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Halloween Legends, Superstitions & Scary Stories
SAVANNAH, Ga. (Sept. 25, 2008) – Be on the lookout for blue lights, black cats and dinner guests who talk too much on Oct. 31. Farmers’ Almanac, the original sustainable living guide, shares these Halloween tales:
- Blue Light – If a candle’s flame turns blue on Halloween night, a ghost is near.
- No Talking – On Halloween night, don’t speak during dinner. If someone does, it is believed to encourage the spirits to come to the table.
- Husband Search – If a girl puts a sprig of rosemary and a silver coin under her pillow on Halloween night, she will see her future husband in a dream.
- Jack-o’-lanterns – Irish legend says a miserly old drunkard named Jack was accepted in neither heaven nor hell. He was forced to wander the earth with a coal from hell stuck in a turnip to light his way.
- Black Cats – During the Middle Ages, people believed that a witch could take the form of a black cat. In one story, an English father and son meet a black cat they suspect of being a witch. They stone the cat and the next day encounter a witch with a bandaged face who dies shortly thereafter. This story seems to be the origin of bad luck coming your way if a black cat crosses your path.
The Farmer’s Almanac says Oct. 31, 2008 is a good day to cut firewood, cut your hair to increase growth, mow your lawn to retard growth, dig holes and hunt. For best results, harvest from Oct. 21-27 and bake for Halloween on Oct. 28-29. For more information on the best day to do whatever needs to be done, consult http://www.farmersalmanac.com.
About the Farmers' Almanac:The Farmers' Almanac, which features an orange and green cover, has been published every year since 1818. Available at grocery and bookstores nationwide, it contains useful and interesting articles, as well as long-range weather predictions, gardening advice, recipes and more. Editors Peter Geiger and Sandi Duncan are available for lively and informative interviews, either by phone or in person. Both love to talk about the weather, share useful Almanac trivia and advice, and offer tips on how to "get back to the simple life." Visit on the Web at www.FarmersAlmanac.com.
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