THREAD
Tomorrow, April 30th, is Walpurgisnacht (Witches’ Night), also known as the ‘other Halloween’ — a night that belongs to WITCHES.
2. Walpurgisnacht falls exactly 6 months after Samhain/Halloween, which means we’re halfway to Halloween!
3. It’s believed that on these two nights the veil between the worlds separating the living and the dead, the seen and the unseen thins; allowing otherworldly beings to mingle openly among us
4. Many of them will be on their way to the Brocken, the highest peak in Germany’s Harz Mountain range, surrounded by a deep forest which is often shrouded in thick mists, and believed to be inhabited by strange, supernatural beings.
5. Witches celebrated Walpurgisnacht with lavish feasting, orgies, and general merrymaking, with the Devil himself presiding over the festivities
6. You may remember the Night on Bald Mountain segment from #Disney ‘s 1940 film Fantasia, which depicted a witches’ night in progress (watch here: )
7. Extra care and precautions were necessary for mortals on Walpurgisnacht. There were numerous rules and rituals that were believed to safeguard people from supernatural harm.
📷: William Mortenson
8. Doorways & livestock were painted with crosses & adorned with bouquets of herbs in hopes of repelling mischievous beings & witches who would often enchant the beasts & fly on their backs to the Brocken
9. Noisemaking, such as ringing bells, was often employed to scare away evil spirits
10. Massive bonfires were built with the hope that the flames would rise high enough to burn any witches who were flying overhead
11. Brooms and children were hidden away on Walpurgisnacht to prevent witches from taking them up to the Brocken to possibly be eaten (the children, not the brooms)
12. To this day you can attend Walpurgisnacht festivities in German towns in the the Hartz mountain region.
1. If Hallmark Christmas movie marathons, and reruns of Miracle on 34th Street are not your thing (because they definitely aren’t mine), here are some alternative seasonal favorites that pair just as well with some popcorn and hot chocolate by the fire 🎄🔥🍿 🎞
2. Bell, Book, and Candle (1958) There’s witchcraft, a cat, and a secret nightclub for witches set against a Christmas in New York City backdrop.
3. Fanny and Alexander (1982) Ingmar Bergen has a way of beautifully and painfully exposing the best and worst of human beings. In this lavish, visually stunning film he takes viewers inside the Ekdhal family’s Victorian era Christmas to explore the pain and joys of family.
THREAD
Various parts of the world will be visited by witches this week, as the Christmas season finally comes to a close on January 6th.
Some witches will bear gifts. 🎁
Others, terrifying punishments. 🔪
Prior to the Christian church taking over January 6th as Epiphany or Three Kings night, this was the holy night of Berchta, goddess of winter, witchcraft, and animals.
Threads of Berchta can be found in many of the various ‘Christmas’ witch figures.
There are beliefs that some of these winter witches and goddesses looked after the spirits of dead children, who also traveled with them over the 12 nights.
Households would place offerings of food on their roofs or outside the door as a gesture of acknowledgement and gratitude
THREAD
Here’s a bit of dark Easter folklore for your #FolkloreThursday 🐣
Easter time—the dark period between Christ’s death on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday—was considered particularly vulnerable to evil.
It was once believed that on Maundy Thursday in Sweden, witches would come out of hiding and fly stolen brooms or livestock, landing on rooftops and causing all sorts of trouble for the villagers.
The idea of witches riding brooms or beasts during this time originated with beliefs about an early Norse fertility goddess, Freyja, who was thought to ride a chariot pulled by giant cats