Tag: Halloween

Halloween and ghosts… what’s the connection?

Most ghost hunters insist that Halloween is the best night of the year for paranormal research.

(I’d add the last night of April as a close second, but Halloween is at the top of my list, too.)

One big reason for Halloween being a “best” night for ghosts, is rooted in Celtic lore.

Whether you’re talking about ghosts, faeries, or anything that “goes bump in the night,” Celtic traditions focus on “between times.”

The Celts — and several other cultures — believed that spirits of all kinds could enter our world during those “betweens.”

In more modern terms, “the veil is thinner” at those between-times.

When are the “between times”?

The between-time can be dawn or dusk; both are between day and night.

It may be midnight, or the “Witching Hour,” because it’s between the calendar days.

Or, at the last day of October, we’re between the end of the harvest and the start of winter.  In earlier times when the calendar was based on the agricultural year, the end of the harvest is like New Year’s Eve.  The Celtic word for Halloween night is Samhain (pronounced “SAHH-when”).

Keep in mind that, in Celtic history, Samhain wasn’t always Halloween night… the last night of October.  It was simply the night when everyone celebrated because the crops were finally harvested, and the agricultural year was over.  So, the actual date might vary by days or even weeks.

That between-times (or between-seasons) note is the same reason why the last night of April is good for ghost hunting:  Agriculturally, it’s a dramatic change of seasons.

That night is Beltaine in Celtic countries, and Walpurgisnacht in Germany and nearby countries.  It marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring… another “between” time.

For ghost hunters, that night can be nearly as productive as Halloween.

Stack those “betweens” for ghost hunting success.

If you’re going to make the most of those between-times for ghost hunting, you’ll stack several “betweens.”

In other words, you’ll be at the haunted location on Halloween night and you’ll choose a between time for your research:  Dusk or midnight, or the following dawn.

However, keep in mind that ghosts aren’t the only entities associated with between-times.

Faeries are also known (or notorious) for appearing then, and sometimes wreaking mischief.  So, if you see something odd, don’t immediately assume it’s a ghost; it might be something else.

Because the veil seems thinner on Halloween, you may encounter energy or phenomena that are actually on the other side.

This may sound controversial, but he spirit may not actually be in our world.

This is one reason why EVP results can be better on Halloween, as well as real-time communication with the “other side.”  Cameras can produce clearer anomalies, too.

Be prepared for anything!

Remember, the increased EMF levels on Halloween night can drain batteries in your voice recorder, cameras, flashlights, etc.

(That’s one reason to carry a glow-stick as a back-up light source, and even a film camera as a back-up for your phone or digital camera.)

Be prepared for anything to happen on Halloween night.  It’s the classic “between” time, and ideal for your most chilling encounters with paranormal phenomena.

Here’s my video, explaining why Halloween may – and may not – be a good night for ghost hunting. (It’s from my Ghosts101.com website, featuring answers to top ghost-related questions.)

https://youtu.be/Z1TTutyEr38

Also, if you’re looking for my Halloween checklist for ghost hunters, see my Halloween ghost hunting tips post.

Halloween costume parties can be opportunities to see ghosts.

I’m not kidding.

Of course, most ghost hunters will be at haunted sites on Halloween.

However, if you’re at a potentially haunted site and you’re attending a Halloween costume party, remain very alert.

It’s not just a fun social gathering… it’s an opportunity to encounter ghosts.

This possibility never crossed my mind until it actually happened to me.

Now and then, I’ve been among the celebrity guests at the Official Salem Witches’ Ball in Salem, Massachusetts.  (Not everyone there identifies as a witch.)

That popular Halloween costume party is usually held at the haunted Hawthorne Hotel in downtown Salem.

More than half the party-goers wear costumes.

Tip: That hotel is at point #7 on my haunted Judges’ Line map.  If you want to investigate its ghosts, ask for room 325 or room 628… or any room on the sixth floor. According to reports, those are the most haunted sleeping rooms.

One year, during the event, I looked up from the ballroom floor to see figures standing at the mezzanine windows that overlooked the party.

Generally, they were people in the kinds of costumes you might see at Mardi Gras or any non-Halloween costume party.  Now and then, the person would be in classic Colonial garb.

Usually, the person (or a couple of people) would sip their drinks while watching the party below.

Then, they’d stroll off and be replaced by others who wanted a “bird’s eye” view of the party.

The ghostly moment of truth

However, a couple of times, I saw someone at one of those windows fade away into mid-air. The person didn’t walk away or duck down… they actually seemed to evaporate.

Generally, those people (or ghosts) were wearing fairly ornate Colonial clothing.  They didn’t stand out from the others at the party, except that their costumes looked a little more well-worn than others’ and sometimes they fit differently.  (Men’s jackets were more snug across the shoulders.  Women’s clothes were less form-fitting.)

It wasn’t until the figure faded from view that I realized I’d been looking at something ghostly.

How to make the most of a haunted costume party

If you’re at a party where you might see ghosts, here are some basics to remember:

1. You must be alert and in-focus.  This means no alcohol or anything that might dull your senses and alter your perceptions.

Likewise, be sure you’re well-rested before you arrive.  Get a good night’s sleep the night before, and eat a hearty lunch.  (Ordering a full, rich dinner might make you sleepy… eat just a light meal before the party.)

2. Watch the perimeter of the party, and glance regularly at doorways and windows.  Ghosts seem to prefer to watch the party from slightly outside it.  (However, I might have been elbow-to-elbow with a ghost and didn’t realize it.  That’s always a possibility.)

3. Blend in. Wear a costume, perhaps an authentic one from the time period of any expected ghosts.  You’ll want to catch the ghosts’ attention… but not because you’re in everyday clothing, holding ghost hunting equipment!

There’s no reason to choose between ghost hunting and Halloween festivities.  If you attend a Halloween costume party at a site that might be haunted, you may have the best of both worlds… no pun intended.

Looking for Halloween ghost hunting tips from a pro?

You’re at the right place. As I’m writing this, it’s Halloween. The last day of October – and the week surrounding it – may be the most active season for ghost hunters and paranormal investigators.

So, friends and I are getting ready for tonight’s research opportunities, but also the challenges that go along with this holiday.

I want your investigations to be successful, too.

These are some of my best Halloween ghost hunting tips.

And here are more Halloween-ish ghost hunting tips, useful all year long.

• • Halloween ghost hunting tips
  • Halloween and ghosts – How history and tradition may improve your ghost hunting
  • Halloween costume parties – A ghost hunting opportunity?
  • A Safety Reminder for New Ghost Hunters
  • Your Best Ghost Hunting Tools and Equipment

But, especially if you’re reading this AFTER Halloween, these tips may interest you…

Regardless of when you’re reading this, there are many ways to get the most from your research. So, don’t shrug off these tips, figuring you’ll remember them in October.

Start testing them with your team right now. Then, you’ll be ready to get the most from All Hallows’ Eve, known in some cultures as Samhain (pronounced “SAHH-whenn”). In the northern hemisphere, that was the end of the growing season, when harvest was over or nearly completed. There was a lot of attention on the end of life (crops finishing their annual cycles), which naturally lent itself to a general sense of endings, perhaps death or at least hibernation, and… Well, ghosts.

It’s in those roots (pun intended) that you’ll find the earliest connections between ghosts, spirits, frights, and the last day of October.

Does the resonance of those attitudes and energies improve ghost hunting? Maybe.

Of course, though every time of year provides opportunities for ghost hunters, Halloween is still one of the most popular. The more prepared you are for each investigation, the better your results can be.

Take advantage of the season, and plan for great, spooky encounters and fascinating – perhaps chilling – investigations!

Halloween and ghosts… they seem to go together naturally. (Or should I say “supernaturally?” ) It’s a big reason why people go ghost hunting at Halloween.

But it’s not the only one.

The fact is…

No two people go ghost hunting for the exact same reasons. That’s especially true at Halloween.

• Many want an answer about ghosts, haunted places, or the afterlife.
• Others are eager to see, for themselves, which – if any – movies and TV shows about ghosts are real.
• But some are tired of reality.  They want to connect – for just one evening – with something fantastic, magical, or just plain fresh and different.
  

And, since Halloween is supposed to be THE most haunted night of the year…

It’s also the one night when many people decide to step out of their everyday routines, and seek ghosts.

Of course, this can result in overwhelming crowds at popular sites.

Despite that, Halloween can still provide a meaningful experience for all.

An extraordinary experience may be the real reason people go ghost hunting at Halloween.

Especially at Halloween, anything extraordinary – even a “good scare” – can seem like a momentary escape from reality.

Yes, we know whether we’re witnessing something ghostly or merely odd.

But, especially at Halloween, let’s not spoil the moment for those seeking that once-a-year thrill.

As long as they seem comfortable (or happily uncomfortable) with their ghost hunting experiences, maybe that’s good enough.

Let them have that moment of escape.

By morning, they’ll return to life’s everyday realities, smiling as they remember their brush with the unknown.

Maybe that’s enough.

Or maybe they’ll join us again, on a quieter night, eager to learn more about real ghost hunting.

Either way, let’s remember the importance of Halloween to those seeking answers, or just a unique evening of magic and mystery.