{"product_id":"behind-the-costume-hector-mcclain-9798271712722","title":"Behind the Costume: A Historical Guide to Halloween's Symbols, Beliefs and Celebrations","description":"\u003cp\u003eHave you ever wondered \u003cb\u003ewhy October 31st is filled with costumes, candles, and carved pumpkins glowing in the dark?\u003c\/b\u003e Or why children shout \"trick or treat\" without really knowing where that strange phrase came from? What if behind all the laughter and candy lies a story that stretches back over two thousand years - one woven through \u003cb\u003eancient Celtic rituals, Roman festivals, Christian transformations, and global traditions\u003c\/b\u003e that still shape how we celebrate today?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book invites you to travel deep into the \u003cb\u003emystical origins of Halloween\u003c\/b\u003e, uncovering how the \u003cb\u003eCeltic festival of Samhain\u003c\/b\u003e became a night of spirits and fire, how \u003cb\u003eRoman and Christian influences\u003c\/b\u003e reshaped it into \u003ci\u003eAll Hallows' Eve\u003c\/i\u003e, and how waves of \u003cb\u003eIrish and Scottish immigrants\u003c\/b\u003e carried their customs across the Atlantic to create the holiday we now know. You'll explore the \u003cb\u003erituals, folklore, and superstitions\u003c\/b\u003e that once defined Europe's autumn festivals - from \u003cb\u003esoul cakes and guising\u003c\/b\u003e to \u003cb\u003ebonfires and ghostly tales\u003c\/b\u003e that blurred the line between the living and the dead.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut that's not all. Have you ever asked yourself \u003cb\u003ehow Halloween became such a global phenomenon\u003c\/b\u003e - from neighborhood trick-or-treating to Hollywood horror and billion-dollar industries? Or how its ancient symbols - \u003cb\u003ethe Jack-o'-Lantern, witches, bats, and black cats\u003c\/b\u003e - transformed from sacred or feared images into icons of fun and festivity? You'll discover how \u003cb\u003emedia, globalization, and modern consumer culture\u003c\/b\u003e reshaped a night of remembrance into a worldwide celebration of imagination, mystery, and transformation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHalloween is more than a night of fright - it's a mirror of humanity's long relationship with the unknown.\u003c\/b\u003e It's a story about our need to remember the dead, confront our fears, and find meaning in the shadows. This book doesn't just tell you what happened; it helps you \u003ci\u003efeel\u003c\/i\u003e how ancient traditions still echo through every flickering candle and whispered ghost story.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo, are you ready to uncover the truth behind the world's most hauntingly fascinating holiday?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eStep into the history, unravel the myths, and experience Halloween as you've never known it before.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGrab your copy today - the story begins where the veil between past and present grows thin.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Hector McClain\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798271712722\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/26\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 78\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.45lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 11.00h x 8.50w x 0.16d","brand":"Hector McClain","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48440612782335,"sku":"9798271712722","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_8f8a7da8-70e0-4d2a-b7d1-66d170ef9169.jpg?v=1777183613","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/behind-the-costume-hector-mcclain-9798271712722","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}