Every year on October 31, people celebrate Halloween with costumes, candy, and spooky pranks. While most people celebrate this famous holiday each year, many are unaware of its roots that date back thousands of years.
Origins
According to History.com, Halloween began as the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated over 2,000 years ago in what is now Ireland and parts of the United Kingdom. November 1st marked the end of summer and the beginning of the cold winter, a time the Celtics associated with death because of its darkness and scarcity of crops.
The Celts believed that on the night before November 1st, their new year, the line between living and dead became blurred. They believed on October 31st spirits could return to Earth to damage crops and cause trouble. Because of this, people lit bonfires and wore costumes to protect themselves and honor the dead.
Britannica.com notes that when the Romans conquered Celtic lands they created their own traditions, like Feralia to commemorate the dead and Panama to celebrate the roman goddess of fruit and trees. Soon, these traditions mixed with Samhain, continuing the tradition of celebration on October 31st.
Trick Or Treat
Later, as Christianity spread through Europe, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as All Saints’ Day to honor saints and martyrs. The evening before became known as All Hallows’ Eve, which eventually turned into Halloween.
In the 1800s, Irish immigrants brought their Halloween customs to America, becoming one of the principal U.S. holidays.
People began having neighborhood gatherings, telling ghost stories, and dressing in spooky costumes. They also hosted Halloween parties, holding apple bobbing and pumpkin carving events.
The tradition of trick-or-treating originated from old practices where the poor walked door to door asking for food or treats in exchange for prayers. Now, children walk around their neighborhood asking for candy in their Halloween costumes.
Happy Halloween
Today, Halloween has become a fun and creative celebration full of pumpkins, candy, haunted houses, and costumes of all kinds. Even though it began as a traditional festival about spirits and the dead, it’s now one of the most popular holidays in the world.
