Halloween

It’s not all ghosts, goblins and ghouls...

Halloween 1019

October 2019 Issue

Halloween is one of the most successful and widely celebrated holidays in the United States, coming second only to Christmas.  Many of us have grown accustomed to the traditions that come with Halloween, complete with Trick-or-treating, costumes, parties and jack-o’-lanterns. But where did these customs come from? In many cultures, there is a day for honoring the dead. It is said that on this day, the “veil” is thinner and spirits walk among us. This day, although often landing on different dates in other cultures, goes by many names: Samhain, All Saints Day, All Hallows Eve, Dia de los Muertos (Mexico’s Day of the Dead—a 3-day holiday) and, of course, Halloween.



In the Fifth Century, The Celts celebrated the festival of Samhain, to bring in the last of the harvest and prepare for the winter with fires to honor those who have passed. Trick-or-treating evolved from ancient Celtic tradition of putting out treats and food to placate spirits who roamed the streets during Samhain. They wore scary masks to trick evil spirits into thinking that they themselves were spirits in hopes to be left alone. In the Seventh Century, Pope Boniface IV is credited to creating the yearly celebration to honor saints and martyrs, called All Saints Day. The first Jack-o-lanterns were carved from turnips and were meant to repel evil spirits. This custom came to America through Irish immigrants, and since turnips weren't cheap in America, pumpkins were used instead.


This Year’s Top 10 Adult Costumes2
1) Witch
2) Vampire
3) Character from Batman
4) Pirate
5) Avengers Character(excluding Spiderman)
6) DC Super Hero (excluding Batman & Wonder Woman)
7) Star Wars Character
8) Ghost
9) Super Hero (any)
10) Clown

This Year’s Top 10 Children’s Costumes2
1) Princess (generic)
2) Action/Super Hero
3) Batman
4) Character from Star Wars
5) Witch
6) Spiderman
7) Avengers Character (other than Spiderman)
8) Ghost
9) Pirate
10) Disney Princess

The Most Exciting Candy to Get on Halloween
1) Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
2) Snickers
3) Kit Kat
4) Twix
5) Milky Way
6) Butterfinger
7) M&M’s
8) Almond Joy
9) 3 Musketeers
10) Skittles

Halloween 1019 2

Ghost Legends of the Lowcountry

There are many ghost tales floating up and down the coast of South Carolina from the tip of Hilton Head to the top of Myrtle Beach.

Hilton Head:
The Blue Lady is said to haunt the original lighthouse on Hilton Head Island and can be seen walking down dark plantation roads in her lovely blue dress at night.

St. Helena Island:
Down Land’s End Road there have been many reports of an eerie light floating over the road at night, which some claim is the lantern of the ghost of a murdered Confederate soldier, who was on patrol on Land’s End road one dark, dreary night in 1861.

Bluffton: Still playing and singing in Bluffton, just ask any old-timer in Bluffton and they’ll tell you about the music that never stopped.

 



• If you see a spider on Halloween, it’s said to be the spirit of a loved one watching over you.

• About 99% of intact pumpkins sold are used as jack o’ lanterns for Halloween

• Orange and black are traditional Halloween colors: Orange represents the fall harvest and black represents the darkness.

• Halloween retail spending was estimated at $9 billion dollars in the United States in 2018.1

• 175 million Americans said they are planning to partake in Halloween festivities this year.1

• 50% of Americans will decorate their home for Halloween.1

• 48% of Americans will wear a costume and 18% will dress their pets in costumes.1

• More money is spent on costumes ($3.2 billion) than on halloween candy ($2.6 billion), though 95% of Halloween shoppers will buy candy and only 68% will purchase costumes.1

• Halloween is the third biggest party day of the year, after New Year’s Eve and Super Bowl Sunday, but the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving is the biggest drinking day of the year.

• Samhainophobia is the intense fear of Halloween.

• Scottish girls believed they could see images of their future husband if they hung wet sheets in front of the fire on Halloween. Other girls believed they would see their boyfriend’s faces if they looked into mirrors while walking downstairs at midnight on Halloween.

• According to an old tradition, if you want to see a witch on Halloween, put your clothes on inside out and then walk backwards.

• 65% of Americans believe in the supernatural, which includes reincarnation, spiritual energy, connecting with the dead, or experiencing a ghostly encounter.

• 18% have personally seen or felt the presence of a ghost.


1. National Retail Federation survey: nrf.com

2. www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org

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