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Help! The Kids Are Taking Over
Once upon a time, I harbored a quaint notion of child development. In the my imaginary world, children eventually transmogrified into those horror-movie monsters called teenagers. They would overrun the house for a few years, scorching and...
The 411 on Natural Colic Remedies
Any parent whose baby has suffered from colic can tell you that colic is one of the most excruciating experiences ever imaginable. Nothing is worse than seeing one’s baby in pain and not being able to help take it away. Finding relief for colic...
Traditional Baby Shower Gifts
TRADITIONAL GIFTS In this section, you will find some of the more traditional gifts. Keep in mind that you can alter any one of these to be more creative or personal. Gift Baskets Gift baskets are something you can buy or make. If you want to save...
Transitioning From Bassinet To Crib
If your baby has been sleeping in your room in a bassinet, you may have some concerns about moving her to her own room and her crib. But, don't worry; you will probably both sleep better once the transition is complete. Most babies are...
Wearing Your Baby
If you're looking for the perfect gift for the parents-to-be, nothing comes close to the gift of a wearable baby. Years ago, the only way to take your baby along was in a stroller or pram, or to carry her in your arms. All that changed with the...
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Hoo Hoo – Owls and Superstitions, That’s Who
Superstitions surrounding owls have a long and ancient history. These nocturnal creatures often appear in horror mystery films, have been associated with dark, haunting night themes, and grace our Halloween décor each fall. Their wide staring eyes give them a wise appearance, while the ability to turn their head around makes them fascinating and mysterious creatures. Tuffs of feathers on the top of an owl’s head gives them the appearance of horned devils and their piercing cries add to the spook effect found in the ancient folklore of many countries.
In many cultures owls were symbols of magic. In England, it was believed that if you cooked an owl’s eggs until they were ash, it could be used as a potion to improve eyesight. In India, if you ate an owl’s eyes you would get the same result.
Witches were often linked to owls. One Greek & Roman superstition believed that witches could turn themselves into an owl and then they would swoop down and suck the blood of babies. Other superstitions related to witches and owls were: that the owls were messengers for sorcerer’s and witches, that they danced together on the graves of the dead and that if you hear the hoot of an owl, then a witch approaches.
In today’s world, we have learned that most of these owl superstitions are just stories, born in a time when people were fearful and trying to find answers to their lives and environment. However, many of these legends survived over time. Here are some other interesting and somewhat strange superstitions that are linked to owls.
* An owl hooting or screeching at night could result in the death of a newborn baby, will cause the child to have an unhappy life, or possibly that the baby would become a witch. If the owl was heard screeching during cold weather it signaled that a storm was coming.
* Owls apparently are the only creatures that can live with ghosts, so if an owl is found nesting in an abandoned house, the place
must be haunted.
* Death is often associated with owls such as if: an owl perches on the roof of your house or hearing an owl hooting constantly nearby.
* If a traveler dreamed of an owl, then that meant he would be robbed or possibly shipwrecked.
* A silly owl superstitions is that if you see an owl perched in a tree and you walk around and around that tree, the owl will follow you with it’s eyes, turning his head around until he wrings his own neck. (The reality is that an owl cannot turn his head completely around).
* Not all superstitions were bad. Owls were also believed to bring good fortune in some cultures. An Afghanistan legend states that it was the owl that presented humans with flint and iron so they could make fire. In exchange, man gave owls their feathers.
* The Aborigines of Australia believe that owls are the spirits of women and are therefore sacred, while in Brittany is was a good sign to see an owl on the way to the harvest as it meant that it would be a good yield that year.
* The owl is a symbol of guidance and help by the Inuit’s of Greenland, while the people of Indonesia saw them as wise beings using the owl’s different calls to determine whether to travel or not.
There are many, many more legends concerning the owl. The reality is that owls are very helpful to us as they are excellent at pest control, especially Barred Owls. They control the population of mice, voles, moles, rats, skunks, snakes, insects and slugs to name a few. So this Halloween, put together an owl superstition trivia sheet for the guests at your Halloween party and add a friendly wise old owl to your décor. It's the perfect "night watchman".
About the Author
(c) 2005. Rose Smith is the owner of HalloweenHowl.com a website filled with Halloween party ideas, costumes, decorations, games, graphics, crafts and more. It's Halloween fun for all ages! Come visit us at: http://www.halloweenhowl.com
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