Ghosts and Goblins and Ghouls….Oh, My!!!

Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow

It is that time of year again! The air is crisp and the leaves are turning colors. The harvest is ready and the feasts are being prepared!

Do you have your pumpkins ready for carving? Are your treats handy to prevent the tricks? Are your offerings for the spirits and your ancestors your best?
I hope so!

Have you ever truly wondered why we do the things that we do during this time of year? Our rituals, practices, and stories and where they all come from?

I do. So, I thought being the season, that we might look at how our ancients saw this time of year and how that still lingers in our current society and rituals.

Why do we tell ghost stories?
What did the ancients think of ghosts?
What did ancients do with their dead?
Why they did the things they did?
What did ancients think about death?
What about what happens after death?

As for this time of year…. What did our ancestors think about the cycle of the seasons? What did the ancients think of the coming darkness and cold? What did they think about the coming winter? What did having long periods of darkness through fall and winter mean to them? How did shorter days impact their daily lives during autumn and winter?

When thinking about the ‘holidays’ of this time of year what was the purpose? Why did the ancients celebrate the harvest? Why did our ancestors honor and celebrate their ancestors? Were they guided from loyalty and love or was it fear that moved them?

A pack of ghouls ravage their repulsive repast.
Photo courtesy Sam Inabinet

Speaking of fear…..Who told the first ghost story? When and why was it told? How long have we believed in ghosts? When and where did we create demons? Who was the first ghost? Who was the first demon? Why do we seem to like being scared? Why do we believe in ghouls and goblins and other spectres? Have we always been afraid of the dark?

Do you know…..Why we ‘Trick-or-Treat’? What is a Jack-O-Lantern? What happens on All Hallow’s Eve? Why are bonfires so popular this time of year? What about bobbing for apples? Why do we wear costumes and take to the streets for treats and parties? Is the Boogie Man more active this time of year?

I think it will be fun, if maybe a little scary, to study the spooks and haunts and bumps in the night over the next few weeks so that we might be better in the spirit of the season…….least the spirits be not pleased with us!!!

Happy Haunts!