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Anniversary Ghosts, Theories and Things

© Janice Oberding

Ghosts, it seems, can and will appear just about anyplace that they choose to do so, except for the anniversary ghost. This spirit is thought to appear only on the anniversary of some significant date in his, or her, life or in commemoration of the misfortune that ultimately led to death.

One very famous anniversary ghost is that of California's Father Junipero Serra. Father Serra, the founder of many of California's missions, is said to appear on New Year's Eve at his beloved San Carlos Mission in Carmel.

Several years ago I worked with a woman that claimed her mother, who had been dead for decades, returned to wish her a happy birthday every year. I have to admit I was very curious about this one, but unfortunately I was never invited to make the well wishing specter's acquaintance.

In the realm of anniversary ghosts there are many stories of murder victims who make appearances on the date of their murders (especially if the killing has gone unsolved.) Elizabeth Short, better known as the Black Dahlia, is probably one of the more famous ghosts in this category.

Then there are the haunted cemeteries. Some are the residences of certain occupants said to appear only on the date of their burials. This would seem to be in direct opposition to the theory that ghosts aren't aware of their own demise.

But then, ghost research is a field fraught with theories. One theory suggests that all time ceases to exist the moment one passes. In other words, time is irrelevant to, and has no meaning for, a ghost. If this is the case, how and why would a spirit choose to appear on an anniversary date?

An easy answer to this question could be that these apparitions are continually making appearances on our plane. By remembering them on a specific date, we allow ourselves to become more keenly aware of them.

Another interesting ghost theory is that of misplaced items. Lost an item for no apparent reason lately? This is supposed to be an indicator of a ghostly presence nearby. Have you ever searched for something only to turn away and then see it right where you just looked? Many people believe this to be the work of a prank-playing ghost.

This has happened to me plenty of times. I don't know if it's the work of a ghost or not, but it can be annoying.

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