By Patty Blackburn
Halloween has traditions such as wearing scary costumes, carving pumpkins, trick or treating, and color schemes being black and orange. But where and why did these traditions start?
Over thousands of years ago, Celtic festivals celebrated the harvest at the end of each summer. The harvest season was a dark period which represented death and on the night of October 31, they believed that spirits were allowed to return and walk the earth again. The Celtics believed in evil spirits, ghosts, etc., and were frightened by this belief. They built large bonfires to light the way for souls lost and scare away the evil ones. Costumes were worn such as animal heads to confuse the evil spirits. So the traditions that make Halloween so popular trace back centuries, blending folklore and faith.
There is a tale about Stingy Jack from Ireland who trapped the devil and made him promise to never let him go to hell and in exchange, he would set him free.
Well the tale goes that Jack died and his soul did not make it to heaven and he was seen wandering the earth as a ghost. The devil gave Jack a lump of coal to burn, and he placed it in a carved out turnip, where Jack could see where to walk. This is when scary faces were carved into turnips to frighten the evil spirits and pumpkins were later used since they were much easier to carve out. These days, pumpkins are carved with faces and lights or candles are place inside.
Trick-or-treating has many origins. One theory states those who believed and were scared of the evil spirits would leave food out to keep the spirits happy. So over the years, it became a tradition to hand out candy on Halloween night.
The colors black and orange are very traditional during Halloween. The Celtics felt that black represented the death of summer, darkness, night and the color orange symbolized the autumn harvest season, pumpkins and autumn leaves.
As the years have passed, Halloween has become quite a popular time for many. Weeks before October 31, decorations can be found in stores. Vampires, monsters, black witches, glowing skeletons, as well as cute pumpkins, friendly ghosts, and even cartoon characters can be purchased to decorate porches and yards. More and more people are joining in the fun of Halloween decorating.
EVENTS
On Thursday, Oct. 30, Berlin Volunteer Fire Dept. will have Trunk or Treat and a Chili Supper Fundraiser, 4 to 8 p.m. There will be a bounce house, maze, corn hole and horseshoes. Come hungry; $5 per person.
Two traditional events take place this Friday and Saturday:
Join in the fun at the Pumpkin Trail on Friday, Halloween Eve, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Watch out for spooky visitors as they stop by local businesses to collect candy and treats. Sponsored by Young Professional of Marshall County, this event has been a community favorite in the past years. Don’t miss out on the spooky fun!
Halloween in the Park in Cornersville has been a smash hit for years!
It’s happening this year on Saturday, Nov. 1, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Main Street Cornersville Events Committee has planned a great evening for everyone. Main Street will be open, so if driving through Cornersville during this event, be sure to watch out for trick-or-treaters.
Whatever you do to celebrate Halloween, have fun and stay safe.