The bat is associated with Vampires, the walking dead, because of a variety of bat that drinks the blood of animals. Also, bats are nocturnal, making them mysterious. Bats were also seen to fly around Halloween bonfires, eating the insects drawn by the light. Both Witches and vampires were said to be able to shape-shift into bats.

Cats have always had mystical associations. The Egyptian deity Bast appeared in the form of a cat. Cats were associated with many benevolent goddesses. Then, during the Inquisition, the cat was branded as evil and said to be demonic. Later during the Burning Times, cats were branded as "familiars" of witches, and burned along with them. What then, my friends, could be worse than a cat the color of midnight, the color of evil?

Bonfires are connected with Halloween as a harvest holiday. The ancient peoples, knowing that the sun's power was waning, lit fires to carry them into the dark time and into the winter. Bonfires were also part of many pagan celebrations as a centerpiece to ritual and public gatherings. They were a place to sing, dance and drum in the warmth of friends.

The broom, is of course, associated with witches. But how did this start? In ancient pagan communities, many women were "wise ones" or witches. They practiced folk magic, knew herbal medicine and understood the cycles of the earth. They were simple women, and the tools of their craft were household ones: a broom, a cooking vessel (cauldron), herbs and plants. When the witches were persecuted, the symbols associated with them (cats, cauldrons, brooms, etc.) became symbolic of "evil".

Our modern "Trick or Treat" evolved from the tradition of leaving offerings of food for the spirits of the dead on All Hallows Eve. The practice of going house to house, performing for food or money, dates back to early Celtic times, though it followed to early America as well. Our modern "Trick or Treat" night was instituted to counteract Mischief Night vandalism. In the late '60's and early '70's, reports of poisoned candy and razor blades in apples scared many parents and kept children away from the festivities. However, none of the claims were ever proven, and not one death or serious injury in the last 30 years can be attributed to doctored treats.

Iron cauldrons were the ovens of the ancient people- that's how you cooked soups, stews and such; boiled water for baths and clean clothes. When the new religion of Christianity tried to obliterate the old pagan religions, the wise women and healers were branded as witches. Therefore, the brew pot for herbal cures for the sick became the "magickal" cauldron for evil potions and spells containing hideous ingredients.

Corn is an essential part of the fall harvest, and has been an important part of the nutrition of many native peoples. In Europe, the making of a corn dolly out of the last stalk of corn harvested is still practiced today. She is said to represent fertility and ensure a good harvest the following year.

Costumes and masks have played two roles during the Halloween season. It is supposed that ancient people wore costumes to better commune with the spirits that roamed the night. Another theory is that masks were worn to frighten away evil spirits. Whatever the ancient truth, the wearing of disguises and costumes has been firmly rooted in our modern American traditions.

The modern image of the ghost represents the ancient spirits, the ancestors who are thought to be able to "walk" among us, perhaps even contact us personally, on All Hallows Eve. Some cultures leave offerings of food and drink for the spirits of their dead relatives.

Graves, graveyards and coffins all are associated with death and our dead ancestors. Ancient and modern traditions claim the veil between the worlds of the living and the deceased is the thinnest at Halloween, allowing passage either way.

The Jack-O-Lantern, or carved pumpkin is an American twist on an ancient Celtic tradition of carrying hollowed vegetables as candle holders and lanterns. There is no solid evidence that the Celts used them to ward off evil.

The moon has been worshipped as a deity since time began. Controller of the world's tides, the light of the moon was thought to make people insane- hence the word "lunatic". Many mysterious animals hunt by the light of the moon- owls, bats, wolves. Lycanthropes, or werewolves, were said to change under the light of the full moon.

Another nocturnal animal, the owl has been associated with various goddesses, as well as wisdom, mystery and the Underworld. Later, the owl was connected with black magic.

The pitchfork is a tool of the harvest. So how did it get to be associated with the Devil? Well, the trident was also a phallic symbol, a symbol of fertility in many cultures. When the Christian Church began to demonize the pagan religions, they associated this symbol of sexual energy with their devil.

There is evidence that the modern scarecrow is a tamer version of another harvest tradition- human sacrifice. To ensure an abundant harvest and healthy crops, ancient peoples may have used a human sacrifice to appease the gods.

Again, this image is associated with the dead, the spirits who walk among us at Halloween. Also associated with the Mexican "Day of the Dead", a festival honoring the dead. They celebrate with parades and feasting, eating cakes and candies in the shapes of skeletons, and parties in the graveyards of their deceased family members.

The spider has a long, mysterious history in almost all cultures. To some she was the spider goddess; to others, the weaver of fate or of the world itself; to still others a cunning trickster spirit and weaver of tales. The abundance of wispy webs around creepy places had assured the spider's connection to Halloween forever.

In ancient times, many women (and men) were wise in ways of herbal medicine. They knew folk magic and honored the passing seasons with respect. They worshipped the gods and goddesses of the elements, the seasons, fertility. But when Christianity arrived on the scene, they branded these people as evil, and their simple ways as witchcraft and sorcery. Many people were burned, drowned or hanged. A good number of them were old women, hence the vision of the "old crone" as the witch.

The wolf was associated with this night because of the way wolves howl at the moon. Their eerie cries and nocturnal nature branded them mysterious, and in some cases, evil. Witches, vampires and demons were said to shape-shift into wolves. And of course, there's the legend of the Werewolf, the murderous, shape-shifting lycanthrope!