It must be magic. The phrase itself brings about a sense of wonder and intrigue. Magic, in its various forms, has captivated human imagination for centuries. But what does it really mean when something is described as "magic"? For some, magic represents the supernatural and unexplainable. It conjures images of fantastical creatures, mystical powers, and spells cast in ancient languages. It is the stuff of fairy tales and legends, enchanting and elusive.
Many young women especially believed that Halloween was the best day for divination and would often seek out fortune tellers to find out the names of their future husbands. This mashup of traditions and beliefs across millennia led to witches becoming a symbol of a holiday celebrating the macabre.
While there were autumn festivals that included the telling of ghost stories and other such creepy traditions, it wasn t until the influx of Irish immigrants that came to America in the 19th century that Halloween as we know it today began to take root. President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton dressed as James and Dolley Madison at Hillary s Halloween costume birthday party at the White House, 1993.
It is the stuff of fairy tales and legends, enchanting and elusive. In this sense, "It must be magic" is a way of acknowledging the presence of something extraordinary, something that defies logical explanation. But magic can also be understood in a metaphorical sense.
The Witches of Halloween Past
If recent memes are any indication, it’s likely you’ll wind up as Big Bird, a face-eating zombie, Psy or the Ecco Homo fresco for Halloween. Or, there are the classics. You know, the default ghosts, scarecrows, clowns and witches our parents’ and even our grandparents’ generations wore for Halloween. (Turns out that my grandmother, my mother and I all had our turns as teenage witches, going door-to-door clad in black pointy hats collecting our bounty.)
Contestants in the Halloween Slick Chick beauty contest in Anaheim, California, 1947.
Silk stockings ad from Ipswich Hosiery, 1927.
Halloween is thought to date back more than 2,000 years to a time when Celtic people celebrated New Year’s Day, or Samhain, on the equivalent of November 1. Legend has it that the day before, or Samhain eve (now known as Halloween), fairy and demon spirits would appear in the ether as they traveled to the afterlife. Celts dressed in costumes to stave off the evil spirits and tap into the souls of their ancestry.
Witch fashion, 1938.
All Hallows’ Eve, as it’s also known, was brought to the United States by European immigrants in the 1800s and with it, the witch costume. With absolutely no scientific evidence, one could conjecture that at least one in four people has dressed up as the hooked-nose, broom-laden, cauldron-stirring, wart-faced caricature at least one time in his or her Halloween career. As proof of this hypothesis, images of Halloween witches throughout the decades aren’t difficult to come by.
Nancy Carroll, date unknown.
Joyce Holden, 1950.
Sexy witches, pin-up witches, cutesy witches. I’d assumed that the proliferation of racy costumes (bananas and bubble gum costumes included) was a more recent occurrence. Slate suggests that the tawdriness actually began in the 1970s for a few reasons: Drag queens began dressing up for Halloween in skimpy outfits; the Halloween parade kicked off in Greenwich Village in 1973 and was quickly mimicked in the Castro and West Hollywood; and retailers began selling suggestive pre-fab costumes. But from digging around for old photos and coming upon images of scantily clad enchantresses riding those broomsticks beginning in the 1910s, it looks like witches were less Salem and more sassy much earlier than the disco decade.
Barbara Britton, Katharine Booth, Ella Neal and Eva Gabor c. 1941.
P.S. Ever wonder why broomsticks were a witch’s accessory of choice? Brooms weren’t initially meant for flying. In Celtic times, they had a much more mundane purpose; they were used to clean an area before a healing ritual could be performed. But if you ask me, the broomstick’s primary function was likely to shoo away black cats from crossing your path.
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Emily Spivack creates and edits the sites Worn Stories and Sentimental Value. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Abracadabra store manager Darin Pellegrino, left, wears a Vice President George H.W. Bush mask and Lourdes Lopez wears a Gov. Michael Dukakis mask as they ready for the upcoming Halloween season at their Greenwich Village store in New York, 1988.
It can refer to that inexplicable feeling of joy and excitement that permeates our lives. It is the tingling sensation when we witness a breathtaking sunset, the rush of adrenaline when we achieve something we thought impossible, or the warmth in our hearts when we connect with others. In this context, "It must be magic" can be seen as a way of embracing the beauty and wonder of life itself. There is a certain allure to the idea of magic. It allows us to suspend our disbelief, to open ourselves up to the unknown. It invites us to venture into realms beyond the ordinary, to explore the limitless possibilities of the human imagination. It reminds us that there is still so much in the world that we have yet to discover and understand. However, it is also important to remember that not everything can be attributed to magic. In our quest for answers, it is crucial to employ critical thinking and scientific inquiry. While magic adds an element of mystery and excitement to our lives, it should not replace our pursuit of rational explanations and evidence-based reasoning. In conclusion, "It must be magic" is a phrase that holds different meanings for different people. It can symbolize the supernatural and unexplainable, or it can embody the wonder and joy of everyday life. As we navigate through the complexities of the world, let us embrace the magic that surrounds us, but also acknowledge the importance of rationality and understanding..
Reviews for "The Magic of Healing: Exploring Alternative Therapies."
1. Samantha - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "It Must be Magid". The story was predictable and lacked originality. The characters were one-dimensional and I found it hard to connect with them. The writing style was also cliché and forced. Overall, I felt like I wasted my time reading this book.
2. Michael - 1 star - I couldn't stand "It Must be Magid". The plot was confusing and all over the place. The pacing was way too slow and it took forever for anything interesting to happen. The dialogue felt unnatural and the attempts at humor fell flat. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
3. Emily - 2 stars - "It Must be Magid" was a huge letdown for me. The story felt disjointed and there were too many unnecessary subplots. The characters were unlikable and lacked depth. The writing itself was mediocre at best, with awkward phrasing and grammatical errors. I expected more from this book but was ultimately disappointed.
4. John - 1 star - I regretted picking up "It Must be Magid". The story was predictable and lacked any real surprises. The characters were poorly developed and I didn't care about any of them. The writing style was dry and lacked any flair or creativity. I struggled to finish this book and would not recommend it to anyone.