Black Cats and Ghosts on Halloween
Halloween has always been a mystery, magic, and superstition-filled holiday. It began as a Celtic end-of-summer festival when people felt particularly close to deceased relatives and friends. They set places at the dinner table, left treats on doorsteps and along the side of the road, and lit candles to assist loved ones in finding their way back to the spirit world.
Today's Halloween ghosts are frequently depicted as more fearsome and malevolent, as are our customs and superstitions. We avoid black cats because we are afraid they will bring us bad luck. This belief dates back to the Middle Ages when many people believed that witches avoided detection by transforming into black cats.
We make an effort to avoid using ladders as footholds. It's possible that this superstition originated with the ancient Egyptians, who thought triangles were sacred (it also may have something to do with the fact that walking under a leaning ladder tends to be fairly unsafe). And especially around Halloween, we make an effort to avoid damaging mirrors, stepping on potholes, and spilling salt.
