Halloween Superstitions

Gosh, it is so hard to believe that Halloween is around the corner.  It is, by far, my favorite time of the year.  We always have a big shindig for the clients at work, and the decorations are already up.  I've got my witch hat and wig and am raring to go.  It's about all of the fun stuff I get.  There is no Halloween in my neighborhood.  The year we moved in, I went all out.  I bought so much candy.  Prior to this, our entrance was in the back, and no one bothered to come.  So, I went out the first year and bought so much candy....and then I sat, and I waited...and I waited...and no one came.

Since that time I've learned a lot about the place where I live.  The prominent religion of the neighborhood does not believe in it, and the few families that do, well, they basically have taken their children 'trick or treating' long before I am home from work. Heck, I can't even put a pumpkin out because the teenagers come along and smash it. I tend to forget sometimes that things aren't as safe as they used to be. Basically, my Halloween at this point of my life is a quiet time spent honoring and communing with my ancestors...and, of course, no matter how old I get, I still get quite a kick out of the superstitions.

Superstitions have been a part of human life since the beginning of time for humanity, as a whole, has always sought to understand its surroundings and will interpret life by that understanding. Every culture has its own set of set of superstitions which arise from religious beliefs, fear, or just not knowing why certain things happen. Halloween is traditionally the time when common superstitions, folklore, myths and omens appear to carry more weight to those who believe. Take a look at some of the popular Halloween superstitions given below...and my friends, before you dismiss them as pure hogwash, think again. They have been around for too long to be written off. 

A burning a candle inside a jack-o-lantern on Halloween keeps evil spirits and demons at bay.

Always burn new candles on Halloween to ensure the best of luck. It is not a good idea to burn Halloween candles at any other time of the year. It may bring bad luck or strange things will happen to you, over which you will have no control.

A person born on Halloween can both see and talk to spirits.

You should walk around your home three times backwards and counterclockwise before sunset on Halloween to ward off evil spirits.

t is believed that if a person lights a new orange colored candle at midnight on Halloween and lets it burn until sunrise, he or she will be the recipient of good luck. 

When you ring a bell on Halloween, all the scary, evil spirits will fly away. Hmmm!!!!  I wonder if that includes doorbells? Think how many get rung on Halloween night!

On Halloween night, if you see a bat flitting around early in the evening, then you'll have good weather the next day.

In North America, it's bad luck if a black cat crosses your path and good luck if a white cat crosses your path. In Britain, Ireland, and Japan it's exactly the opposite!

If you go to a crossroads at Halloween and listen to the wind, you will learn all the most important things that will befall you during the next twelve months.

If a bat flies into a house it is a sign that ghosts are about and maybe the ghost let the bat in!

If you put your clothes on inside out as well as outside walk backwards on Halloween night. At midnight you will see a witch in the sky.

Never cross a threshold when trick-or-treating, or you will carry away the evil spirits of the home which you have visited.