  Horror/Scary
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What terrified me will terrify others; and I need only describe the spectre which had haunted my midnight pillow.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, English Author (Frankenstein). 1797 - 1851.
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Welcome to my very first newsletter. I’ve been nervously contemplating the content of this issue for a week, and last night I had an epiphany! I realised the topic is actually staring me in the face. It’s all around us, and it culminates in a “celebration” on October 31. So this newsletter focuses on Halloween, and the origin of some of its traditions. It’s very interesting to see how this festival has evolved during the centuries into the traditions and beliefs we follow today.
The word Halloween originates from an annual celebration in the Catholic Church’s calendar. On November 1 the Church observes “All Saints’ Day”, which was known as “All Hallows’ Day” in ancient times. The noun “hallow” means “a saint or holy person”, so Halloween is actually a corruption of “All Hallows’ Eve” - the day before the religious “All Hallows’ Day”.
Although the word Halloween has Christian origins, the modern day rituals and symbols of this festival appear to owe their roots to the pagans and Celtic Ireland. In the fifth century BC the Celtic New Year, called Samhain (prounced sowen) was observed on October 31, which was officially the last day of summer. The Celts believed that the spirits of all those who’d died during the year would rise on that day and, in their quest for “life after death”, seek out living bodies they could possess for the following year. This was the only day of the year they were able to do this, because the laws of time and space were suspended during October 31, so the spirit world could merge with the living world.
Obviously nobody wanted to be possessed, so on the night of October 31, people made their homes as cold and unwelcoming as possible. They extinguished the lights and fires in their houses. Then they dressed up in scary costumes and wandered around their neighbourhoods, being as noisy and destructive as possible to scare away any spirits looking for a human body to possess. Another story claims that the Celts would burn anyone believed to be possessed at the stake, to let other spirits know that taking over a living body wasn’t a good idea. Over time the Romans absorbed many Celtic traditions, and in the first century AD Samhain was merged with the celebration of Pomona, the Roman goddess of trees and fruit. The Roman’s celebrated this goddess on October 31. Pomona’s symbol is an apple, which could explain Halloween’s modern day apple bobbing tradition. Other traditions changed over time, and as belief in spirit possession waned so the practice of dressing up like ghosts, witches and goblins became more traditional rather than ceremonial.
Irish immigrants first brought the tradition of Halloween to America during the 1840s, when they left Ireland’s infamous potato famine for the shores of the New World. One of the most famous symbols of Halloween, the Jack-O-Lantern, may have evolved from these immigrants. The story tells of Jack, a notorious trickster and drunkard. He managed to trick Satan into climbing a tree, before carving a symbol of a cross in the tree's trunk, thus trapping the devil in the tree. True to his gambling nature Jack made a deal with the devil; if Satan promised never to tempt him again, Jack would release him from the tree. This was one time Satan did keep his end of the bargain! Time passed and eventually Jack died. However, his evil ways meant Heaven wouldn’t accept him – and neither would Hell, because he’d tricked the devil. This meant he was condemned to wander in the darkness of limbo for all eternity - and here the devil had the last laugh. He gave Jack a glowing ember to light his way through the darkness. The ember was placed inside a hollowed-out turnip to keep it glowing longer. Originally the Irish used turnips for their “Jack’s Lanterns”. When they came to America they found pumpkins more plentiful than turnips, so the hollowed-out pumpkin became Halloween’s modern-day Jack-O-Lantern.
The final custom I want to mention is trick or treating. This appears to have originated from a European custom called “souling”, which dates back to the ninth century. In those days it was believed the dead remained in limbo for a period after death, and prayers would aid and speed a soul’s passage into Heaven. This belief was commemorated on November 2, known as “All Souls’ Day.” Christians would travel through villages begging for “soul cakes”. In return for the “soul cakes” the beggars promised to say more prayers for the donor’s dead friends and relatives, so helping their souls move quickly and easily into Heaven. Obviously today’s trick or treating practice differs vastly from its original roots…
Halloween offers writers of the horror/scary genre a wonderful platform for their work. The festival itself is full of traditions and beliefs that offer a great and varied basis for our stories. As do the symbols and icons of Halloween – consider how these images and ideals have evolved over a couple of thousand years and you begin to understand and appreciate how storytellers over the ages have undoubtedly left their mark upon Halloween. And so can you – there are still a couple of weeks to go before Halloween… so pick up those pens and start writing! And you never know –in time your tale could become part of future Halloween celebrations and traditions!
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I hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter as much as I enjoyed researching and putting it together for you. Please let me know your thoughts on this, my first newsletter, as well as on any subjects related to the horror/scary genre. I’d like to cover any issues raised in this regard in future issues, and all your comments will be featured… |
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Horror/Scary: October 12, 2005 Issue [#654]
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