Halloween is steeped in tradition. Halloween season also is a time of year when superstitions take root and add to the spooky and often silly nature of the holiday.

Some Halloween traditions can be traced back to the ancient Celts and their belief that spirits of the deceased were able to wander the earth during the time they called Samhain. Costumes were worn so the living could blend in with ghosts, and treats were laid out to appease the spirits.

Over the years, additional Halloween superstitions have emerged. The origins vary, but the following are some common superstitions to consider as October 31 draws near.

• Some believe that bats flying around a house on Halloween — either indoors or outside — is a sign that spirits lurk nearby.

• Black cats have long been thought to be companions of witches or “familiars,” demonic animals gifted to them. While some think it’s bad luck for a black cat to cross your path, in Ireland, Scotland and England, black cats symbolize good luck.

• One Halloween superstition states that if you walk around your home backward three times and then counterclockwise three times before the sun sets on Halloween, you will ward off nearby evil spirits.

• Legend has it that you will have good luck if you sleep facing south the night before Halloween.

• Apples can help people determine if they will live long lives. On Halloween night, you have to make an unbroken apple peel, which will estimate how long you will live. The longer the peel is, the longer you’ll live.

• Another superstition suggests that if you spot a spider on Halloween, the spirit of a deceased loved one is watching over you.

• It is said that no person should lie in a coffin while alive, even for fun. Otherwise, he or she is inviting death. Also, no item of clothing belonging to a living person should ever be put on a corpse when it is placed in a coffin, for as it rots in the grave so will the rightful owner’s health begin to decline.

• Children who are born on Halloween are said to have the gift of second sight, which may also include the power to ward off evil spirits.

• People have been warned not to turn around on Halloween night if they hear footsteps behind them, as this could mean Death is following.

• There is a superstition that when you pass a graveyard or house where someone has died, you should turn your pockets inside out to make sure you don’t bring home a ghost in your pocket.

• Jack-o’-lanterns light up Halloween nights. Jack-o’-lanterns were originally made out of hollowed-out turnips, but pumpkins replaced the turnips when the Irish emigrated to North America. Jack-o’-lanterns were used to guide lost souls and keep evil spirits at bay.

Halloween is full of superstitions, myths and traditions that have been passed down through the years.