The night of the witches....

[Haltickling]

Tonight (4/30) is 'Walpurgis-Night' (also called 'Free-Night'), the night of the witches. In old days, people thought the witches were dancing around a huge fire and perform all their black magic during that night.

An old tradition about this is still active here in Germany: Young people use to play all sorts of practical jokes during that night. Wrapping cars with toilet paper all over, hoisting bikes or newspaper vendor boxes up into a tree or on a roof, or coating all the entrance doors in entire streets with razor foam (just as if 'black magic' were used).

Is there something similar in the American culture? Just curious...

 

[His Divine Shadow]

Besides Halloween and April Fool's Day, I can't think of any similar ones.

 

[Limeoutsider]

Ive read somewhere that there is no much thing as black magic, it all depends on what ones intent is when casting a spell

 

[Neutron]

Haltickling

Yes Halloween. In fact I believe both come from the same legend. Note they're about 6 months apart.


Tron

 

[twinkletoes78]

Halloween is the only one I can think of.
I don't believe in black magic or the voodoo doll thing. Or Miss Cleo the psychic, who says " call me now for your free reading " She should have seen that she was going to jail!

 

[Haltickling]

Thanks for the input, folks! Seems it's more like a specifically German tradition, despite the successful Harry Potter books about witches and wizards...

We have April Fool's day, too, but Halloween has only recently been imported here (largely for commercial reasons, I suspect). Anyway, I find some of the practical jokes rather hilarious.

 

[guitman69]

The only people I know of that celebrate Walpurgisnact are Satanists. It's the day that Anton LaVey formed the Church of Satan.

 

[milagros317]

Originally posted by Haltickling (most deleted)
Is there something similar in the American culture? Just curious...

In New Jersey, where I grew up, the night before Halloween (that is, the night of October 30) was called "Cabbage Night." Chilren, mostly those aged about 12 to 16, would go out and splatter houses and cars with eggs, or with paint. Sometimes it would get out of hand, with the breaking of windows as well. Police dreaded that night--too many incidents for them to respond.

I don't know where the name came from.

 

[His Divine Shadow]

Also known as "Mischief Night" or something like that. It's actually very common in the US.