Folklore of the Jack O Lantern

An old Irish folk tale tells of Jack, a lazy yet shrewd farmer who uses a cross to trap the Devil. On story says that Jack tricked the Devil into climbing an apple tree, and one he was there, Jack quickly placed crosses around the trunk or carved a cross into the tree bark, so that the Devil couldn't get down. Another myth says that Jack put a key in the Devil's pocket while he was suspended upside-down.
Another version of the myth says that Jack was getting chased by some villagers from whom he had stolen, when he met the Devil, who claimed it was time for him to die. However, the thief stalled his death by tempting the Devil with a chance to bedevil the church-going villagers chasing him. Jack told the Devil to turn into a coin with which he would pay for the stolen goods (the Devil could take on any shape he wanted); later, when the coin/Devil disappeared, the Christian villagers would fight over who had stolen it. The Devil agreed to this plan. He turned himself into a silver coin and jumped into Jack's wallet, only to find himself next to a cross Jack had also picked up in the village. Jack had closed the wallet tight, and the cross stripped the Devil of his powers; and so he was trapped. In both myths, Jack only lets the Devil go when he agrees never to take his soul. After a while the theif died, as all living thing do. Of course, his life had been too sinful for Jack to go to heaving; however, the Devil had promised not to take his soul, and so he was barred from hell as well. Jack now had nowhere to go. He asked how he would see where to go, as he had no light, and the Devil mockingly tossed him an ember that would never burn out from the flames of hell. Jack carved out one of his turnips (which was his favorite food), put the ember inside it, and began endlessly wandering the Earth for a resting place. He become know as "Jack of the Lantern", or Jack-o-Lantern. - source unknown.

A friend of mine gave me the above article. I thought it was an interesting story at the time, so I think it makes an interesting blog. Its not to late to get a toy wooden guy for your child's Halloween costume. Arrow gift shop has an incredible assortment of guns for the holiday.

History of Trick or Treat

The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays goes back to the Middle Ages, and includes Christmas wassailing. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of "souling," when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1) receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Dav(November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. Shakespeare mentions the practice in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1953), when Speed accuses his master of "pulin [whimpering, whining], like a beggar at Halowmas."
Yet there is no evidence that souling was ever practiced in America, and trick-or-treating may have developed in America independent of any Irish or Britich antecedent. There is little primary documentation of masking or costuming on Halloween--in Ireland, the UK, or America--before 1900. The earliest known reference to ritual beggin on Halloween in English speaking North America occurs in 1911, when a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario, near the border of upstate New York, reported that it was normal for the smaller children to go street guising on Halloween between 6 and 7 p.m., visiting shops and neighbors to be rewarded with nuts and candies for their rhymes and songs. Another isolated reference appears, place unknown, in 1915, with a third reference in Chicago in 1920. The thousands of Halloween postcards produced between the turn of the 20th century and the 1920s commonly show children but do not depict trick-or-treating. Ruth Edna Kelley, in her 1919 history of the holiday, The Book of Hallowe'en, makes no mention of such a custom in the chapter "Hallowe'en in America." It does not seem to have become a widestpread practice until the 1930's, with the earliest known uses in print of the term "trick-or-treat" appearing in 1934, and the first use in national publication occurring in 1939. Thus, although a quarter million Scots-Irish immigrated to America between 1717 and 1770, the Irish Potato Famine brought almost a million immigrants in 1845-1849, and British and Irish immigration to America peaked in the 1880s, ritualized begging on Halloween was virtually unknown in America until generations later.
Trick-or-Treating spread from the wester United States Eastward, stalled by sugar rationing that began in April 1942 during World War II and did not end until June 1947 - Source: Unknown.

A Friend gave me the history of trick-or-treating and I thought I would share it on the blog. Arrow Gift Shop has a couple of great costumes for Halloween. Around this time we have a lot of candy-grabbers asking for our Cowboy and Indian dressup gear. We have just about everything you would need to dress your little guy or gal up in western geer. We even have some stuff for you older guys and gals. Give us a call 715-479-4903 to find a costume that is best for you situation.

Fall Colors and Cranberry Fest

Wow have the colors become vivid the past few days. It is amazing how beautiful this area becomes when they peak. We had a successful Cranberry Fest last weekend which usually happens at the same time the colors come out. They nailed it this year. Perfect timing.
For me, this is a favorite time of year. The geese are crowding the sky. It is cooling off. The colors are changing and its hunting season. I will be taking on some pheasants this weekend with my big yellow lab. Its his first pheasant hunt so hopefully it works out.
I have already started thinking about our Christmas specials at the store. Slippers are going to be a huge part of our season. That's because when it starts to get cold like this, so many people start thinking about gifts that keep you warm. Minnetonka slippers are one of our best sellers during the Christmas season.