The Origins
Have you ever wondered where the concept of Halloween came from? Well, Halloween has some spooky origins. Some of these origins can be traced back to Christian practices. It is speculated that it began as All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween). This was a celebration before All Hallow’s Day (or All Saint’s Day) on November 1 (Halloween). All Soul’s Day took place on November 2, culminating in the three-day celebration known as Allhallowtide (Halloween). This was a time to honor the Christian saints and those who had recently passed. It was believed that the spirits of these dead came back for the day as their souls had not yet made it to heaven (Halloween). But, Halloween can also be traced back to the ancient Celtic celebration, Samhain (sow-in) (Halloween: Origins). The Celts saw October 31 as the last day of the summer and November 1 as the start of the cold, dark winter (Halloween: Origins). Thus, this was a day associated with death. Celts believed the door between the living and the dead became blurred and on the eve of the 31st, the ghosts of the dead returned to roam the Earth (Halloween: Origins)! Celts would have big bonfires and dress in costumes consisting of animal heads and skins (Halloween: Origins). It was here they would present sacrifices to the Celtic deities and tell each other fortunes (Halloween: Origins). However, as Christianity’s influence spread across Europe and North America, this celebration became lost and blended into the practices of Allhallowtide (Halloween: Origins). Trick-or-Treating Trick-or-treating has a long history too. It can be linked to the custom of ‘souling’ (Halloween). In Christian practice, children would ask for ‘soul cakes’ in exchange for praying for the souls of the dead (Halloween). They would leave the cakes out for the souls to eat and would often act as representatives for the dead and eat the cakes themselves (Halloween). When out ‘souling,’ children would carry lanterns representing the souls of the dead and make jack-o-lanterns meant to ward off evil spirits (Halloween). This was also known as ‘guiling’ (Halloween). However, guiling involved disguising yourself in costumes and going from door to door asking for food or money (Halloween). The first recorded instance of guiling in North America was in Ontario, Canada in 1928 (Halloween). This has since evolved into the candy-filled, costume-wearing event that it is today. Towards the end of the 19th century, there was a push in the U.S. to make Halloween more community and family-oriented and less centered around frightening imagery such as witchcraft and ghosts (Halloween). Nowadays, Halloween parties are the most common way to celebrate the holiday! Sources “Halloween: Origins, Meaning & Traditions.” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, 2009, www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween#ancient-origins-of-halloween. “Halloween.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Nov. 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween.
1 Comment
3/25/2024 06:55:28 pm
Wanna gobbsa RITEn
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