Halloween traditions

  • Published
  • By the RAF Mildenhall Community Relations Adviser's Office
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  The traditions associated with Halloween go back a long way. However, the tradition of young children going out trick-or-treating is something not very common over here, and has largely arisen in this area because of the substantial American presence.

You will find a number of tourist information centers offering organized ghost tours of their area. They get booked pretty quickly, but some centers may be able to offer an additional tour if you have a group ready to go - this you will need to negotiate on an individual basis.

History
Of all the days in the year, our ancestors considered Halloween the night of the supernatural. It was the last fling of those who possessed magical powers before the Nov. 1 Holy or All Hallows Day (now called All Saints Day).

It was thought that witches abounded, casting their spells on everyone, but it was also believed that humans could perform magic. Today, fewer people believe in witches and other magical beings, but the tradition of telling ghost stories on this night carries on.

Halloween was originally the second of two Celtic festivals. Beltane was held in the spring and celebrated the renewal of growth and continuance of life. Halloween (or Samhuinn to give it its Celtic name, meaning 'summer's end') celebrated the gathering of crops and was an expression of thanks from the people to the pagan gods for a good harvest to see them through the winter.

Halloween was the eve of the Celtic New Year, and was celebrated in the same way we celebrate New Year's Eve today (or Hogmanay as it is known in Scotland.) In the 18th century, it was common to see children dressed as "mummers" (people dressed in disguise and wearing masks) who went from house to house giving entertainment on this night.

Beliefs
In ancient times all over Europe, people believed the souls of the dead revisted their relatives on Halloween. This belief may have originated from the fact that people thought that ghosts, fearful of the rigors of winter, came to see their families to warm themselves by the fire and partake of some refreshment to help them face the cold and loneliness of the next few months.

Many people in Britain left the table laid with food and the house door unlocked before going to bed on Oct. 31.

When the Romans invaded England, the surviving Celts retired to the hills and swamps where the invaders did not dare to set foot. Hence, the Celts became known as the "little people" - they were certainly small in stature.

They also possessed a wide knowledge of herbs and poisons which were unknown to the Romans. When hunting they used poisoned arrows, called fairy arrows. Many examples of these can be seen in museums today. Their use of these arrows and the fact they knew every inch of the hills and woods - and seemed to be able to vanish without trace - led to stories within the more "civilized" communities that the little people possessed magical powers.

It is probable that this was the time the image of the goblin, fairy, elf, kelpie and other magical beings began. The Saxons, as well as the Romans, left the little people alone.
Not all spirits were thought to be evil by the superstitious communities of long ago, but all were held in dread, and it was unthinkable to venture out after dark alone on Halloween.

In Scotland, there was a belief that those who had been snatched to fairyland could be brought back to earth on Halloween by the recitation of a spell in a certain "fairy place."

Fascinating Facts about Halloween
-- One of the oldest celebrations in the world dating back over 2000 years.
-- Halloween in Welsh is 'Nos Calan Gaeaf'
-- It is thought that the colors orange and black became Halloween colors because orange is associated with harvests (Halloween marks the end of harvest) and black is associated with death.
-- In Mexico, they celebrate El Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead starting the evening of Oct. 31.
-- Pumpkin is really squash and comes from the same family as the cumcumber.
-- The first jack o' lantern was made out of hollowed out turnips (this is still the custom in Scotland).
-- the biggest pumpkin in the world weighed in at 1,446 pounds in 2004 in Ontario, Canada.
-- To meet a witch, put your clothes on inside out and walk backwards on Halloween night ... but remember you must wear your reflective belt!!
-- And finally ... If your pumpkin lantern shrivels up, you can restore it by soaking it overnight in water to re hydrate it. 

Local "Haunts"
East Anglia is said to be the most haunted area in the country, so it might be considered a ghost hunter's paradise. A few ghosts include: the woman in a green dress and the "Cavalier" who have been seen in two of the bedrooms of the Golden Lion Hotel in St. Ives; a nun and witch called Margaret Read who was burned in the Tuesday Market Place in King's Lynn and is sometimes seen in the nearby Tudor Rose Hotel, the site of a 15th century nunnery; 'Old Hunch' alias Judge Reeve who is sometimes seen driving his coach and four horses through the village streets of Long Stratton in Norfolk; the young sailor from World War II whose presence is felt at the Anchor Hotel in Lowestoft, and the regular sightings of two women in the precincts of the abbey ruins in Bury St. Edmunds. 

Trick or Treating hours at RAF Mildenhall
Trick or treating at RAF Mildenhall's base housing will be held Oct. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, contact Staff Sgt. Lon Russell at DSN 238-2661.