THE HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN

The History of Halloween traces back to the Celts and a celebration called Samhain. The festival marked the begin of the new year on November 1. Because it was the end of harvest, it was associated with darkness and death. The Celts believed Samhain was the night when the spirits of the dead mingled with the living.

Eventually the Romans conquered most of the Celtic terriority and combined Samhain with their own religious beliefs about the dead. When Christianity spread into the land, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints’ Day - also know as All-hallows or All-hallowmas. The night before became known as All-hallows Eve, evolving into Halloween.

Trick-or-treating on Halloween likely came from the English tradition of All-Souls parades when poor people would go door-to-door for soul cakes (pastries). These pastries were given out in exchange for their prayers for the family’s deceased. Eventually, children took over the practice and were given a variety of food, money or ale.

Dressing up in Halloween masks or costumes comes from the old fears that ghosts wandered the earth on Samhain and it was a way to avoid being recognized. They believed that by dressing as spirits, the spirits would think they were one of their own and let them pass safely.

Modern day Halloween practices began with community get-togethers and feasts. Parties focused on food, festive costumes and adults and children collectively mingling, almost like a traditional harvest celebration. Eventually, people began to honor the traditional Samhain roots and make Halloween more about the dead, spirits and celebration. Today, essentially anything goes and it’s really the last party we have before the long, dark winter sets in.