The following may be Halloween Superstitions but some
can also make for fun, if not spooky, Halloween activities...
It
is said girls should go into a field and there scatter
the seed of hemp while chanting “Hempseed I sow
thee Come after me and show me”. Upon turning round,
it was said each girl would see a vision of the man
who would be her husband.
If
you catch a snail on Halloween night and lock it in
a flat dish you will see the first letter of your sweetheart’s
name in the morning.
The
Welsh believed that when you sneezed you blew the soul
out of the body, which is where “God bless you”
originated. If someone sneezed on Halloween, it was
especially dangerous because the devil could capture
your soul.
If
you hear foot steps behind you on this night, don't
look back. It may be the dead following you. Turning
back could mean that you will soon join the dead.
If
a candle flame suddenly turns blue, there's a ghost
nearby.
Girls
who carry a lamp to a spring of water on this night
can see their future husband in the reflection.
Place
a jack-o-lantern on your porch or in your window to
frighten evil spirits away but to welcome deceased loved
ones on Halloween.
If
you ring a bell on Halloween, it will scare evil spirits
away.
You
should walk around your home three times backwards and
counterclockwise before sunset on Halloween to ward
off evil spirits.
Knocking
on wood keeps bad luck away.
If
you see a spider on Halloween, it could be the spirit
of a dead loved one who is watching you.
If
you ring a bell on Halloween, it will scare evil spirits
away.
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 and Ireland, it's the opposite.
If
you wanted to meet a witch, you had to put your clothes
on wrong side out and you had to walk backwards on Halloween
night. Then at midnight you would see a witch.
Girls
who carry a broken egg in a glass to a spring of water
(during the day) can not only see their future husband
by mixing some of the spring water into the glass, but
she can also see a glimpse of her future children.
An
old tradition was that girls should go into a field
and there scatter the seed of hemp. While they did so
they chanted "Hempseed I sow thee Come after me
and show me". Upon suddenly turning round, it was
declared that each girl would see a vision of the man
who would be her husband.
'The
Dumb Supper' was brought to America by the Africans.
This an eerie Hallowmas meal - where nobody is allowed
to speak, not even whisper. It encourages spirits to
come to the table.
In
Britain, people believed that the Devil was a nut-gatherer.
At Halloween, nuts were used as magic charms.
Some
believe if you catch a snail on Halloween night and
lock it into a flat dish, then in the morning you will
see the first letter of your sweetheart written in the
snail's slime.
Many
people used to believe that owls swooped down to to
eat the souls of the dying. If they heard an owl hooting,
they would become frightened. A common remedy was thought
to be, turning your pockets inside out and you would
be safe.
In
America some people believed in the magical powers of
black cats. Certain bones on the cat has the power to
make wishes come true, or even to make one invisible.
In Europe, the black cats had nasty connections with
witches.
If
a bat flies into a house it is a sign that ghosts are
about and maybe the ghost let the bat in.
If
bats come out early and fly around playfully, then it
is a sign of good weather to come.
If
a bat flies around a house 3 times, it is a death omen.
Peel
an apple from top to bottom. The person with the longest
unbroken peel would be assured the longest life. If
you threw the apple peel over your shoulder, the initial
it forms upon landing is the initial of your future
mate.
When
bobbing for apples, it is believed that the first person
to bite an apple would be the first to marry.
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.
A
person born on Halloween can see and talk to spirits.
To
prevent ghosts coming into the house at Halloween, bury
animal bones or a picture of an animal near the doorway.
If
a girl puts a sprig of rosemary herb and a silver dollar
under her pillow on Halloween night, she will see her
future husband in a dream.
Crows
flying over head on Halloween is unlucky, unless there
are three crows in a group, then that is lucky.
Don't
kill a frog or toad on Halloween, it may be a Witch.
Witches often take the shape of a frog or toad on Halloween.
Oatmeal
and salt were placed on children's' heads to protect
them from evil.
Carry
a lump of bread in your pocket when walking in the dark.
It will serve as an offering to ghosts.
If
you see a ghost, walk around it nine times, and it will
disappear.
Bury
a knife under your doorstep to protect your home from
witches, who supposedly cannot pass over cold iron.
