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Frights, Bites, and Spooktacular Delights: 7 Halloween Tales and Folklore Paperbacks 

By Yvette DeLaCruz

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Halloween 2024 is a few weeks away. Have you ever wondered about where the tradition of wearing a costume started? Are you curious about how other countries celebrate the occasion? What are the myths and folklore about it?  

Before October 31, brush up on your knowledge about this annual celebration and pick up some interesting trivia you can share with your friends while munching on chocolates and candies!  

Why Do We Wear Costumes During Halloween?  

Wearing costumes originated in the festival of Samhain. This ancient Celtic tradition lies in the belief that during October 31, the barrier between the physical world and spirit world is at its weakest, allowing things that bump into the night to visit our world. To ward off ghosts, people wear costumes and light bonfires.   

Supernatural did an awesome episode about Samhain and the origin of Halloween guest starring Don McManus and Ashley Benson.  

How Do Other Countries Celebrate Halloween?  

In the USA, wearing costumes and doing trick-or-treat is the norm. But other countries put their unique spin on the celebration. 

Mexico – The celebration in Mexico is called el Dia de los Muertos where they believe the gates of the heavens are open to allow the dead to visit their family. Family members prepare a feast of their deceased family’s favorite food and leave gifts at their gravesites.   

Italy – The Italians observe Halloween differently by region. The Romans eat near the gravesites of their deceased family members. In Sardinia, the children go door-to-door, asking for treats and offerings from the deceased.  In Sicily, they believe the dead rise is to give children who have been good treats (kind of like a scary Santa Claus).  

Guatemala – In Guatemala, they commemorate Halloween by flying giant kites over the deceased gravesites. The kites fly up to 40 feet in the air symbolizing a bridge between the dead and the living.  

Japan – Japanese people wear costumes but instead of trick or treating, they attend parties and head to clubs during Halloween.   

Ireland – Since the tradition of celebrating Halloween started in Ireland, the holiday is still a big deal until now. Festivals are happening in the country such as the Púca festival and the Derry Halloween celebration.  

China – In China, the Qingming Festival is celebrated every April. Known as Tomb Sweeping Day, the Chinese people visit the tombs of their loved ones to sweep and clean.  

Philippines – The Filipinos visit their loved one’s gravesites from the morning of November 1 until midnight. Most take it as an opportunity to have family reunions and gatherings.  

What Halloween Tales Have Been Around Until Now?  

There are different myths, folklore, and creatures associated with Halloween.   

Black cats – Even if it’s not Halloween, black cats have been associated with bad luck and are witches’ common companions.   

Bloody Mary – It’s believed that if you look at the mirror and say “Bloody Mary” three times, she will appear before you. Kids test it more frequently during Halloween. It’s been unclear where folklore originated since there’s been three Marys that could be it. There’s Mary Tudor who had many protestants killed, Elizabeth Bathory who is also known as the “Queen of Blood” who allegedly takes a bath in young girls’ blood, and lastly, Mary Worth, a witch from Salem.  

Woman in White – Many cultures believe in the “Woman in White”, but they all have the same story; a woman was killed, and she began to haunt those responsible for her death.  

Jack O’Lantern – “Stingy Jack” is a person who deceived the Devil two times and when he died, he was not accepted into either heaven or hell and was sent by the Devil to wander Earth for eternity. All he had with him was burning coal to light his way which he put into a carved turnip. This is how the Irish people began carving faces into turnips and potatoes to ward off spirits.   

If you want to know more interesting stories about Halloween, below are paperbacks about Halloween tales and links to where to purchase them. Beware, some of them may keep you up at night.  

Please note that items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time we published this list. Have an idea for a fun theme for a gift idea list you’d like us to create?  Drop us a line at shopping@bbgi.com.

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