would gather wearing costumes that typically consisted of animal heads and skins to burn crops and offer animals up as sacrifices to the deities. The Celtics also wore masks so that they wouldn’t be recognized when they left their home after dark.

Come 43 AD, the Romans conquered the Celtic territory and their traditions blended together with those of the Roman holidays of Feralia and Pomona. Feralia commemorated the passing of the dead. Pomona worshiped the Roman goddess of fruits and gardens whose symbol is the apple, this is where the act of bobbing for apples comes from.

Similar to how the Catholic Church over took the Pagan holiday of Christmas, they also attempted to do the same with what would later become known as Halloween. Pope Boniface designated November 1st ‘All Saints Day’, a day to honor the saints and martyrs; this day was often referred to as “all hallow-man” or “all hallows.” The night before ‘All Saints Day’ became known as ‘All Hallow’s Eve’ or “Halloween.” In 1000 AD a new day came into being, ‘All Souls Day,’ on November 2nd which honored the dead through bonfires, parades, and costumes ranging from angels to devils. The combination of these three days formed ‘Hallowmass.’

‘All Soul’s Day’ in England also spawned the practice of “trick-r-treating.” Dyring the festivities poor citizens would often beg for food and families would give then “soul cakes” in exchange for the promise of praying for the family’s dead relatives. This practice was later reinforced by the Church who encourage this act to replace leaving food and wine out for the spirits. This ‘Going-a-souling’ would later be taken up by children in what is now known as the act of ‘trick-r-treating.’

HALLOWEEN COMES TO AMERICA

European Immigrants began to journey to America. The blending of European beliefs and customs with those of the American Indians would begin what we now view as Halloween. The first celebrations consisted of play parties in which the harvest was celebrated, stories of the dead and fortunes were told, and people danced and sung the night away. It was especially popular in the Southern colonies such as Virginia because they believed in magic and witchcraft; the occult was a strong aspect of their life.

In the late 19th century the arrival of Irish Immigrants continued the rise of Halloween, bringing with them the rituals of gathering together with their neighbors in a home staying up late hours of the night sharing scary stories and playing fortune telling games. The Irish also brought the ritual of carving, using American Pumpkins. People also began to dress up in costume and travel from house to house asking for food or money.

As the times went on the holiday lost some of its more frightening aspects and became friendlier for children and more commercial. Throughout these years adults began to spend less time concerning the holiday and it fell primarily to the youths who once again went back to the more destructive rituals such as vandalism and acts of setting fires such as ‘Devil’s Night’ in Detroit. These acts caused fear from parents and government officials who tried to keep the practicing of the holiday in check.

In the 1970s rumors began spreading of razor blades and poisoned candy during trick-r-treat night. The truth behind these reports is somewhat true, but largely fabricated. Razor blades were found in some apples, but no one died from it. The horror behind strangers poisoning candy was partly true, but the majority of these deaths were actually committed by members of their own families.

Today Halloween is the country’s second largest commercial holiday and it is estimated that people spend 6.9 billion in its celebration annually.

JACK-O-LANTERNS

The Jack-O-Lanterns comes from the Irish Myth about Stingy Jack:

Stingy Jack was a miserable, old drunk who loved playing tricks on anyone and everyone. One dark, Halloween night, Jack ran into the Devil himself in a local public house. Jack tricked the Devil by offering his soul in exchange for one last drink. The Devil quickly turned himself into a sixpence to pay the bartender, but Jack immediately snatched the coin and deposited it into his pocket, next to a silver cross that he was carrying. Thus, the Devil could not change himself back and Jack refused to allow the Devil to go free until the Devil had promised not to claim Jack's soul for ten years.

The Devil agreed, and ten years later Jack again came across the Devil while out walking on a country road. The Devil tried collecting what he was due, but Jack thinking quickly, said, "I'll go, but before I do, will you get me an apple from that tree?"

The Devil, thinking he had nothing to lose, jumped up into the tree to retrieve an apple. As soon as he did, Jack placed crosses all around the trunk of the tree, thus trapping the Devil once again. This time, Jack made the Devil promise that he would not take his soul when he finally died. Seeing no way around his predicament, the Devil grudgingly agreed.

When Stingy Jack eventually passed away several years later, he went to the Gates of Heaven, but was refused entrance because of his life of drinking and because he had been so tight-fisted and deceitful. So, Jack then went down to Hell to see the Devil and find out whether it were possible to gain entrance into the depths of Hell, but the Devil kept the promise that had been made to Jack years earlier, and would not let him enter.

"But where can I go?" asked Jack.

"Back to where you came from!" replied the Devil.

The way back was windy and very dark. Stingy Jack pleaded with the Devil to at least provide him with a light to help find his way. The Devil, as a final gesture, tossed Jack an ember straight from the fires of Hell. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed-out turnip...one of Jack's favorite foods which he always carried around with him whenever he could steal one. From that day forward, Stingy Jack has been doomed to roam the earth without a resting place and with only his lit turnip to light the way in the darkness.

Those living in Ireland and Scotland carved scary faces into turnips & potatoes and placed them into windows or near doors to frighten Stingy Jack and other wandering spirits away.

EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS

El Dia De Los Muertos is the form of Halloween celebrated in Mexico, Latin America, and Spain. This holiday honors the dead who return to their earthly homes on Halloween. Candles and incense are burned to help guide the way for the dead. Gravesites are cleaned and decorated. Familial altars are constructed to honor deceased relatives with decorations, candy, flowers, photographs, and samples of the deceased’s favorite foods & drinks. Wash Basin and a towel is left out so the spirit can wash prior to the feast. On November 2nd, people unite together at a yearly picnic to reminisce about their loved ones who have passed on to the other side.

Inside the Legend by Dean5339