Halloween History - Keep An Attacker At Bay

Hope you had a nice weekend. My husband and I went to a Halloween Party. I dressed up as a referee. Hubby on the other hand opted to appear as himself. It’s always fun to see what people you know show up as isn’t it! It was nice to have quite a few laughs.

How did the silly idea of dressing up in strange costumes ever evolve? Well, it turns out that costumes and masks were worn at festivals in an attempt to mimic evil spirits or appease them. It’s said to be the night which the division between the world of the living and the otherworld was blurred so spirits of the dead and underworld were able to walk free on the earth. It was believed necessary to dress as a spirit or otherworldly creature when outdoors to blend in. This is where dressing in such a manner for Halloween comes from.

The jack-o’-lantern originated in Europe. They believed that the head was the most powerful part of the body containing the spirit and the knowledge, so the Celts used the head of a vegetable to frighten off any superstitions.

The name jack-o’-lantern came from the Irish legend of Stingy Jack. He was a greedy, gambling, hard-drinking old farmer. He tricked the devil into climbing a tree and trapped him by carving a cross into the tree trunk. In revenge, the devil placed a curse on Jack, condemning him to forever wander the earth at night with the only light he had which was a candle inside of a hollowed turnip.

The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween because pumpkins are readily available and much larger, making them easier to carve than turnips. Houses were protected with lanterns so that if the spirits got past the protection of the lanterns, the Scottish custom was to offer the spirits parcels of food to leave and spare the house another year.

Ever since my oldest brother took me to a haunted house when I was little I haven’t been to one since. I recall getting lost and traumatized in a labyrinth setup in a house of mirrors! There will be so many festivities this week! Whether you’re attending the theme parks, haunted houses, costume parties, or trick-or-treating, just be aware of your surroundings.

If you are walking to your car, and you see someone suspicious getting closer to you, before even letting them get close enough to attack you, if you have this handy little electronic pocket/keychain whistle the loud 120db will do some scaring off yourself! You’ll surprise the heck out of him! Even if you aren’t sure, set that puppy off because as the old saying goes, it’s best to be safe than sorry.