Of all the holidays traditionally celebrated around the world, Halloween is one of the most unique - and most peculiar - celebrations of the year. When autumn ushers in the start of the holiday season, many people first think of Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas gifts as the colder months approach. But Halloween, a day that one might regard as the delinquent younger sibling in the family of holidays, has a long history of odd customs that set it apart from Yuletide and Easter, and residents of Lancaster County have added their own traditions to the mix over many years.

Halloween originated as All Hallows' Eve, taking place before the annual Christian celebration of All Hallows' Day on Nov. 1. The evening signifies the beginning of Allhallowtide, a time of year when Christians honor saints, martyrs and departed souls who are yet on their journey to heaven. All Hallows' Day has been observed for more than a thousand years, but the Halloween we know in modern times is the product of various cultures and traditions picked up through the centuries. Similarly to Christmas, All Hallows' Eve adopted many customs that historians attribute to Celtic societies, including the Gaelic festival Samhain. Samhain marked the beginning of winter in the ancient Gaelic calendar, and its rituals involved offering food, drinks and crops to wayward spirits and wandering souls who may arrive at the door. By the 16th century, Scottish celebrators practiced "guising," the annual tradition of performing door to door to earn food and treats. Many "guisers" carried turnips carved with faces and symbols to scare away evil spirits, a custom that was inspired by an Irish folk tale.

Irish and Scottish immigrants brought many Halloween traditions to the United States, and the rituals continued to evolve as the country developed. Turnips were replaced by pumpkins, as they are native to North America and easier to carve. As popular media began to include macabre fictions and what eventually became the horror genre, Halloween celebrations started incorporating skeletons, ghosts and vampires.

Many parts of the country developed their own unique Halloween traditions, and Lancaster County is no exception. "I heard stories of people who would go out and tip over outhouses as a prank (in Washington Boro)," said Charlie Douts, president of Blue Rock Heritage Center and lifelong resident of the area. Douts added that children throughout the Southern End would often shuck ears of corn and toss them onto porches to make residents wonder if a restless ghost had arrived for dinner.

As one of the first colonized areas in America, Lancaster has a multitude of allegedly haunted houses, spectral residents and other folk tales derived from its rich history. Although ghost sightings cannot be confirmed, every part of the county has its own nuanced accounts of paranormal encounters. Today, visitors travel from across the country to visit Field of Screams, a haunted attraction located in the cornfields of Mountville. Churches and service organizations throughout the county offer more family-friendly activities such as Trunk or Treats and fall festivals for the community to enjoy.

The end of October is approaching quickly, and the spookiest day of the year is but one week away. May this be a reminder to stock your candy bowls for young trick-or-treaters, and if you visit Washington Boro, it may be wise to exercise caution when using an outhouse.