Today is Halloween, the Eve
of All Hallows, the evening before the Christian Feast of All Saints. It has become a mish-mash of many contrasting
and competing ceremonies dating all the way back to the pre-Christian eras, but
all surrounding beliefs in life after death.
In some, the souls come back asking for prayers and, often, food. In others, evil spirits descend to the earth
seeking to harm the living. In others
dead relatives come back to offer advice or warnings. In yet others the living dress in costumes to
a) fool the dead spirits into leaving them alone or b) fool other living people
into giving them food or money. And
there are lots of curious customs, such as telling scary stories by candle
light, and doing divination (for example, peeling an apple in one long spiral
then dropping it over a shoulder where it will form itself into the initial of
a future true love), or visiting cemeteries to leave food for deceased
ancestors, or going trick or treating.
And that’s just skimming the surface of a thousand examples. It’s a brief time when a great many people
believe this world and the next come so close there is a chance for one to get
a glimpse of the other. Do you believe
in ghosts? I’ve had a couple of ghostly
experiences, so yes, I do. But I don’t
think ghosts can harm me. I will drink a
glass of cider, light the jack-o-lantern, have a pleasant shiver or two, and be
glad to wake tomorrow safe in my own bed.
And wouldn't it be interesting to write a story about what Halloween might look like to the denizens of the other world? All those warm, fleshy, ignorant, pushy people poking and prying . . .
1 comment:
Thanks for the interesting notes about Halloween. It has gotten so connected with giving out candy, I didn't realize there was more to the holiday.
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