The R&T Extra!   October 2006

Bonfires, Saints and Celts, Oh My! — Halloween and the Evil Eye

It's that time of year! Candy sales rise, Jack-o-lanterns appear on front stoops and children become anxious to don costumes of their favorite ghoul, monster, villain or super hero. Adults gear-up for the fun too, watching their favorite horror films and planning parties. But where does Halloween come from?

The holiday finds its roots in the ancient Celtic festival Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts were a prehistoric cultural group that lived in what are now Northern France, Ireland and Great Britain — many people in these areas still speak Celtic languages today. The word Samhain refers to both summer's end and the month November in the Irish language. The Samhain festival celebrated the year's harvest. It also marked the beginning of the long winter. Large communal bonfires were burnt, at least in part to ask for divine help through the dark season. In addition, the Celts believed that during Samhain the dead could return to visit the living. Families prepared meals for dead relatives, a ritual not unlike modern Mexico's Day of the Dead (observed on November 1st and 2nd).

The Celts continued to celebrate Samhain after Roman occupation and even after conversion to Christianity. In the year 835, Pope Gregory IV declared November 1st "All Saints Day," also called "All Hallows Day" (hallow means to make holy). According to some historians, All Hallows Day was meant to steer people away from the old, pagan festival. But the Celts did not give up their holiday of the dead. Instead, they celebrated both holidays simultaneously. In parts of Ireland, versions of Samhain are still celebrated today.

Halloween (a term derived from the phrase "All Hallows Eve") came to the United States in the 19th century when large numbers of Irish people fled the Great Irish Famine. Trick-or-Treat did not become a part of the holiday until the 1950s and is an American invention. Today Halloween focuses not around dead loved ones, but general concepts of death and destruction. It has become a way for us, as a culture, to make light of things that scare us, disgust us or simply remain mysterious despite scientific advancements.

Many of today's popular ghoulish stories still relate to the idea that the dead can return to visit the living – think ghosts, zombies and vampires. The idea that the living can possess extraordinary powers makes witches, wizards – and even super heroes – popular icons of Halloween too. But these characters don't have a monopoly on magic! The ancient superstition of the evil eye attributes supernatural powers to anyone who feels envy.

The "evil eye" was first written about by the Mesopotamians around 3000 BCE. Variations of the belief can be found in cultures on every continent. The main idea is that someone can cause another person bad luck, physical harm or even death by staring at them with envy. Some traditions claim that only people with malevolent intent can cast an evil eye. In Medieval Europe, for example, witches were said to cast the evil eye on people who had crossed them. Other traditions, however, maintain that the act is often accidental, even unconscious, and anyone can be guilty of passing along the bad vibes.

Over the ages, various talismans and rituals have sprung up to protect against the evil eye. In Medieval Europe, certain carvings on churches were said to deflect or absorb the eye's power. In many cultures, waving food, flame or smoke in front of an afflicted person is said to drive away the bad fortune. But the most prevalent type of prevention comes in the form of jewelry! Some experts even hypothesize that spiritual protection was one of the original purposes of adornment.

Amulets meant to cure or deflect the evil eye's effects have been worn for centuries. One of the most common forms is a bead or pendant decorated with concentric circles, meant to mimic an eyeball. Also common is the hamsa hand (Hand of Fatima or Hand of Miriam), which sometimes pictures an eye in the hand's palm. Mirrors sewn into clothing, or featured on jewelry, are also used to deflect harmful gazes.

Trivia Question: According to many folk traditions, the evil eye is said to:
    a. Turn the victim into a witch.
    b. Cause warts, moles and other skin afflictions on the victim.
    c. Dehydrate, make impotent or otherwise "dry out" the victim.
    d. Be defused if the victim offers a tithe or otherwise gives to charity.
Find the correct answer in next month's R&T Extra!

To make great Halloween jewelry, check out our Halloween beads and pendants.

To make protective amulets, try our eye beads and hamsa hand charms.

For more information about the evil eye, see Wikipedia's definition and related links.

Check Out Our New Checkout

Our online store just got better! Because Rings & Things offers so many shipping, backorder and other options, ordering online from us can get a bit confusing – we know! That's why we've tested online-store checkout changes, and recently made some great improvements live. We hope you'll be pleased with our new, easier format. For those of you who already have an online-store account with us, don't worry. Nothing about your log-in details has changed. Simply log in as usual to expedite your online purchases.

Sleek Maori Stylings

Rings & Things now offers Maori-style jade pendants direct from China. The shapes of these pendants reflect the beauty and perseverance of the Maori people, original inhabitants of New Zealand. The gemstone jade provides a sleek look that has been revered for thousands of years.

Typical of cultures that developed without written language, Maori customs and beliefs were passed down through oral storytelling, song, dance and visual arts. Carvings provided one way for traditions to continue from generation to generation. As individual artifacts were passed down, the story or idea it symbolized was passed down as well. If a piece of jewelry was made of bone or other porous materials, it would become imbued with the oils – and some would say the spirit – of the previous wearer. Thus, the inheritance of such objects was (and still can be) a very personal, powerful affair.

Nephrite jade is a stone traditionally used by the Maori to create both work tools and ornamentation. The Maori name for jade is pounamu, although this New Zealand variety is sometimes simply called "green stone." The export of uncut pounamu has been illegal since 1947 because of its increasing scarcity. Our Chinese-carved pendants are available in B.C. jade, also a nephrite stone, and new jade, a form of serpentine.

One of the most popular Maori symbols, the Hei-Matua, or fishhook, represents strength and determination. It is said to bring prosperity, peace and good luck, as well as safe ocean travels (important for a seafaring culture!). Another popular design, the Koru (spiral) portrays a fern leaf unfolding. This symbolizes new beginnings and the rejuvenation of life. Sometimes Koru designs incorporate more than one leaf (frond) unfolding simultaneously. This symbolizes the strength of family ties, each leaf branching out in its own direction, yet still intricately connected to the overall plant. Our kidney-shaped double spiral offers a version of this theme. We currently offer variations on five Maori symbols (Manaia, Hei-Matua, Koru, Twist and Double Twist) for a total of eight different designs – each available in B.C. jade and new jade.

For more information about jade, serpentine and over 200 other gemstones, check out our Gemstone Index.

Rings & Things Employee Spotlight: Michelle Bowles

Customer service manager Michelle Bowles has been a member of our team for over twenty years!

R&T: When did you first start working at R&T?
Michelle: I started in January of 1984.

R&T: What is your position/role at R&T?
Michelle: I'm the customer service/problem resolution manager.

R&T: Describe your job or work history at R&T.
Michelle: I started working at R&T when I was 16 years old because I was involved with DECA in high school. DECA was a Sales and Marketing class that offered credit to students with jobs. Through the years, I have done all of the jobs at Rings & Things. I've weighed/packaged beads, picked and invoiced orders, worked in phone and showroom sales, shipped, purchased, helped create our catalogs ... In my current position, I take care of issues customers have with products, services, shipping, etc. I also help with internal issues in these areas. Plus, I am a "Road Boss." This means I travel quite often, helping with our BeadTour road shows. I reserve all the venues for our shows too.

R&T: Have you ever designed jewelry?
Michelle: I have taught several classes at some of the large trade shows we used to do. I know my way around basic "how to" steps, but I'm not creative in the way our customers are.

R&T: What's your favorite part about working for R&T?
Michelle: My favorite thing about working at Rings & Things is definitely the people. I enjoy all the people that work here and all the customers. I love that R&T is a family-owned company that makes us ALL feel like part of the family. I hope our customers feel that too.

R&T: What are your hobbies?
Michelle: My favorite thing to do for fun is flower gardening. My yard doesn't get enough sun for veggies. I have gotten pretty good at shade gardening, though.

R&T: Do you wish to share anything about your kids or family?
Michelle: I've been married for 20 years. My husband and I have three really great kids. We have two sons, ages 17 and 15 (our oldest has been working summers at R&T), and a daughter who's almost 13. Eeeek! THREE teenagers – wish me luck (grins)!

Thanks!

Our Products   |   Home Page   |   Site Search