The History of Halloween
By Sara Dimmick
Halloween is celebrated October 31, and is well-known all over the world. While people may do it in different ways, many, no matter their age, celebrate this holiday.
When you hear “Halloween,” what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? I know I think of the movies (See Terrifying Top 10), the candy, and the decorations, but what isn’t always thought of is how it came about and why we celebrate this annual holiday.
I searched the internet and found some information on the History Channel website, which tells about the origin of Halloween. According to History.com it dates all the way back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which is pronounced “sow-in.” The Celts lived 2,000 years ago in the areas that are now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France.
Celtic Tradition
In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor and remember all saints. The Celts believed the ghosts of the dead returned to Earth. They would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of fun-filled activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, gatherings, and eating sweet treats.
It wasn’t for a long time, however, that the holiday of Halloween came to America. It was strictly limited in Colonial New England, according to History.com, because of the belief systems there. It was more common in the southern colonies.
Cultural Blending
As different beliefs and traditions from Europeans and Native Americans came together, the American version of Halloween came about. The first celebrations of Halloween in America included public events that were held to help celebrate the harvest. People would share stories of the dead, tell fortunes, dance, and sing together.
By the second half of the 19th century, America had millions of new immigrants whose European traditions helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween. Americans started to dress up in costumes of all kinds: scary, friendly, etc. They went from house to house asking for food or money and that is how it got the name “trick-or-treat.”
More than Candy
Halloween evolved from “religious beliefs” to a fun-filled time of trick-or-treating, watching movies, parties, and friendly gatherings.
Not many people would think to dig deep into the Celtic festivals to know the history of Halloween, but at one point it was something much more than the candy, costumes, movies, and gatherings.