Nobody over the age of twenty is much afraid of Halloween, not nowadays. We treat it with endless irony. Our pumpkin heads no longer drive back the dark and the cold; their grins are cheery. However, our jokey version of confronting the growing cold and darkness as the death of the year approaches draws on far older and genuinely more frightening stories and customs that date from a time when death seemed ever present.
Rest in Peace
The origins of Halloween rituals
Issue 82, 31st October 2019
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Jana Zejbech 21 June 2024
Nowadays, Halloween is not as frightening for adults over twenty, as we tend to approach it with a sense of humor and irony. Our cheerful pumpkin carvings no longer serve the ancient purpose of warding off the darkness and cold. However, this modern, light-hearted celebration has roots in much older and genuinely scary traditions from a time when death felt much closer. For a deeper dive into the mystical and unknown, you might want to explore some of the best psychic websites out there.
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