Cataldi
Pumpkin spice, jack o ’lanterns, candy corn, costumes and thrills—no one celebrates Halloween the way Americans do. Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, in what is now known as Ireland, but has taken on a life of its own here in America. Samhain was a pagan celebration that celebrated the harvest by lighting bonfires and wearing costumes to ward off ghosts and other spirits. Pieces of the 2,000-year-old celebration remain—carved pumpkins, costumes and ghosts—but over the years it has morphed into an American tradition involving trick-or-treating and staggering amounts of sugary candy.
Even here in Johnson County, we have our unique customs which include closing Martin Street so children can run down the middle of the road and ogle at some of the best-decorated houses in Franklin, Scarecrow Madness in which residents all over the county deck out scarecrows in outfits to benefit Johnson County Senior Services, the Halloween Town festival in downtown Franklin and various Trick Your Trunks all over the county.
Even the Johnson County Public Library has spooky offerings: trick-or-treat storytimes, pumpkin decorating, Halloween treat making, a horror movie series, spooky crafts and lectures on paranormal activities and local hauntings. To see the full list of offerings, go to any Branch or visit PageAfterPage.org/events.
In addition to the many programs JCPL is hosting this October, we also have a huge collection of books, DVDs and digital resources to get you in the spooky spirit. Picture books about costumes and pumpkins, Goosebumps novels, every Stephen King book written, slasher films, scary music CDs and so much more.
Here are my top 5 Halloween picks:
- “The Halloween Tree,” DVD – Four kids try to save the spirit of their friend Pip from the ghosts of Halloween’s past, and they discover the magic and meaning of Halloween and friendship. A Cartoon Network movie based on Ray Bradbury’s novel. For all ages.
- “October Dreams,” Book – A literary collection celebrating Halloween traditions, memories, poems and more. Features stories written by: Dean Koontz, Peter Straub, Ray Bradbury and more. For adults and teens.
- “Tales of Terror” by Edgar Allen Poe – America’s first horror novelist will always have a spot on my list. His stories and poems are best read aloud. For adults and teens.
- “20th Century Ghosts” by Joe Hill – Stephen King’s son is just as good at horror writing as his dad. This short story collection is all scares and contains The Black Phone, the inspiration for a terrifying new horror movie starring Ethan Hawke. For adults.
- “Halloween,” DVD – John Carpenter’s 1978 classic is a must-watch every October. Haddonfield always reminds me of Franklin which makes it that much creepier. For teens and adults.
Big or small, there are plenty of ways to celebrate this Halloween month. Don’t forget to check out Johnson County Public Library for books, movies, programs and more.
Like Humbert Wolfe said: “We’ve had our summer evenings, now for October eves!”
Erin Cataldi is the Adult and Teen Services Librarian at the Clark Pleasant Branch. JCPL staff members share in writing this bi-monthly column for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
