The History of Halloween - SXM Sint Maarten

The rattle of old chains, the creaking of a door…..Who’s there? The low moan of the wind through cracks…..was it really the wind? A black cat darts out from behind a spooky looking house…It’s Halloween people! It’s the time of year that kids and grown-ups alike go out and have a good time. Everything from Trick or Treating for the kids to parties for the ‘bigger’ kids makes Halloween a great time of year. It’s also looked at as the 1^st unofficial party of high season. But what’s the history behind this spooky day? What do pumpkins, costumes and trick of treating have to do with it? What does it really celebrate?

The word itself, ‘Halloween’, actually comes from the Catholic Church. It’s a combination of the phrases ‘All Hallows Eve’, which was originally on November 1^st and ‘All Saints Day’, which is when the Catholic Church honors the saints. But the origins of Halloween go back a whole heck of a lot further than the Catholic Church! In the 5^th century BC, Celtics in Ireland celebrated the end of summer, which was marked as October 31^st. This day was called Samhain, which is pronounced Sow-en. This was seen as the Celtic New Year.  The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honored and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. No one wanted an evil spirit in their house!

Many other cultures besides the Celts and Catholics adopted the celebration of summers end. In the 1st century AD, Samhain was assimilated into celebrations of some Roman traditions that took place in October, such as their day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple, which may just explain the origin of the modern tradition of bobbing for apples on Halloween.

In Greek mythology, goddesses of the underworld, Hecate and Medusa, were often used to invoke the Samhain. Popular Hecate was the most favored goddess by Zeus, and wandered the emptiness between the worlds of life and death looking for souls of the dead. Both were considered serpent goddesses, and their ancient dark legends spawned myths such as vampires, who fed off the living using venom and snake-like fangs. Today, Hecate is often referred to as the goddess of witches.

Halloween in Scotland and Ireland had a strong tradition of "guising" — Scottish and Irish children disguised in costumes going from door to door requesting food or coins.  Another 9^th Century tradition called ‘Souling’, which was done on All Souls Day, involved early Christians walking from village to village begging for ‘soul cakes’. Soul Cakes were made out of square pieces of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars would receive, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors. Both these traditions can be seen as the beginning of Trick or Treating! The word "trick" refers to a (mostly idle) "threat" to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. In some parts of Scotland children still go guising. In this custom the child performs some sort of trick, like sing a song or tell a spooky ghost story, to earn their treats.

Now, what about pumpkins, or Jack-o-lanterns as they are called? The Jack-o-lantern custom comes from Irish folklore. The story makes for a great ghost story on any occasion, but especially Halloween. The story is called "Stingy Jack."

According to the story, Stingy Jack, an Irish blacksmith and notorious drunk, had the great misfortune to run into the Devil in a pub. Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn't want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a sixpence that Jack could use to buy their drinks in exchange for Jack's soul. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack and not try to claim his soul for ten years. When the ten years had passed, Jack ran into the Devil as he walked down a country road. The Devil was anxious to claim what was due but Jack stalled. Jack thought quickly and said to the devil. "I'll go, but before I go, will you get me an apple from that tree?" The Devil thinking he had nothing to lose climbed the tree as Jack pointed to the choicest apple. Perturbed, the Devil climbed high into the tree after the apple Jack selected. When he was high up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree's bark so that the Devil could not come down. Jack, very proud of himself made the Devil promise to never again ask him for his soul. Seeing no other choice the Devil reluctantly agreed. Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. Being unable to go to heaven or hell Jack asked the Devil where he should go. The Devil only replied, "Back where you came from!" The way back was very dark so Jack begged the Devil to at least give him a light to find his way. The Devil tossed Jack burning coal from the fire of hell to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern," and then, simply "Jack O'Lantern."^[1]  This is why the Irish used turnips as their "Jack's lanterns" originally. When the immigrants came to America, they found that pumpkins were far more plentiful than turnips. So the Jack-O-Lantern in America was a hollowed-out pumpkin, lit with an ember.

There are quite a few games that are traditional to Halloween. Apples play a large part in these games. One common game is dunking or apple bobbing, in which apples float in a tub or a large basin of water and the participants must use their teeth to remove an apple from the basin. A variant of dunking involves kneeling on a chair, holding a fork between the teeth and trying to drop the fork into an apple. Some games traditionally played at Halloween are forms of divination. A traditional Scottish form of divining one's future spouse is to carve an apple in one long strip, then toss the peel over one's shoulder. The peel is believed to land in the shape of the first letter of the future spouse's name.

Today many cultures have adopted Halloween as their favorite "holiday". The day itself did not grow out of evil practices. It grew out of the rituals of Celts celebrating a new year, and out of Medieval prayer rituals of Europeans. And today, even many churches have Halloween parties or pumpkin carving events for the kids. After all, the day itself is only as evil as one cares to make it. So to all kids, big and small: Have fun, go trick or treating and be safe. Happy Halloween!

[1] – www.hauntedbay.com

Travel Tips for the Holidays

High Season is upon us and, for many of us, it means traveling. Some times traveling leads to long flights, long layovers and a generally unpleasant experience. It doesn’t have to be that way! Here are some tips to make your trip go as smoothly as possible and some help for those long layovers.

Being familiar with your final destination is a big part to making a better travel experience. Double-check foreign document requirements. Some countries require a visa for entry; others, like South Africa, won’t allow entrance unless a traveler’s passport contains at least two blank, unstamped pages. You need to be aware of such requirements before you make your flight reservations or you could get stuck!

Staying healthy is another big part of traveling and enjoying your trip to the fullest. Be aware of any health issues or vaccination requirements in countries you are traveling to. If you need any immunizations or vaccinations, see your doctor at least 6 weeks before you leave. Some vaccines don't reach the highest protection until about 6 weeks after you get the shots. Discuss your trip with your doctor and your doctor can decide whether you need any vaccines. The vaccines you got when you were a child also may need to be updated if you are not fully protected. Vaccines that you may need include the following: Hepatitis A or hepatitis A immune globulin, Hepatitis B, Influenza (the flu), Japanese encephalitis, Measles-mumps-rubella, Meningococcal meningitis, Pneumococcal, Polio, Rabies, Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids, Typhoid fever, Chickenpox and Yellow fever. Find out what your health insurance will pay for if you see a doctor while you're in another country. Carry enough of your regular medicines in their original containers, along with extra prescriptions for them. Also bring your eyewear prescriptions. Wear a medical information bracelet if needed.

When you arrive at the airport, be responsible for your own luggage. Set your luggage apart from others so it’s easy to identify. A big mistake most passengers make is to use ribbons and bows on their suitcases. This is a bad idea simply because they can be torn off in the transporting process. Buy a suitcase in an unusual color, such as bright blue. You can even consider painting a pattern on to your luggage using fabric paint or other materials.

Make life easier for yourself and others when it comes to the mandatory security check. If it’s your first time traveling, ask a customs agent for assistance. You can even watch the people ahead of you to see what is needed from you. Don’t wait until it’s your turn in line before removing your shoes, belt and all other metallic items, including jewelry from your person. Check the do’s and don’t list that’s provided by every airline for what is and isn’t allowed in carry-on luggage. Keep from getting stalled in security and losing innocent (but sharp) items you forgot were in your bag―hello, nail scissors or wine opener! Also, pack your electronics in a single layer. When things are tossed in haphazardly or jumbled together, more time is spent determining what they are from the X-ray and bags have to be manually checked.

When it comes to carry-on luggage, make sure they meet the requirements of the airline carrier and pack things that you’ll need for any layovers or unexpected delays. Be considerate to your fellow travelers. Blocking the aisle during boarding while you dig for gum, a book, or a snack can delay the entire plane. Pack small must-haves in a re-sealable gallon-size bag that you can toss onto the seat while you put away everything else.

What can you do about jet lag? Jet lag is another bane to the traveler. There are a few sure fired methods to help you through. Get plenty of sleep before you leave. Don't drink a lot of alcohol. Eat well-balanced meals. Avoid overeating. Exercise as much as you can on your trip. Use sleep medicines for only a few days. Get used to a new time zone by going along with the local meal and bedtime schedules.

Then there is the dreaded layover….For most travelers, layovers are a painfully boring delay in an already arduous travel experience, and are often unavoidable. Plan your layover right and you can at least make them a little more bearable. Research the layover airport. Find out if there are restaurants, shops, or other activities. Some have theaters, museums, gyms, or play areas for the kids. Check out the airport website for information. If there's a map, print it and mark what you want to see when you get there. Be prepared for whatever activities that interests you. Minimize your carry-on luggage as it will only weigh you down. Aside from that, you might have a problem with security, exiting the airport as well as returning.

Bring something to read. A good read is one of the best ways to pass the time. Having your own book means you're not limited to the selection at the airport. Also, just washing your hands and face can wake you up and make you feel a lot better. Take a walk to get your blood flowing. If you are between one long flight and another, walk around the airport and restore circulation to your legs. You can window-shop, read billboards, watch airplanes, or simply look around. Get some fresh air if you can. Exercise will help you relax and provide you with an energy boost so you can get through the rest of your trip. Get a meal, drink or snack. A meal will give you energy, and it will taste better and likely cost less on the ground than it would in the air. It's wise to keep hydrated when you're flying somewhere, too. Another great thing to pass the time is to people watch. Airports have lots of people to watch. Have a seat in a public area and see what other travelers are doing. You can also check out the Internet while waiting for the next plane or get some work done. Bring your laptop with you as some airports offer free wireless Internet throughout.

Don't be afraid to leave the airport if you have a 5 hour+ layover. But for international travel, make sure you double check visa requirements before traveling. Depending on your citizenship, there are many countries that will allow you to acquire a visa at the airport or allow access even though you don't have a visa, but before planning a nice 7 hour layover, be aware that some countries may not grant you a visa at the airport. If you have friends or family in the layover city, ask them to pick you up or meet you at the airport if you have time. A layover is a good opportunity to catch up with someone you haven’t seen in a while.

Though traveling for High Season may be unavoidable, having the best experience possible is not. Use these tips to make any travel experience a good one!