“Listen! The wind is rising and the air is wild with leaves. We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!” —Humbert Wolf
All great stories usually begin with “once upon a time” and so shall mine.
Once upon a time, Charlie Brown believed the Great Pumpkin would rise from the pumpkin patch on Halloween eve taking on a life of its own, and in Ireland, the United Kingdom and France, the Celts who inhabited those lands celebrated their new year with a festival known as Samhain (pron. Sow-in). This festival marked the end of summer and the beginning of their dark, cold winter, a time when many perished due to the lack of food and heat.
Two thousand years ago those Celts believed that those who died of unnatural causes, had no one mourning their death or not given a proper burial, Hell’s Gates would open during the month of October, allowing those restless spirits to wander the earth searching for affection.
So strong was this belief, much like our Santa and cookies, the Celts would set bowls of food outside of their homes, hoping to appease the ghosts and prevent them from entering their homes. When leaving their homes during this time, the Celts wore masks in case they encountered a ghost, not wanting to be mistaken for fellow spirits.
On the eve of Halloween, huge bonfires were built, and animals and crops were sacrificed to appease the dead; costumes made from animal heads and hides were worn and attempts to tell one another’s fortune was part of this ritual.
Halloween came to America in the early 1800s. However, in New England, Protestants believed there were no ghosts. The holiday became more about community and neighborly get-togethers, with games, food and festive costumes. Ghoulish costumes were prohibited.
In the early 1900s, the Chinese celebrated the Festival of the Holy Ghost. To ensure their ancestor’s spirit would reach their everlasting homes, they would cover their graves with candies, gifts made with paper, food, pumpkins and incense. Knowing this tradition, kids would forage the candy and rodents and other wildlife would feast on the food left behind, creating a huge health hazard. Because of this, the Chinese were refused burial in Chicago’s Rosemont cemetery for many years.
During World War II, celebrating Halloween changed. No longer were windows being soaped, as the fat content in soap was used for building bombs, and the sugar used in candy treats was used to feed the soldiers fighting the war. Home parties became popular and bobbing for apples, pinning the tail on the donkey game along with spinning the bottle, became popular. And if we were lucky, a few mothers used part of their monthly sugar ration to make popcorn balls on a stick.
My in-laws, Anna and Baldo, came to Watsonville in the early 1920s, carrying a few meager possessions in rope-bound cardboard boxes. Along with this makeshift luggage, they carried with them their beliefs, superstitions and customs, which so far as I know, remained with them all the days of their lives.
Among Anna’s superstitions while pregnant with her eldest child, she believed the birthmark on his face was caused by inadvertently putting her hand to her face while lighting a fire for warmth. And Baldo, each Halloween, would light a backyard fire and when the flames began to turn into embers, Baldo would jump over the embers as many times as he had sons to protect them from the evil spirits they had left behind in the “old” country.
Here in our Ben Lomond home, my sweet hubby’s “job” on Halloween eve was to answer the doorbell and pretend to be frightened by the little ghouls and goblins while adding to their bags of candy. Norm delighted in this, and today were he still with me, would be so disappointed, as the doorbell no longer rings as often. The merchants in our three SLV towns decorate and hand out candy to hundreds of costumed kids…wonderful to watch and participate in if you are a parent.
For me, I shall enjoy Neighbor Mike’s pumpkin-filled front porch as I partake in my five o’clock martini and a bowlful of caramel popcorn.
Who knows, Charlie Brown, I just might see that “Great Pumpkin” rising from Neighbor Mike’s pumpkin patch!
Caramel Corn
• 2 Bags of Microwave Popcorn popped and placed in a large bowl. (I buy “Theater” brand.)
In a large pot, melt together:
• 1 cube of salted butter
• 1/2 cup dark Karo syrup
• 1/2 cup loosely packed light brown sugar,
• 2 tsp. Vanilla extract
Bring to a low boil and cook for 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and carefully stir-in…
• 1/2 tsp, baking soda.
While still hot, pour caramel over popcorn.
If shaping into popcorn balls, lightly oil your hands.
Halloween Ghouls for Trick or Treaters
Cover a Tootsie Roll Pop with a white napkin.
Using a thin black ribbon, tie a bow under the head of the sucker. With a sharpie, draw large round dots for eyes.
Voila… you have mini ghouls to give away.
Kids love them!
Colly Gruczelak, a Ben Lomond resident, loves people and loves to cook. Contact her at cz****@*****st.net.
