Halloween - A History in Darkness

Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before. - Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven

It is that time of year again. The crisp smell of Fall. Cornstalks tied to mailboxes. Colorful leaf piles upon the ground, spooky decorations and sounds, haunted Houses, bobbing for apples, or costumed children running from house to house yelling “Trick or Treat” in hopes of that precious piece of candy. Halloween has arrived. Halloween, the night when the fairies and souls of the damned come out to play. Though next to Christmas, probably the most celebrated holiday worldwide, let us take a step back in history and discover where it all began. Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. Traditional activities include trick-or-treating, bonfires, and costume parties, visiting "haunted houses" and carving jack-o-lanterns. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late twentieth century including Ireland, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom as well as of Australia and New Zealand.

"The moon gazed on my midnight labors, while, with unrelaxed and breathless eagerness, I pursued nature to her hiding-places."—Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

Halloween, as it is known today can trace its origins as far back as 2000 years ago to the age of the Gaels and Celts. The eve was in fact, preparation for the following day, Samhain, the Celtic New Year. It is this day one must focus upon, not just the night before, in order to understand the importance of the celebration of what was to become our modern day Halloween. Ever since the time of the Druids, many customs, traditions, lore, and legends have evolved in celebration of Samhain , the eve of the Celtic New Year, October 31st which we now know as Halloween. It was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter. To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.

“Bonfires dot the rolling hillsides. Figures dance around and around. To drums that pulse out echoes of darkness, moving to the pagan sound. Somewhere in a hidden memory images float before my eyes, of fragrant nights of straw and of bonfires and dancing till the next sunrise.” – Lorena McKennitt All Souls Night

The tradition of the Halloween costume also dates back to the original celebration of Samhain by the Celts. They were known to dress in animal skins and heads, feathers and oils. Stories would be told and fortunes read upon this night. Though the veil thinned between the world of Fairy, Dead and Mortal realms this was still a time of celebration. With the coming of Christianity to the Celtic realms around 800 AD, the traditions of old were to take on a new form. The Church would bring about changes renaming the Celtic festival to All Souls Night and the Celtic New Year with All Saints Day, the celebration of all saints within the Christian Religion Society. The Church hoped by creating these changes they would be able to create a church sanctioned holiday. The eve of All Saints Day also was known as All-Hallowmas, what was to become our more modern rendition Halloween. As the time went on, the Church through their many efforts could not wipe out the traditions of the people. Though to take on names of various forms, the Celtic celebration continues and reforming itself as the centuries passed.

“Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder’s fork, and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing, for a charm of powerful trouble, like a hell-broth boil and bubble.” - William Shakespeare, Witches in Macbeth

The Legends and Lore of Halloween are almost as important as that of the history itself, for these are the stories that give us our shivers. The tales that make us look within the shadows. Each tale of old holds a grain of history and tradition, in fact. Let us start with our tradition of placing a Jack o’ Lantern upon our porch. It has become a more modern tradition, one looked with anticipation, to go and pick the largest pumpkin from the patch. Carry the 50LB treasure home, clean it up, dig out the seeds and lay them to the side for a tasty roasted treat later. Finally comes the carving of a scary, spooky face and a candle placed to give an eerie glow. The historical Jack o’ Lantern, in fact, had a much more humble beginning then the one of American tradition. Originally made of Gourds, the lantern was just that, a lantern. The legend has it that once there was a blacksmith named Jack. His soul was so evil, that not only was he denied passage into Heaven but that of Hell also. He was condemned to wander the mortal realm for eternity, a lost soul. Travelers would carve the face of Jack into Gourds and place a candle within. Any who had to travel the road at night would carry these handmade lanterns with them in belief they would hold off the spirits and fairies. When the Irish began to immigrate to the America’s they brought with them their legends and history. Pumpkins were in more abundance then Gourds. This new world was more accepting and in fact welcomes these new traditions, adapting the stories and festivals until we now have our own version.

What fearful shapes and shadows beset his path, amidst the dim and ghastly glare of a snowy night! With what wistful look did he eye every trembling ray of light streaming across the waste fields from some distant window! How often was he appalled by some shrub covered with snow, which, like a sheeted specter, beset his very path! How often did he shrink with curdling awe at the sound of his own steps on the frosty crust beneath his feet; and dread to look over his shoulder, lest he should behold some uncouth being tramping close behind him! And how often was he thrown into complete dismay by some rushing blast, howling among the trees, in the idea that it was the Galloping Hessian on one of his nightly scouring!
- Washington Irving - From "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"

In our more Modern World we celebrate Halloween with a mixture of Old and New. We pick up a scary costume for this night of all nights, never understanding the historical significance. What does it matter? We gather with friends and go from house to house, shouting “Trick or Treat!” When one bob for an apple does one think that they may in fact be participating in an ancient rite of regeneration? Carve your pumpkins boys and girls. You never know what lurks behind the veil waiting to snatch your soul and have you dance with the fairies for eternity. For this is Halloween, the scariest night of the year.

Protect your property and yourself - make a Parshell!
by Bridget Haggerty
The Parshell is a Hallowe'en cross which is customarily woven on October 31st. It is placed over the front door, on the inside of the house, and is believed to help protect against ill-luck, sickness and evil spirits until the following All Hallow's Eve...
A new one was made the next year and the old one moved to another part of the house. Often, the old Parshell was placed in the barn to help protect the livestock. Custom decrees that on taking down the old cross, one must say "Fonstarensheehy." What this means, we have no idea, but we'll try to find out!
In the meantime, here are very simple directions for making a Parshell:
Materials:
1. Two sticks, each about seven inches long.
2. Tape or string to tie the sticks together.
3. Straw or similar plant material; we purchased a bag of rafia at a craft shop and this works well.
Method:
1. Fasten the two sticks together at right angles to form a cross.
2. Begin attaching strands of straw at the center of the cross.
3. Moving clockwise, weave the straw over one stick and under the next, going around the cross. Stop before you get to the ends of the sticks- a few inches of stick should be exposed. Your Parshell is now ready to be attached over your front door, on the inside.
Caution: For your Parshell to be effective, it must be made on October 31st - you can' make it ahead of time, nor can you use Irish procrastination as an excuse and make it after Halloween.
Beyond making Parshells, here are some other things you can do to protect yourself on Hallowe'en:
If there are children in the house, they should be sprinkled with holy water; in the old days, a dead ember from the fire was put in the cradle.
To protect against being carried off by the fairies, it was the custom to carry a black handled knife or have a steel needle stuck in a coat collar or sleeve. If by chance, the fairies did lead a person a stray, he or she could confuse them by turning the coat inside out. The fairies would no longer recognize their victim and their attentions would be diverted elsewhere.
Wild fruit, such as blackberries, must never be eaten on Hallowe'en night or after that date because it was believed that the dreaded evil spirit, the Púca, had spat on it.
Should you meet up with the fairies, it is said that if you throw the dust taken from under your feet at them, they will be obliged to release any captive human in their company.
When throwing out water, one must always shout seachain! (beware!) or chughaibh an t-usce! (water towards you!). This warning enables the ghosts and fairies to step aside so they won't be splashed - something that must be avoided at all costs, lest you bring down their wrath upon you and your loved ones.
Finally, before retiring, you must be certain to place a portion of the evening meal outside for the fairy folk. Your hospitality will be duly noted (as will the lack of it!)
So there you have it , a fair flahoolagh of cautionary measures to keep in mind - or drive you out of it - this Hallow's Eve and Samhain. Shona dhuit Samhain - Happy Halloween to you!