The Witching Hour Draws Near

The tradition comes from the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, a cunning man who tricked the Devil multiple times. Because of his deceitful and sinful life, Jack was denied entry into heaven. But the Devil, still bitter from being outwitted, also refused him access to hell. Instead, the Devil sent Jack off into the dark night with only a glowing coal to light his way. Jack placed the coal inside a carved-out turnip, creating the first "Jack-o'-lantern." 

The Irish began carving their own lanterns to ward off Jack’s wandering spirit and other evil beings. When they immigrated to America, they found pumpkins to be a perfect substitute for turnips, giving us the iconic Halloween tradition we know today. 

The custom stems from an ancient practice known as “souling,” which began in medieval Europe. On All Hallows’ Eve, the poor would knock on doors, offering prayers for the souls of the dead in exchange for small cakes called soul cakes. These prayers were believed to help spirits find peace, ensuring their passage from purgatory to the afterlife.

But as centuries passed, the tradition took on a darker twist. Folklore whispered of vengeful spirits who would punish those who refused to share their bounty, inflicting bad luck or worse. Perhaps it’s this lingering fear that evolved into the cheerful ritual of “trick-or-treat” today.

Still, when the wind howls and the night feels alive, it’s easy to wonder… are the beggars truly costumed children, or something else entirely? 

It dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, held over 2,000 years ago. The Celts believed that on the night of October 31st, the boundary between the living and the dead blurred, allowing spirits to roam the Earth. To protect themselves from being recognized or harmed by these wandering souls, people disguised themselves in animal skins and strange costumes to blend in or confuse the ghosts. 

Over time, this eerie practice evolved into the playful costume tradition we know today. 

But be careful… You might still find yourself walking among more than just partygoers on Halloween night. 

 “Ghoul” comes from Arabic, from the word ghūl, a creature from folklore associated with graveyards, the wilderness, and the consumption of human flesh. In traditional stories, a ghoul was a malevolent being that preyed on travelers and lurked in desolate places. Over time, the word entered English and evolved into the spooky, undead-creature meaning we recognize today. 

Long before porch lights and flickering jack-o'-lanterns, the Celts kindled great fires on the night of Samhain. The flames were meant to ward off wandering spirits and guide the dead back to where they belonged. As the embers died, people carried a single flame home to relight their hearths—a small piece of protection against the long dark ahead. Some say the glow of every Halloween candle still echoes those ancient fires, burning to keep the night at bay.

Old superstition warned that on the night the veil thinned, mirrors became more than glass—they were thresholds, capable of catching a passing soul or revealing a face that was never yours. Some covered their mirrors entirely, fearing the dead might use them as doorways back into the living world. Others gazed in by candlelight, hoping to glimpse a fortune or a future love. Look too long this Halloween, and you may wonder who is truly looking back.