Halloween is a celebrated holiday that embraces the fear and the spookiness of fall. Many people put out Halloween decorations, often including jack-o-lanterns, black cats, and bats. These symbols have been associated with Halloween for a long time, and we will discuss the origins that have now turned into traditions.
Jack-o-Lanterns
Today, carving pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns is a fun activity. It’s a way for friends and family to have some friendly competition while showing off some creativity. This messy tradition of carving a face used to be a serious matter according to its origin story.
The Irish myth tells of a drunkard character, Stingy Jack, who tricked the Devil. Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him as he told stories of himself and his cleverness. Jack didn’t want to pay for the drinks, so he convinced the Devil to turn into a coin. Instead of using the coin, he kept it in his pocket, and kept the Devil from changing back by keeping the coin close to a silver cross.
Jack freed the Devil, but later died for unrelated reasons. After he died, God would not allow Jack into heaven because of his character, but the Devil also wouldn’t allow Jack into Hell because of the trick that Jack played on him. Jack was sent to roam the earth for eternity with a piece of coal in a carved turnip. He became known as “Jack of the Lantern” then “Jack O’Lantern.”
As for the tradition of carving pumpkins, people in Ireland and Scotland started to carve demonic and scary faces out of turnips. They then placed these turnips by doors and windows to scare away Jack’s spirit and other wandering souls. As the people from these countries immigrated to the U.S., the vegetables of this carving tradition changed to pumpkins because they are more regional to the country. This tradition became associated with Halloween because it would be performed during the Celtic festival Samhain, which is from October 31 to November 1.
Black Cats
Black cats have a famous superstition of causing bad luck by crossing one’s path. This connection to bad luck has been made into a perfect association with the eeriness of Halloween. Our story of superstition starts in the Dark Ages when Pope Gregory IX published a papal decree, Vox in Rama. This letter from the pope described and condemned the rituals of those who worshiped the Devil. The Devil was portrayed to be a figure that was half man and half cat. This caused black cats in particular to become demonized and to suffer lots of violence at the time.
Black cats also have a strong tie to Halloween because of their associated companion, the witch. In 1484 Pope Innocent VIII stated that he believed in witchcraft and sought to condemn it by sending people out to Germany to put witches on trial. Cats are in the picture because, at that time, witchcraft was seen as a direct threat to Christianity. Witches were known to have a strong relationship to the earth and animals. Therefore, a woman’s relationship to her cat could easily be villainized. According to author Lori Gardner, “All cats seen in the company of women were considered their familiars—or supernatural entities that assisted or acted as a vessel for the witch—and both were to be burned” (2025).
As for the well-known superstition, because black cats were thought to be familiar with witches, or the Devil himself, it was seen as bad luck to cross paths with a cat. Some people thought that if a black cat crossed their path, it was on a mission from a witch or sent to cause harm. Nowadays, we see it as a sign of bad luck, because in the past, it was viewed as a curse so bad that peasants sometimes paid to be blessed by a priest after the instance.
Bats
Bats are associated with Halloween through the old Celtic festival, Samhain. As part of the harvest festival, bonfires would be set. These bonfires attracted insects, which then attracted bats. Bats then became associated with this festival. As this celebration transitioned into Halloween as we know it today, bats have remained as a symbol.
Bats also have a spooky association with Halloween because of their affiliation with vampires. Vampire bats first became known to Europe in the 16th century after explorers found some in South America. They bite animals, though they don’t suck blood. Their fangs and nocturnal nature are what relate the most to vampires. This correlation comes from Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, where the monster can shape-shift into a bat.
Halloween is a time for scary stories and an eerie vibe that connects to the chill in the air. It is what we have to celebrate the unknown and carry on the traditions of the Celtic festival.