Scarecrows?!

[KleinerApfel]

OK, English girl has a question - anyone out there explain to me why you decorate things with little scarecrows in the Autumn, (sorry - Fall!) over in the States?

They're so pretty, and I love seeing pictures of your "Fall Decorations" but they're still a bit of a mystery to me - nobody around here seems to go in for it.

When I visist my sister in Bavaria, Germany, they go in for outdoor doorstep and porch type decorations pretty much all year, but you guys really seem to have a special "thing" going on about Autumn.

Any explanations on the history of it would be welcome, especially why the scarecrow is such a vital part of it.

Also if you do this kind of thing yourself, PLEASE post a photo, I'd LOVE to see some of your handiwork!

 

[SharonL]

It is associated with Halloween because they are suppose to be scary - early movies made scarecrows as being associated with witches and the devil - so they are mainly just to be scary and are used as Halloween decor - they are used in the fields to scare off the crows from eating the corn - they pull the stalks of corn out of the ground to get the seed root - so you always see corn used as decorations with the scarescows also.

When used with the autumn decorations - they just remind people of the changing seasons with the autumn leaves turning and the end of the growing season.

No real meaning - other than to be scary that I know of.

 

[He put me back together]

Scarecrows...and crows...have some Halloween connotations, but we keep the non-creepy varieties around throughout November, and at times they come up long before anything about Halloween. It's a remembrance of our agricultural past which still has a significant influence on our culture. Some have suggested ties between the scarecrow and human sacrifice, but there is little to no support for that.

 

[KleinerApfel]

Oooh, I see, thanks Sharon.

I didn't associate this with Hallowe'en - mostly the scarecrows I've seen were cute rather than scary! Come to think of it though, I do recall seeing a few with Jack O'Lantern type pumpkin heads.

We do have scarecrows in agriculture here too - traditionally they were made from old clothing stuffed with straw, but modern interpretations are often just flapping bits of sack, plastic strips, bin bags etc., stuck on a pole, (very boring!)

 

[KleinerApfel]

Thanks HPMBT

Some have suggested ties between the scarecrow and human sacrifice, but there is little to no support for that.

:o

 

[he4rty]

Just to let you Know a village near me has a scarecrow festival, so I just did a UK google search and you would be surprised how many scarecrow festivals are held here in the UK.

 

[KleinerApfel]

Wow! I had no idea He4rty!

 

[mrguitar]

See it's not just an American thing!!!! LOL!!!!!!

Yep, Sharon's right.

God Bless!!!

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

OK, English girl has a question - anyone out there explain to me why you decorate things with little scarecrows in the Autumn, (sorry - Fall!) over in the States?

They're so pretty, and I love seeing pictures of your "Fall Decorations" but they're still a bit of a mystery to me - nobody around here seems to go in for it.

When I visist my sister in Bavaria, Germany, they go in for outdoor doorstep and porch type decorations pretty much all year, but you guys really seem to have a special "thing" going on about Autumn.

Any explanations on the history of it would be welcome, especially why the scarecrow is such a vital part of it.

Also if you do this kind of thing yourself, PLEASE post a photo, I'd LOVE to see some of your handiwork!

Here are some sites I found on the internet regarding the history of the scarecrow. I don't see that it initially had anything to do with halloween. I personally have only associated a scarecrow with the fall season and the scaring crows away from crops.

​

The History of Scarecrows

Scarecrowland

Scarecrow patterns

Scarecrow images

 

[Faulty]

I've never seen them associated with Halloween in any manner. I've seen them associated with Thanksgiving all the time though.

 

[Faulty]

Thanks HPMBT






:o

No worries. Usually there are clothes and knives associated with them as well, and yet they aren't intrinsically evil either.

 

[He put me back together]

 

[mrguitar]

Hey now...





LOL!

 

[lovesblessing]

That there is some cheeky scarecrow!

 

[Strong in Him]

The best scarecrow of all was Worzel Gummidge.

 

[irenemcg]

I am learning here
http://www.haylingscarecrows.co.uk/thefestival.htm

What is a Scarecrow Festival?
Anyone who wants to – individuals, schools, businesses, shops, rest homes, restaurants, fire stations, police stations etc make a Scarecrow, dress it in old clothing and hang, tie, mount or otherwise display it on or around their house or premises for people. It needs to be visible from the road for people to view and admire it! Here are some links to websites from other Festivals
http://www.kettlewell.info/scarecrow.cfm
http://www.rennington.flyer.co.uk/
http://www.scarecrowfest.org/photos.asp
http://www.langwathbyscarecrows.co.uk/gallery.htm

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

The best scarecrow of all was Worzel Gummidge.

I had to look him up. Here's what I found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9xeIlp4T2E&feature=related
​

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

I am learning here
http://www.haylingscarecrows.co.uk/thefestival.htm

What is a Scarecrow Festival?
Anyone who wants to – individuals, schools, businesses, shops, rest homes, restaurants, fire stations, police stations etc make a Scarecrow, dress it in old clothing and hang, tie, mount or otherwise display it on or around their house or premises for people. It needs to be visible from the road for people to view and admire it! Here are some links to websites from other Festivals
http://www.kettlewell.info/scarecrow.cfm
http://www.rennington.flyer.co.uk/
http://www.scarecrowfest.org/photos.asp
http://www.langwathbyscarecrows.co.uk/gallery.htm

Those look like such fun