Halloween: Is it really worthy to be celebrated? Part 2

We're through about Halloween itself. Now, Let's talk about the different Halloween symbols and traditions.

2. Jack O' lantern

What is the most popular and recognizable symbol of Halloween? It's the Jack O' Lantern! Let us know why this carved pumpkin became the symbol of Halloween. Let's first define what is a Jack O' Lantern:

Jack O' lantern - (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) A jack-o-lantern is typically a carved pumpkin. It is associated chiefly with the holiday of Halloween and was named after the phenomenon of strange light flickering over peat bogs, called ignis fatuus or jack-o'-lantern. In a jack-o'-lantern, typically the top is cut off, and the inside flesh then scooped out; an image, usually a monstrous face, is carved onto the outside surface, and the lid replaced.

Pumpkin craft

Sections of the pumpkin are cut out to make holes, often depicting a face, which may be either cheerful, scary, or comical.

After carving, a light source (traditionally a candle) is placed inside the pumpkin and the top is put back into place. The light is normally inserted to illuminate the design from the inside and add an extra measure of spookiness.

As we could read from the description, a jack o' lantern is a pumpkin usually carved with a "monstrous" face. With only that description, we could already say that it is made to look "evil". although there other variations of faces but the motive is still to make it "spooky" (that's why a candle is placed inside to illuminate the design and add the spookiness)

The tradition of carving a lantern started in the British Isles however, it was traditionally carved out of a turnip. They were created on All Hallows' Eve and left on the door step to ward off evil spirits. An offering or, as we now know it, a "treat", would also be commonly left to placate roaming sprites and evil spirits — otherwise they might 'fiddle' with property or livestock (play a "trick"). Once the tradition moved to the US, it was adapted to the carving of a pumpkin as these vegetables were more readily available, bigger and easier to carve.

So what is the purpose of a jack o' lantern? it is left on the door step to again, "ward off evil spirits"! Sometimes an offering or a "treat" is also left so that the evil spirits won't mess with their property.

So its purpose is just the same as wearing scary costumes, to WARD OFF SPIRITS! So the people are not yet contented to wearing scary costumes to ward off spirits, they also need to put jack o' lanterns so that evil spirits would leave them alone. How silly isn't it?

Now, going back to the Bible, nothing is written about making any jack o' lantern to ward off evil spirits, it's because there is really no need to place this kind of decor to keep the spirits away (and with its spooky appearance, why would they?). As I have said before about Halloween, we could rebuke these spirits ONLY by the name of Jesus Christ, no other thing could drive them away but by the power of Jesus our Lord.

Now, you might say that " I'm not placing or using it to ward off spirits, I'm just using it as a plain decor, to have that Halloween look for the house". Well, let's look at the story behind the jack o' lantern to see if it safe to just plainly place it in the house:

Folklore

The story of the carved vegetable as a lantern comes in many variants and is similar to the story of Will-o'-the-wisp retold in different forms across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. An old Irish folk tale tells of Stingy Jack, a lazy yet shrewd farmer who uses a cross to trap the Devil. One story says that Jack tricked the Devil into climbing an apple tree, and once he was up there Jack quickly placed crosses around the trunk or carved a cross into the bark, so that the Devil couldn't get down. Another tale says that Jack put a key in the Devil's pocket while he was suspended upside-down.

Another version of the story says that Jack was getting chased by some villagers from whom he had stolen, when he met the Devil, who claimed it was time for him to die. However, the thief stalled his death by tempting the Devil with a chance to bedevil the church-going villagers chasing him. Jack told the Devil to turn into a coin with which he would pay for the stolen goods (the Devil could take on any shape he wanted); later, when the coin/Devil disappeared, the Christian villagers would fight over who had stolen it. The Devil agreed to this plan. He turned himself into a silver coin and jumped into Jack's wallet, only to find himself next to a cross Jack had also picked up in the village. Jack had closed the wallet tight, and the cross stripped the Devil of his powers; and so he was trapped.

In both folktales, Jack only lets the Devil go when he agrees never to take his soul. After a while the thief died, as all living things do. Of course, his life had been too sinful for Jack to go to heaven; however, the Devil had promised not to take his soul, and so he was barred from hell as well. Jack now had nowhere to go. He asked how he would see where to go, as he had no light, and the Devil mockingly tossed him an ember that would never burn out from the flames of hell. Jack carved out one of his turnips (which was his favourite food), put the ember inside it, and began endlessly wandering the Earth for a resting place. He became known as "Jack of the Lantern", or Jack-o'-Lantern.

See, the story behind the jack o' lantern has something to do with the Devil. Ask yourself, will you put something in your house that is related to the devil?

As we have read from the folktale,the Devil agreed to Jack's condition that he will not take his soul and he would be set free. Later on, when Jack died, his soul was not accepted in heaven for his life was so sinful, he was also rejected from hell because of his agreement with the devil not to take his soul. Jack has nowhere to go and he has no light so the devil threw him an ember from hell that would never burn out, Jack placed inside a carved turnip, wandered around the earth for a resting place and was called "Jack of the Lantern" or "Jack O' Lantern".

With this story, aren't you ashamed to put such a decoration in your house? a pumpkin with a light inside it that that symbolizes fire from hell and yet many children today even use these pumpkins as baskets for their treats without knowing the history behind it? It's really sad isn't it? Children go from house to house carrying these lanterns seemingly careless about what it truly is.

Now that we know what these pumpkins are, are you gonna continue to place it in your house or even let children use it? Are we gonna let this children use such an evil thing?

3. Trick-or-treating

Another traditional practice every Halloween is trick-or-treating. Let us know what is trick-or-treating all about:

Trick-or-treating - (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

is a customary practice for children on Halloween in many countries. Children in costumes travel from house to house in order to ask for treats such as candy (or, in some cultures, money) with the question "Trick or treat?". The "trick" is a (usually idle) threat to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given.

Trick-or-treating is a traditional practice, usually done by children, wherein they will go from one house to another saying the phrase: "trick-or-treat" and the owner of the house has to give them candy or else a "trick" would be done to them.

But what was trick-or-treat before? how has it become a practice of asking for treats today?

Origin

The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays dates back to the Middle Ages and includes Christmas wassailing. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. Shakespeare mentions the practice in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona(1593), when Speed accuses his master of "puling [whimpering or whining] like a beggar at Hallowmas." The custom of wearing costumes and masks at Halloween goes back to Celtic traditions of attempting to copy the evil spirits or placate them, in Scotland for instance where the dead were impersonated by young men with masked, veiled or blackened faces, dressed in white.

So this tradition started out as giving prayers for the dead in exchange for food, then it turned into dressing up in costumes and masks (remember, it is a Celtic tradition to ward off spirits) and begging for treats.

I think we don't need to look more into the Bible because we can clearly see how "selfish" trick-or-treating has become now, from prayers in exchange of food, it became tricks in exchange of not giving out candies. Before, something needs to be done but now, trick-or-treat just have to be said and treats will come. Although there are some who do ask for some effort from children before they give out candies but still most of the time in trick-or-treating, it is really effortless, it's like a no give, all take relationship (or maybe the other way around). Some even saw it as a form of extortion:

Elsewhere, adults, as reported in newspapers from the mid-1930s to the mid-1950s, typically saw it as a form of extortion, with reactions ranging from bemused indulgence to anger.

The term "trick-or-treat" doesn't really give out a very good impression because the word "trick" shows that giver will be "tricked" if no treats were given, Although today, we could see that no one actually "tricks" the giver if no treats were given but the children just simply go away, but hey, it's really what it means when children say "trick-or-treat"!

But in my own opinion, even though there is are no more "tricks" in trick-or-treating, i would still disprove it. Just like what I have said earlier, trick-or-treating is en effortless taking of treats, no actual effort must be done, just say trick-or-treat and candies are on the go. I would rather prefer caroling every Christmas because there, you get to sing to the giver's house in exchange of money, plus, if you were able to make the giver happy and you were able to "uplift" his/her spirit, they will reward you with a larger amount of money! I think for me, that is really a give and take relationship and you become happy by making somebody else happy.

Another thing, I disprove of trick-or-treating because it promotes eating of "candy and sweets" which are the usual treats given. We all know that candy is not healthy especially to children and if we allow them to eat large amounts of it, then, our dentist would definitely not be happy! (*laughs*)

Well that's all for now, I hope this post has helped you have a new look about these Halloween practices, symbols and traditions, I'll be posting the 3rd and final part of my blog post.

Thanks again and may God bless you as you continue to strive to know the truth behind Halloween.

God bless! :)

Credits:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack-o'-lantern -Jack o' lantern -Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trick-or-treating -Trick-or-treating -Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia