The jack-o-lantern has been an indispensable part of the Halloween tradition since the Victorian era,thanks again to our Irish friends.
On Halloween,jack-o-lanterns carved into a scary or funny face with a lighted candle placed inside,are set out on porches or placed in windows,but where once they were created in the hope of frightening away evil spirits that were on the prowl,now they are just a part of the celebration.
Originally,back on their home turf,the Irish would carve out turnips or beets to use as lanterns and use a burning lump of coal or a candle to light them.
Here in America,however,turnips weren't as easy to come by,but there were pumpkins aplenty.
So they substituted pumpkins and discovered that they served the purpose quite nicely.
While there are many legends pertaining to the origin of the Jack-o-lantern,one of the most widely accepted is that of "Stingy Jack."
An Irishman known as a drunken trickster,Jack wound up on the wrong side of both God and the devil.Upon his death his soul was forbidden to enter either heaven or hell and so was doomed to wander the earth in eternal darkness forever.
On his endless travels he carries a turnip with a burning coal to light his way.Fearing this unsavory character,the Irish of old would put jack-o-lanterns on prominent display around their homes on All Hallow's Eve,the purpose being that should Jack happen by,hopefully he would take the light instead of harming the occupants of the house.
Throughout history black cats have been considered to be spiritual animals by many peoples.
Some have worshiped them believing they have the ability to see spirits.Others have believed them to be reincarnated beings who could predict the future.Over the centuries black cats have also been much maligned.
It was believed that witches owned black cats because they were able to assist them in performing their witchcraft and because they sensed a kindred spirit of darkness within these animals.
During the Middle Ages black cats were feared because it was believed that witches could turn themselves into black cats.Whenever a black cat was seen it was avoided at all costs because it was perceived to be a witch in disguise.
Unfortunately for them,during this time black cats were regularly hunted down and burned alive.
Since bats are creepy nocturnal creatures,it's not surprising that they became known as omens of bad luck or evil but there is more to the story concerning their association with Halloween.
The origins of the fear of bats began with the belief that they could communicate with the spirits of the dead,making their link to Halloween seem perfectly natural.
As if to confirm this theory,in ancient times when Halloween was celebrated with huge bonfires it was a guarantee that bats would make an appearance,as if drawn by supernatural forces.
Actually this was a result of the many mosquitoes that would congregate around the fires,providing an easy snack for the bats who would swoop down and snatch them out of the air.
In addition,there was the widely held belief that vampires and witches could transform themselves into bats.
Incidentally,the vampire bat is the only mammal that feeds on blood,thus linking bats to death and sealing their fate as terrifying creatures of the night.
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