October 30, 2017 at 5:28 p.m.

The witching hour is almost upon us

As I See It

By Diana Dolecki-

The witching hour is nigh. Small and not-so-small children will soon transform into superheros, princesses, animals and who knows what else. They will have the power to compel adults to exclaim, “Aw, you’re so cute!” before handing over a ransom of candy.

If you’re handing out treats, please do not hand out fruit just because it is a healthy option. You are wasting both time and money if you try. Even if the child likes apples or whatever, there is little chance that the caregivers will let them have it for fear of needles or razor blades hidden in the fruit. Just buy the packaged sweets and be done with it, or do like we do and huddle inside in the dark until it’s over.

The witching hour is the time of day when supernatural beings are at their most powerful. The term, supernatural beings, encompasses everything from witches and vampires to strong women who stop bullets with their bracelets. These beings have powers that the rest of us mere mortals do not. As we all know, anyone who is different is to be feared and probably ostracized if not outright destroyed. Perhaps that is why superheros always keep their identities secret.

The witching hour varies. Some sources call the hour beginning at midnight the witching hour. Other sources say it is anywhere from two to four in the morning. One article said it is that hour after lunch when quitting time is far, far away. Another author said the term was coined in 1560 by none other than Pope John Paul II. Sometimes the witching hour lasts several hours. The mythology is flexible and the specifics vary with the locale, time period and source.

In this day and
age we regard the witches, goblins and vampires of yore as mere fantasy. Sure, there are the occasional practitioners of Wicca who call themselves witches, but they bear little resemblance to the powerful green-skinned creatures of yore. We long for our own scapegoats and champions but know they don’t really exist.

The preponderance of superhero costumes in the stores gives me hope. I like to think that the upcoming generation sees itself as rescuers. These children want to be heroes. They want to swoop in and save the day. The princesses are no longer waiting for a handsome prince to rescue them but are strong, capable women in their own right. These kids are our future. Candy is a small price to pay to reinforce their belief in the power a costume gives them.

In addition to superheros, I have read that giraffes are popular this year. I find this hard to believe as I haven’t seen a single giraffe costume locally. I have no idea what giraffes have to do with Halloween or how a child can manage that long neck. I guess I will have to wait until the trick or treaters are out roaming around to find out.

Giraffes or not, there doesn’t seem to be many scary costumes around. The scary clowns seem to be the only ones. I find this puzzling as I always thought clowns were meant to be funny. It has only been in recent years that this has changed. A popular movie or two can change the public perception of something harmless into something frightening.

The witching hour is nigh. Children, who normally have little power, will soon transform into candy-gathering, powerful creatures who rule the night, even if it doesn’t last but an hour or so.
PORTLAND WEATHER

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