Halloween Part II

Hi Puzzlers,

Today we will take a look at some of the most popular superstitions and traditions associated with Halloween. I was shocked and amazed to see how many there are. It turns out that many of our common everyday "superstitions" are directly related to our ancestors and what they believed happened on Halloween.

The “Trick or Treat” saying originated in Celtic times. During this time it was common belief that mischievous fairies would dress as beggars and go door-to-door asking for food. If one was kind and generous the fairies would bestow fine rewards, but if one was stingy and refused, then the fairies would subject them to all sorts of pranks and acts of trickery.

The much loved Jack - O’-Lantern began as part of the Samhain celebration. Families would bring home hot embers from the communal fires in hollowed out turnips. Too funny, Jack-O’ Lanterns began as Turnip- O’-Lanterns! Marc, who works in our warehouse, shared with me the Irish tale of “Stingy Jack”. He told me his Gram would tell him the tale every Halloween. How cool is that! Your Gram telling you old Irish tales and folklore every year, PRICELESS!

Stingy Jack, a cheapskate as the name implies, liked to play tricks on everyone, including the Devil. One day Jack tricks Satan into climbing up an apple tree and then cuts crosses around the trunk to trap him. Jack then forces the Devil to promise to never take his soul. Once Satan agrees Jack removes the crosses from the tree and frees him. When Jack finally dies he is refused entrance in to Heaven because he has led a miserable and worthless life on earth. With nowhere else to go Jack heads down to Hell, but, in keeping with their agreement the Devil also refuses him entrance. “As Jack left the gates of Hell the devil threw him a hot ember to light the way in the dark. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed-out turnip and wandered off into the world.”

Next, it is on to the mystery of the BLACK CAT!!! During the Middle Ages when witch hysteria struck Europe, dread of cats, especially black cats rose. It was common belief that a black cat was a WITCH! Witches were thought to have transformed themselves into cats so they could prowl the city streets undetected. So if on crosses your path you are in for some bad luck.

Puzzlers, I don’t know about you but I’m getting the salt shaker out and throwing a pinch of salt over my left shoulder. One can never be too safe!

Happy Puzzling!