Step into a night where hilltop fires smoke and stubble fields whisper. Eric Extreme guides you through the birth of Halloween, from the fragile veil of Samhain to the carved lanterns of Stingy Jack and the masks that once warded the living from the dead. We trace the journey of customs across oceans and centuries: immigrant hands carving pumpkins, children in guises bargaining for soul cakes, and the slow shift from sacred ritual to suburban spectacle. And reason is poised to peek through the cracks, revealing what lies beyond. Join me as I seek answers in the shadows, explore the whispers that echo in the void, and listen for the faint signals that shape our sense of the supernatural. This is Paranormal Declassified, The Spirit Files, from Mount Washington Valley Spirit Paranormal Investigators. Follow the flicker and decide where mystery ends and science begins. A nearly identical transcript of this episode may be found at:  https://www.mwvspirit.com/blog/2025/11/15/veil-of-fire-the-ancient-origins-of-halloween/ As a paranormal investigator, Eric Extreme has decades of experience. He focuses on the scientific study of perceived paranormal phenomena. In this podcast, he discusses the methods and tools used in investigations, exploring how factors like cognitive biases, environmental conditions, and technological anomalies can influence perceptions of the paranormal. His approach is to identify natural causes first before considering any paranormal explanations. With years of research and fieldwork behind him, he offers insights into how these phenomena can be studied objectively, based on evidence. The goal is to help listeners understand how to approach paranormal investigations focused on science, distinguishing between what can be explained and what cannot. As he always says, "Science comes before the spooky." Mount Washington Valley SPIRIT (Scientific Paranormal Investigations, Research, and Interpretation Team) Book: https://www.ApparitionOfThePast.com Homepage: https://www.MWVSpirit.com Podcast: https://mwvspirit.podbean.com Blog: https://www.MWVSpirit.com/blog Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mwvspirit.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MWVSpirit Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/203797804@N05/ Gab: https://gab.com/mwvspirit IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16150782 Imgur: https://imgur.com/user/mwvspirit Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MWVSpirit Iviv: https://iviv.hu/people/a51e3690a278013e55bd723c915ba918 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mwvspirit LiveJournal: https://mwvspirit.livejournal.com/ Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@mwvspirit Mewe: https://mewe.com/mountwashington_/posts Minds: https://www.minds.com/mwvspirit/ Mov.im: https://mov.im/contact/mwvspirit%40movim.eu OC Social: https://ocsocialnetwork.com/id/8e58beaa-c09e-4b1e-9c42-65015ef9b890 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mwvspirit/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Mount-Washington-Valley-SPIRIT Snapchat: https://snapchat.com/t/uN1wtb9Z Space Hey: https://spacehey.com/mwvspirit Substack: https://substack.com/@mountwashingtonvalleyspirit Threads: https://www.threads.com/@mwvspirit TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mwvspirit Tumblr: https://mountwashingtonvalleyspirit.tumblr.com X: https://x.com/mwvspirit YikTak: https://app.yikyak.com/u/mwvspirit_paranormal_team YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mwvspirit