According to the website Mental Floss, it’s likely that bats were present at the earliest celebrations of proto-Halloween, not just symbolically but literally. As part of Samhain, the Celts lit large bonfires, which attracted insects. The insects, in turn, attracted bats, which soon became associated with the festival. Medieval folklore expanded upon the spooky connotation of bats with several superstitions built around the idea that bats were the harbingers of death.
Mental Floss
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/58341/origins-15-spooky-halloween-traditions
Halloween is a time when many people enjoy being scared. There are many spooky movies and TV shows to watch and Halloween costumes that let you dress up as your favorite monster or ghost. But where did this fascination with bats come from? Why do they hold such a special place in our imaginations?
For centuries, bats have been seen as dark and mysterious creatures, and people have long believed they are harbingers of doom. This is particularly true on Halloween when the night sky is filled with their flapping wings.
For most people, the sight of a bat is enough to send a shiver down their spine. And when they hear the stories of how bats are associated with death and destruction, it only adds to the fear. As a result, bats have become synonymous with spooky and scary, often seen as a sign that something terrible is about to happen.
But what most people don’t know is that bats aren’t dangerous at all. They are gentle and timid creatures who would never hurt anyone. Unfortunately, they happen to be misunderstood, and we tend to fear them because they are so different from us.
When the bats are out in full force on Halloween night, could you take a moment to watch them fly around? They may be spooky looking, but they’re just harmless animals looking for some fun.
Do you have any questions or thoughts on bats and Halloween? If so, please leave them in the comments section below.
© 2019 I Don’t Know All The Answers, Nikki Mastro
All of my photographs and documents are Copyrighted.
Not really a bat person or Halloween for that matter. It doesn’t seem right for little ones to be scared with ghosts, skeletons, etc. Seems the little ones have had all the fun taken out of Trick or Treating. Candy has to be checked to make sure there are no drugs in the candy. Don’t think they can even have fun at parties in school anymore. Would love to see Halloween held on the last Sunday of October and the little ones go out between 2 PM and 4 PM. Love looking at the cute costumes and they seem so excited. Give the little ones a break and let them have fun.