Awenwyth

By late afternoon, something begins to change.

Porch lights come on.

Pumpkins glow.

Children disappear beneath masks, capes, pointed hats and an impressive amount of synthetic spiderweb.

Candy bowls appear beside front doors.

Ordinary neighborhoods become something else for a few hours.

Then comes the knock.

Halloween has arrived at the threshold.

A Holiday Made at the Doorway

Think about how much of Halloween happens at the door.

A child approaches.

Knocks.

The door opens.

Something is given.

The child leaves.

Then another arrives.

And another.

For one night, the threshold becomes the center of the celebration.

We rather love that.

From Turnips to Pumpkins

The customs that eventually became modern Halloween developed over a long period and drew from multiple influences.

Traditions of carving lanterns in Britain and Ireland included carved root vegetables such as turnips. In North America, pumpkins eventually became the far more convenient—and considerably easier to carve—choice.

Anyone who has attempted to hollow out a turnip can probably appreciate the upgrade.

Now the jack-o’-lantern is almost inseparable from Halloween.

A face.

A light.

A little guardian sitting beside the door.

Masks, Mischief and Treats

Costuming traditions also changed considerably over time.

Disguise, seasonal visiting, mischief and requests for food or treats all have precedents in older customs, while the familiar American practice of trick-or-treating developed into its modern form much later.

Today, the result is wonderfully peculiar when viewed objectively.

We decorate our houses with skeletons.

Encourage children to dress as monsters.

Then distribute chocolate to them when they threaten us with a rhyme.

Tradition is sometimes best enjoyed without overthinking it.

The Bell Beside the Door

Naturally, this is a good night for a Threshold Bell.

Doors open constantly.

People arrive.

People leave.

The bell sounds.

Historically, bells accumulated all sorts of folklore surrounding protection, warning and the warding away of unwanted influences.

Tonight its purpose can be much simpler.

Someone is at the door.

Again.

Better get the candy.

Leave Room for the Old Stories

Modern Halloween is playful.

Costumes.

Candy.

Decorations.

Parties.

Horror movies.

But beneath the bright plastic pumpkins and enormous lawn skeletons, older themes still linger.

Autumn.

Darkness.

Death.

The supernatural.

Changing seasons.

Things crossing boundaries.

Perhaps that’s part of why Halloween remains so compelling.

It lets us play with things that normally make us uncomfortable.

For one evening, death becomes a dancing skeleton.

Fear becomes entertainment.

Darkness becomes decoration.

The strange becomes welcome.

When the Children Are Gone

Eventually the knocks become less frequent.

The smallest children have gone home.

The older ones make their final rounds.

The candy bowl is nearly empty except for the pieces nobody wanted.

The porch grows quiet.

A few jack-o’-lanterns still glow.

This is the part of Halloween we especially like.

The night after the noise.

Stand at the Door for a Moment

Before turning off the porch light, step outside.

The air is colder than it was a month ago.

Leaves move along the road.

Somewhere in the distance, children are still laughing.

Another October is nearly finished.

Behind you is the warm house.

Ahead is the dark.

And beneath your feet is the threshold.

For thousands of years, people have told stories about places like this.

Tonight seems as good a night as any to remember a few of them.

Then go inside.

Close the door.

Let the bell ring.

And save yourself one piece of the good candy.

Happy Halloween from AWENWYTH.

Old Ways. Handmade Things.