Halloween: The Devil You Don't Know!

It’s that time of the year again. And people are preparing to spook the hell out of each other (pun intended). Well, some more than others. Because despite it being a jolly and fun filled occasion, providing the opportunity for many people to start dressing up as their favourite horror pop-culture reference: there are always the Debby downer social media Karens, the incredulous Adele Vreys, who anxiously run to social media; to warn their fellow Christians about “Satan’s holiday” and how every Christian should not cheat on Jesus by celebrating this ‘evil day’. Yes, those who start foaming around the mouth, with a Satanic panic; vociferating their “the Bible says…” fear mongering anecdotes, about spooky season all over social media. So, brace yourselves to read about frauds like John Ramirez and the woes of other sensationalists for Jesus, masquerading their greed with “ex-Satanists/Occultist” testimonies. Because oh, no! It’s Halloween again. And the Devil is looking for innocent white-privileged Christian virgins, to devour! Yes, all that nonsensical conspiritualist jazz…

It’s these peculiar reactions that always remind me of what the late Anton LaVey said in his 9th Satanic statement: “The Devil has been the best friend the church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all these years.” This statement, of all notions: rings all the more true, as we brace ourselves for ‘the Karening’! Ah yes, the only thing in churches that rake in more guilty tithes than talks about sex and sin, is Satan (especially during Halloween). Though, little do these morality crusaders know that Halloween actually originated as a (plagiarised) Christian celebration! Which the Catholics stole from the Celtic pagans. Albeit unsurprising (it’s always the Catholics), this is actually the case for all these popular ‘sacred’ Christian holidays, celebrated to this day: from Easter (originally Eostre – Germanic Pagan), to Christmas (originally Yule – Norse Pagan). Alas, these are cans of worms best reserved for another time…

The Christian social and political monopoly, especially in parts with a Western cultural hegemony, has resulted in many of these sacred; ancient traditions, from native faiths to be branded and as “demonic” or “Satanic”. I mean, you have probably heard of-, or even read some silly Facebook post about Halloween being “the time where Satanists come to kidnap your cat and sacrifice your children”. And in no particular order: to violate your virgins, or brainwash your kids and pets into worshiping the devil, via obscene orgies and rituals, involving a variety of bodily fluids. (Which is ironic, seeing as though Evangelical Christians are usually the ones, fervently praying to be covered in blood… – ew). Nonetheless, instead of practicing some inductive reasoning, with the aid of information and resources at our fingertips! Many who are categorised underneath the infamous ‘Occult umbrella’ (sometimes not even by their own choice), have to endure the yoke of perpetual misinformation and propaganda, peddled by evangelical Christians who seem to make a habit of loudly misunderstanding things, quite a lot. And by that I mean, these holy rollers make no secret of their self-righteous, uneducated, and myopic perspectives about things they know nothing of.

Although, those who do follow the diverse occult philosophies (whether atheistic or theistic). Are always accused of actively plotting the Christian’s demise, with the help of demonic legions. Speaking of which, we are also accused of procuring Christian infants and virgins for alleged bizarre and elaborate rituals for sacrifice. I mean, not to be funny, but how does anyone find the time and resources to manage the logistics of such a complex endeavour!? Firstly, doing it where nobody notices it and getting away with it without leaving a trace? I mean, there will always be that one idiot (probably like me) who will sneak a selfie and post it on Social Media – for shits and giggles. Blowing the cover of the entire kafkaesque and orgiastic endeavour, to viral proportions. I mean, it may well sound out of this world bonkers. And that’s because it is. I’ve explained this product of a widespread moral panic in more depth, in a few research articles (including my upcoming PhD thesis). You can find them here.

Anyway, back to Halloween: where does it come from? And is it really “Satan’s birthday”?

Simply put, no. Obviously not, because Satan does not exist. However, let’s look at a little semantics first: Halloween, originally written as “Hallow’ e’en” on letter heads, during the Middle Ages (c. 500-1500 C.E.). Is actually a linguistic contraction (TLDR: a language phenomenon where terms and phrases get abbreviated), from the original (old) English: “All Hallow’s Eve”, a.k.a “All Saints’ Eve”. Which marked the start of what was known by the Catholics, then, as “Allhallowtide”. A season reserved in the Christian liturgical calendar, to revere the lives of departed saints (the hallowed). In other words, the souls of important dead faithful, and martyrs (those who fought and died for the Christian faith). More or less, the Catholics’ version of Marvel’s Avengers. Yes, some of them are even believed to have weird superpowers, too! Anyway…

The dominant theory, regarding the origins of Halloween, argues that it was a Christianised (more-or-less “stolen”, by Christians) Pagan celebration, circa 9 C.E. By the first de facto Christian denomination: the Roman Catholic Church. Who ‘hijacked’ and repurposed this season, from the original Celtic Druid harvest festival, Samhain (pronounced ‘sauin’ as per the original Irish Gaelic) referring to “summer’s end” or its’ Scottish equivalent Bealtaine (pronounced ‘bel’tane‘), translating to “bright fire”! This festival was no more than a celebration of an end to the harvest season of crops (in the summer), and the start of winter (the “darker-half” of the year) in the Northern hemisphere. It was a festival celebrated across Ireland, Scotland, and the Isles of Man, in mostly agricultural communities (farmers); featuring the slaughtering of cattle, accompanied by boisterous feasting, excessive drinking and merrymaking around large bonfires.

Cattle was slaughtered to appease the Celtic gods of the harvest. In order that they may keep the people, their crops, and cattle safe during the winter ahead. Additionally, large and special bonfires were built for protection and towards cleansing rituals: as they were deemed to be sources of power. Moreover, it was also believed that during this time; the veil between the living and the dead were at its thinnest. Thus, the Celts prepared meals and set tables for their dearly departed relatives. On a side note, this is a lot similar to the famous South American Dia de los Muertos, celebrated around the same time (October/November) to this day, in many indigenous Spanish/Latin-American territories. Furthermore, the Celtic pagans however, believed that the Aos Sí (in native-Irish religion, referring to “spirits”, “faeries” or more directly translated, “people of the mounds”) would come visit the realm of the living, seeking hospitality. Although, apart from these individual celebrations, the main communal festivities were usually held at family burial mounds in the hills (which were opened/dug up). As they were believed to be ‘portals’ through which spirits travel from the nether realm to the realm of the living. Processions started at dusk, on the 31st October. Ending at dawn, on 1 November. Mumming and guising (disguises/costumes) were also an integral tradition during the festival period. People went door-to-door in costumes resembling pagan deities; reciting verses or rhymes in exchange for food and gifts. Some scholars believe that these costumes may also have been a way of imitating the guises of, and/or disguising oneself, from the Aos Sí. In addition to this, Divination practices formed another big part of the overall celebrations, and often involved hazelnuts and apples (apples were strongly associated with the Otherworld and immortality, while hazelnuts were associated with divine wisdom in Celtic myth).

Eventually, Rome conquered the Celts c. 43 C.E. and ruled until 410 C.E. Resulting in the Roman Catholic Church, rebranding the Celtic festival to “All Saints’ Day” Missa Gaudeamus (usually held on 31 October, as well) to 1 November, while allocating 2 November for the celebration of “All Souls’ Day” Omnium Sanctorum. After the Roman Catholic Church had taken over the Celtic holiday of Samhain. Rebranding it and all that jazz, as a means to eradicate native pagan beliefs in the name of Christ… – in the Middle Ages, the original Celtic mumming and guising was replaced with “Soulling”. A practice that emerged in late-modern England (c. 1500-1800); popularly practiced until around the 1930’s, where children of the poor, went door-to-door begging (without costumes, though) for money or “soul cakes” (basically, a low-budget scone). They were named as such, as they were given to the beggars in exchange for a promise to pray for specific departed family member/s (so that they may pass on from Purgatory, to Heaven), during Hallowmass. As such, beggars usually sang hymns and recited?prayers?“for the souls of the givers and their friends”. Some wealthy Catholics even had their soul cakes blessed by a priest (for a small fee, of course) before subsequently being distributed to the poor. After learning of this, beggars subsequently started charging money for the promise to pray for departed souls, throughout the month of November. Which was -and in some locations, today, still is a month dedicated especially to the praying for Catholic Christian (Hallowed) souls. Any leftover soul cakes were then shared among families, or distributed to the poor.

Most sources are, however, in agreement that the aforementioned traditions of ritualised begging, are main examples of where the roots of late-modern (1800’s) ‘trick-or-treating’ lie. Although, this too is contested by others, as some argue that Scotland’s traditional day of guising, infamously known as “Guy Fawkes Day (Night)” (remember, remember, the 5th of November…) also made its contribution. In addition, a third opinion holds; though the modus operandi of trick-or-treating, today, is purported to have originated in the aforementioned traditions. The actual origins of the contemporary ‘ritualised’ practice of trick-or-treating is rather more recent. It appears to have emerged around the early 1900’s. More specifically, during the infamous Great Depression in the United States. Young pranksters would vandalise property “for the hell of it” -pardon the pun. Yet, the earliest literary reference to Halloween, appears in The Book of Hallowe’en (1919:141) by Ruth Edna Kelly (American author and librarian), “…bags filled with flour sprinkle the passers-by. Doorbells are rung and mysterious raps sounded on doors, things thrown into halls, and knobs stolen…Hallowe’en parties are the real survival of the ancient merrymakings.”

Kelly describes the practice of Halloween festivities, not as preludes to solicitation, but rather pranks that sought to inconvenience, or aggravate its victims. Which resulted in extreme laughter from the pranksters (obviously)! This statement also accords well with contemporary Newspaper articles, trending in the early 1900’s; reporting news of similar events. However, the question of origins and its connection between ancient traditions of Pagan mummery, Catholic beggary, and eventually worsening pranks culminating into vandalism, evolving into what’s known today as “trick-or-treating”. Begs an answer to a missing link, connecting them all… The aforementioned allusion to vandalism, occurred during Halloween in modern America, and was strongly condemned during the late 1920’s. Festive-pranking, as such, was discouraged because it went from stealing doorknobs, to tipping over cars, and eventually burning buildings (among other acts of severe vandalism). Authorities subsequently sought to control and catch these unruly pranksters, but were continually outnumbered. Eventually, following widespread condemnation, the tradition (along with its ‘celebrations’) appeared to have ended by the late 1900’s.

It reemerged again, however, when cities started encouraging parties as a more apt and alternative form of celebration (without the need for pranks or vandalism). Eventually, these parties rose to popularity and later civic groups started sponsoring costume parades, and soon enough entire cities became invaded with children dressed as goblins, witches on broomsticks, clowns, gangsters, and even hoodlums! Windows were already decorated, in order to deter pranksters from putting up their own versions. And Halloween celebrations subsequently not only became a treat for children, but also a preventative tactic against expensive pranks. However, even though expensive pranks were mostly averted, that did not mean; these pranks were eliminated altogether! Children in the 1900’s, instead, devised pranks with minor inconvenience to its victims. For example, hanging a dead fish on doorknobs, while ringing the doorbell/knocking; then running away. This signalled, in many ways, the perfect prank: it annoyed the host, without really causing any real harm, or lasting damage. It intruded in a way which was not just unpreventable, but also unprovable: waging a sort of ‘invisible war’ against the peace and privacy of the households affected.

And so, with these events all falling into place during Halloween, it preluded the perfect “trick-or-treat”-ing endeavour. Still, it never became a fully-fledged ‘ritual’ per se, until 1927 in Alberta, Canada. When the first description of a “trick-or-treat” occurrence emerged in a local newspaper. After which suddenly, sporadic accounts emerged with the words “trick-or-treat” written all over it. And it subsequently became known, ever since, as the contemporary Halloween practice we know and love today: Costumes, doorbell-ringing, and treats! Eventually, Hollywood and Capitalism (aided by the American post-Great Depression economy) soon took advantage of this age-old mummery-tradition, popularising the horror blockbuster, John Carpenter’s Halloween in 1978. Followed by an entire series, stretching all the way to 2009 (remaking the classic original in 2018). It was also during the 60’s to 80’s, following the Occult revival in America, which saw an increasing interest in ancient Occult traditions, that the Christian Church started spreading their conspiracy theories about alleged organised “Satanic cults”, during what’s infamously known as the “Satanic Panic” around the late 80’s to early 90’s. Sparking a massive moral panic about alleged “occult-related crime” and an entire polemical discourse that (sadly) led to the Occult and invariably Halloween, suffering its “bad rep” to this day. Thanks, Americans!

But what does Pumpkins have to do with the whole shebang?

One of the most important and popular iconographies, marking the Halloween or “spooky season” spirits – aside from bats, skeletons, trick-or-treating, and dressing-up – are scary pumpkins! Their origins and myth are almost about as old as Halloween itself. Starting out as a legend/old-wives-tale/scary ghost story, told to children before bedtime, this tall tale (featuring pumpkins) is strongly rooted in Irish-Catholic identity. Imagine the Christmas tale of Charles Dickens’ protagonist character Ebenezer Scrooge, in his novella: A Christmas Carol.

Irish folklore tells the story of “Stingy Jack” (a.k.a “Jack o’ the Lantern“): a foul, old, drunkard of a blacksmith; who was a prude, a schemer, and all-round unpleasant guy. As such, unironically, ol’ Jack thrived on deceit and manipulating people for his own benefit. That was, until his antics eventually caught the attention of Satan, as rumours of his vile reputation started to spread. Satan, however, took more than a passing glimpse of an interest in ol’ Jack and his antics. As such, he decided to orchestrate a sequence of events, which would result in their ‘coincidental’ meeting. One evening, in the rural hills of Ireland, while Jack was drunkenly making his way out of the pub: Satan ordered one of his demons to pose as a dead man for “Stingy” Jack to bump into, on the side of the road.

When Jack encountered this grotesque corpse: a deranged face, with a foul grin plastered on its face, stared back at him. Jack almost soiled himself out of shock. Yet simultaneously, he quickly realised; his time was up. At long last, Satan had come to collect his soul… Jack then fell to his knees, desperately begging the demon for a final request: one final drink, before he departed the world. The demon granted his request, and Jack invited Satan to the nearest tavern for a drink! One drink became two, and two became three, and so on and so forth… – eventually the pair became quite inebriated. As is bound to happen when you drink with an Irishman. When it was time to settle the bill, Jack told Satan (his new favourite drinking buddy) that he didn’t have any money. So, Jack decided to appeal to Satan’s ego; suggesting that, since he was the devil, he could turn himself into a piece of silver and help Jack pay the tab!

Satan, of course, obliged. Whereas Jack – instead of paying – quickly shoved the silver coin in his pocket, fully aware that it contained a small crucifix within. Satan (realising he was tricked) fought to get out, but was trapped in by this crucifix. Jack then attempted a deal with Satan, negotiating that if he would leave him alone for a decade (10 years). He (Jack) would promise to release Satan from his silver prison, if he agrees. Satan had no choice but to agree and the deal was made. Jack released Satan, and Satan though impressed by Jack’s trickery, stuck to the deal and left him alone. Ten years went by fast, and eventually Satan returned to visit Jack again. This time, ready to claim his soul and escourt him to the pits of hell. However, true to his nature, Jack appealed to Satan once again. This time, he asked Satan for an apple from the nearest tree, to quell his hunger before embarking on the long journey ahead. And again, while an unsuspecting Satan, was busy selecting a choice apple: Jack carved four crucifixes on the bark of the tree, trapping Satan (yet again) within its branches. Only this time, Jack told Satan that he would not release him, except if he agreed that he would not take him to hell. Tricked again, Satan had little choice but to submit to Jack’s will.

And so, “Stingy” Jack continued on merrily with his life, knowing that he was safe and that he tricked Satan —not just once, but twice! Eventually, many years of alcohol abuse took its toll and Jack died miserably. He may have outsmarted Satan twice, but he could not cheat his way out of death. Upon his arrival at the Pearly Gates, St. Peter immediately turned him away. (I mean, it is rather self-explanatory that heaven would refuse lying and deceitful drunkards like Jack, contrary to popular belief …sorry, Christians). Alas, unphased, Jack scoffed at St. Peter and decided to brave the journey down to hell. There his brooding arch-nemesis was waiting; biding his time to get revenge on Jack. And Satan, ironically, being the honest and true-to-his-word one between them both, reminded Jack of their initial agreement. Back when Jack was still very much alive. And so, even Satan turned Jack away from the Black Gates of hell.

However, seeing as though neither St. Peter, nor Satan could grant Stingy Jack entrance into their respective ‘eternal realms’, Satan pitied Jack and granted him one last wish. Jack thought long and hard, eventually wishing for an ember from the depths of hell, to provide him with a light as he wandered the world in darkness. Satan picked one, small, burning red coal, and handed it to Jack. Yet, in order to carry the flaming ember, Jack hollowed out a Turnip. Using it as a makeshift lantern. And ever since, it is said that Jack’s ghost can be spotted: doomed to wander aimlessly around the Irish countryside, for all eternity. And so, whenever one of the locals would spot glimpses of strange light, they say, “That’s just Jack o’ the lantern.” Though, it is said that even though Jack’s spirit is damned to wander the mortal realm, or until the proposed Judgement Day in christian eschatology. The Irish Celts (then staunchly Catholic) did not want his spirit to visit their houses. So, every year on 31 October (Samhain), they took precautions: placing carved Turnips and Rutabagas, with menacing faces, containing a candle/ember on their doorsteps. In hopes that it would serve as deterrent for bad spirits, including that of Stingy Jack’s. And between the 19th-20th centuries, when the Irish migrated to America; along came their Catholic beliefs, traditional myths, and folklore. Eventually, they discovered that the Pumpkin, a sort of gourd-species indigenous to the United States, was bigger and thus more effective for the aforementioned purposes. And so the famous Halloween pumpkin was born!

So, no. It’s not the birth of Satan. It is much like its sacred counterparts; Christmas, Easter, and even Valentine’s Day: a day filled with rich history and tradition that warrants education instead of petty stigmatisation. Unfortunately, some are uneducable. In that case, let the pranking resume! Grab a manky fish, or a bagged dog turd, unscrew the doorknobs, and wreak havoc upon the lack-witted!