On the cusp of all Hallows Eve

‘Tis the season of ghosts, goblins and gourds, spiders, moths and pumpkins. Black witches perch on the edge of windowsills, spider webs stretch across door frames, and everything seemed to be haunted, in the shadows of eerie, orange-colored lights.

I’m not certain when or how Halloween became such a popular holiday encouraging such extravagant decorations. Apparently, the large theme parks got involved in the 1980s and played a role in catapulting Halloween into a global phantasmagoria. According to the National Retail Federation, the economic impact of Halloween 2021 is expected to reach an all-time high. Total spending will be up by nearly 20 percent over the $8 billion in 2020.

And costumes? Parents order them months in advance. According to a list in USA Today, the 10 most popular costumes this year are witch, rabbit, dinosaur, Spider-Man, Cruella de Vil, fairy, Harley Quinn, cowboy, clown and Chucky (a terrifying thought).

I have my Halloween traditions that include baking, carving a pumpkin and gathering friends for a reading of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart. First published in 1843 it is one of Poe’s most beloved short stories. If you aren’t familiar with the tale, it is told by an unnamed narrator who tries to convince us of his own sanity after describing a murder he has committed.

When he is confronted by the police, at the end of the tale, he “grows very pale…” and what could he do but “I foamed — I raved — I swore!” When he is visited by the police, he can hear, he is certain, the beating heart of the man he has murdered.

“I felt I must scream or die! — and now — again! — hark! louder! louder! louder!”

During the reading there is the sound of organ music in the background, a black stuffed raven is perched on the arm of a chair and I keep the lighting as low as possible — with just enough light for the person reading. It is possible to create a feeling that seems to befit the ghosts and spiders that are floating about.

This year my Halloween dinner was early, we celebrated last weekend. I found a recipe for a molasses pumpkin spice cake and baked it in a small, round, nine-inch pan. After cooling, I turned it over and using cut-out stencils designed a jack-o-lantern face using confectionary sugar.

My carved pumpkin, created by friends who have the tools and have developed an expertise in this skill, punched out circles in two layers around the pumpkin. It sits majestically in the window and will stay through Halloween.

Next Sunday evening, just at midnight the ghosts will vanish, and All Hallows Eve will come to an end. On Monday morning we will pull back the sheets and find the page on the calendar has turned to November. Magically, holiday decorations will begin to appear in the windows, Jolly santas will replace the ghosts and witches. Christmas trees, angels, and the glow of soft candlelight will appear in the windows.

... Silver bells!

What a world of merriment their melody foretells!

How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,

In the icy air of night!

Edgar Allan Poe

“The Bells”

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Listen to Elizabeth on the Short Fuse Podcast found on Apple or Spotify, follow her on Instagram @elizh24 or send her a note at elizabeth@laconiadailysun.com. She is an author and journalist. Her books include Ned O’Gorman: A Glance Back, a book she edited (Easton Studio Press, 2015), A Day with Bonefish Joe (David R. Godinez, 2015), Queen Anne’s Lace and Wild Blackberry Pie, (Thornwillow Press, 2011).