October is finally here. Everyone is planning their Halloween costumes, the leaves are changing color and the crisp air outside makes you want to cuddle under a blanket and light a candle. But there are other things about the fall season that make it feel so mysterious. You may have heard of many superstitions and myths that resurface every October. Let’s look into how some of these traditional beliefs came about, and what they mean.Â
Black cats
Imagine you are driving down a dark road on a chilly October night. Suddenly, a black cat darts across the road in front of your car. Do you see this as a bad omen? Or just a little kitty trying to get by? For centuries, black cats have been a sign of bad luck; especially during the spooky season. The bad luck of the black cat leads all the way back to the Dark Age and in Europe when elderly women, often seen as witches were accused of doing witchcraft. People believed that the “witches” would have the cats as evil demonic pets. Many saw black cats as demons or shape-shifting creatures that were sent by the witches to cause harm. As the belief went on for years, many other cultures and religions such as the Catholic Church also declared the animal as an incarnation of Satan. Today, the black cat can be seen as a symbol of Halloween and a simple decoration. But unfortunately, the superstition that black cats are harmful still exists today. If you have one of these four-legged friends, it’s especially important to keep them safe around Halloween. While most people understand that black cats are no different from any other cat, some still associate them with bad luck or the supernatural, which can put them at risk. So, if you have a little black companion of your own, be sure to give them some extra care and keep them safe this spooky season.
Bats
On the topic of animals, there always seems to be one making an appearance every Halloween season: the dark-winged nocturnal creature known as the bat. Bats have been associated with darkness and the supernatural because they are nocturnal creatures that emerge when the sun goes down. Because of this, people began to view them as mysterious and spooky creatures. Just like the black cat, bats became associated with witches and magic in European folkcore. As the bats’ scary reputation continued, it eventually became connected to another iconic creature of the night: the vampire. Vampires are also famous for hiding from sunlight and coming out at night, creating a natural connection to bats.Â
Jack o’ lanterns
While pumpkins have become a staple of Halloween, the tradition of carving them has roots in an old Irish legend about a man named Stingy Jack. In the story, Jack tricked the Devil and was later doomed to wander the Earth with only a burning coal inside a carved turnip to light his way. This legend inspired people to carve frightening faces into pumpkins to ward off evil spirits. Soon, pumpkins became the vegetable of choice, eventually creating the Jack-o’-lanterns we know and love today.
These are just a few of the many old traditions and superstitions that come to life during the fall season. So this Halloween, remember the stories behind the scares!