SUPERSTITIONS: The month of October, leading up to Halloween, is a time for spooky tales and superstitions — black cats, bats, spiders, jack-o-lanterns, owls and more.

The website for American Folklore shares stories of some interesting superstitions with a creepy connection to the holiday.

“If you hold your breath while you drive by a cemetery, evil spirits can’t enter your body. When passing a graveyard or a house where someone has died, turn your pockets inside out to make sure you don’t bring home ghost in your pocket.”

And if you do see a ghost? Walk around it nine times (yikes!) and it will disappear.

“Many people used to believe that owls swooped down to eat the souls of the dying. If they heard an owl hooting, they would become frightened. A common remedy was thought to be turning your pockets inside out and you would be safe.”

We’re pretty sure the birders out there could tell us that souls are not included in the diet of owls.

Here are some more unusual superstitions, from www.magicfestival.ca

“Unmarried girls would peel an apple, taking care to remove the peel in one long strip. They would then throw it over their shoulder. It was believed that when the peel landed, it would form the initials of the man they would marry.

“Young unmarried ladies might also carry a lamp to a spring of water on Halloween night. This supposedly enabled them to see a reflection of their future husband in the water.”

This one is a bit — forgive the pun — nutty.

“The British believed that the Devil was a nut gatherer. On Halloween, they used nuts as magic charms.”