Holiday History

  Jack O’Lanterns (Stingy Jack)

Have you ever wondered why people carve Jack o’ Lanterns at Halloween? The history of this tradition begins in Ireland. There once lived an old drunkard blacksmith, Stingy Jack. He wasn’t popular and was famed for his practical jokes. 

Before long, his fame reached even the Devil. The Devil decided he needed to meet the legendary Stingy Jack- and he did. They went to the pub and ran up a mighty tab. But at the end of the night, the Devil turned and demanded Jack pay the tab!

Jack, being famed for his stinginess, decided to play a trick. He told the Devil that he’d trade his soul for a coin to pay. The Devil agreed and turned himself into the coin.  Jack then slipped him into his pocket- with a silver crucifix.  Jack escaped out a back window without paying his tab and the Devil got banished all the way back down to Hell. 

The very next day, the Devil came back demanding Jack’s soul. Jack agreed but asked if he could at least taste a sweet apple from the top of a tree before he met his judgment. The Devil climbed up the tree and in a flash, Jack had carved crosses on each side of the tree. He only let the devil down once he agreed to let Jack live the rest of his mortal life. 

Jack lived the rest of his life and when he died (finally) he was rejected from the gates of Heaven. And so he turned and walked the winding steps down to Hell. But when Jack tried to enter, the Devil not only rejected him but threw a ball of fire at him! This fire went through his eye and lodged itself into his head. It’s said that Stingy Jack now wanders the world in despair, only seen through the fire burning through his eyes.

Banshees

The banshee has many rumours and stories surrounding it, but why do people feel scared when they hear the scream of a banshee?

  Well for an Irish person who heard the tales the scream of a banshee sends a shiver down their spine. It’s said when you hear a banshee, death is near, and many stories are told. But are they true?

 Who knows, but even if you are not suspicious you cannot deny the eeriness of it all. The Banshee is said to come to those who sin and come with death. 

But not all banshees are bad, a good banshee may have strong ties to a family and continue to watch over them during death. When they manifest they appear as beautiful enchanting women and they sing a sorrowful, haunting song that is filled with concern for the familiar rather than hate. In most cases the song is only heard by the person for whom it is intended 

However on the other end of the spectrum, these banshees appear as a frightening sight. Should they have a reason to hate the family, their howls are not to warn you of death but rather celebrate it. On the extreme end of this, we have the banshee you might associate with the word; an older woman with rotten teeth and long fingernails. This version of the banshee always has her mouth open with her piercing screams that torment poor souls. It is said that she sometimes searches for victims and torments them until they go insane or take their own life. But it could all be made up for all we know. Watch your back if you hear a scream!

 The Dullahan 

The Headless Horseman is an old Irish tale going back before Christ when a dark king sacrificed people. That very same Crom Dubh, the worm god, who consumed the Druid Prince Cesard in green bubbling acid at the battle of Moy Tura after his collector of souls was struck down by Nuada with his golden sword! When you make a bargain with elder powers you keep it one way or the other. 

Halloween Traditions around the World

Halloween is a holiday celebrated annually on the 31st of October. It was believed that on that day, the souls of the dead returned to their homes, so people dressed in costumes and lit bonfires to ward off evil spirits. Many countries around the world celebrate Halloween in different ways.

Ireland:

 Ireland is the country where Halloween originated. Carving pumpkins also was one of the early Irish traditions but they didn't always carve pumpkins. When Halloween was starting out as a new holiday, Irish people started carving faces on turnips to scare away the spirit of Jack. When the Irish migrated to America they found out what pumpkins were and brought them back to Ireland to carve, and that's how carving pumpkins started in Ireland.

 In Ireland there are many traditions, for example, Trick-or-Treating, Carving pumpkins, getting dressed up into costumes, etc. More than 2,000 years ago, Halloween originated as a pagan holiday in Ireland as a part of the "Samhain" celebration. The Celtic celebration of Samhain, traditionally observed from October 31 marks the arrival of Winter and the conclusion of the yearly harvest. In Ireland, people eat a dish called barmbrack which is a loaf of bread with raisins and a ring or money inside. The person who receives the ring or coin in their slice is considered to be lucky. It is also said that  "whoever got the ring would marry, whoever got the cloth would be a nun and whoever got the stick would never marry." Eating barmbrack was part of the Irish future-telling rituals that they had centuries ago. 

America:

In the 19th century, lots of Irish people migrated to America and brought the tradition of Halloween with them. In the late 1800 America made a move to making Halloween a more social holiday rather than about scaring the evil spirits away. By the end of the century, people started celebrating by throwing parties for family and friends. Many Americans think that Halloween originated there as it is celebrated more there than it is here in Ireland.

All Saints Day / All Souls’ Day 

All Souls’ Day is celebrated by many countries around the world, every year on the 1st of November. You will be able to read about different countries and their traditions on the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos)  and All Souls’ Day as well.

Poland:

All Saints' Day is one of the most important and solemn religious holidays celebrated in Poland around the end of October. On that day, Poles visit cemeteries and gather around the graves of their families, paying tribute to their loved ones by laying flowers and lighting candles around the graves. 

Latin America/ Mexico/ Spain:

 The Day of the Dead, also known as Dia de los Muertos, is celebrated on the 1st of November annually. Although death is the theme of Dia de los Muertos, the main message is to show respect and love for deceased family members. Across Mexico's towns and cities, celebrants wear extravagant makeup and costumes, throw parades, parties and celebrations, sing and dance and present offerings to dead loved ones.

By Naomi Malon