The History Of Halloween - Origins, Traditions, Meaning And Fun Facts |
Originally Published By: Hazel Edison & Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. (July 29, 2022)13 / 20 min read
Curated & Reconstructed By: Kenyatta_Ruth (10/31/2023)
Wondering about the History of Halloween, Halloween history? Its roots go back many centuries ago.
Halloween Historical Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Evidence Suggests
Halloween first started decades ago as a religious practice.
Samhain Pronunciation
(saa·wn)
Celts celebrated Samhain around October 31st to honor the dead and ward off evil spirits. They believed that during this time, the boundary between the living and the dead was blurred. It is believed that the Celts arrived at the shores of Britain at approximately 1,000BC and lived there during the Iron Age, the Roman Age and the post Roman era. Their legacy continues today where examples of the language (Welsh), culture and traditions continue to exist.
SIL Ethnologue lists six living Celtic languages, of which four have retained a substantial number of native speakers. These are: the Goidelic languages (Irish and Scottish Gaelic, both descended from Middle Irish) and the Brittonic languages (Welsh and Breton, descended from Common Brittonic). The other two, Cornish (Brittonic) and Manx (Goidelic), died out in modern times with their presumed last native speakers in 1777and 1974 respectively. For both these languages, however, revitalisation movements have led to the adoption of these languages by adults and children and produced some native speakers.
Taken together, there were roughly one million native speakers of Celtic languages as of the 2000s.
In 2010, there were more than 1.4 million speakers of Celtic languages
Christian Influence :
The Christian church later incorporated elements of Samhain into its own traditions. It is believed that Halloween originated from the old harvest festival of Samhain by the Celtic people. They thought evil spirits returned to their homes at night and lit bonfires to fend them away. Also, they disguised themselves, i.e., wore masks and costumes not to be recognized by the evil wandering spirits. While the heart's spirits warded off, the ancestors were welcomed home. A bonfire would start with the murdered animals' bones, and food was made in response to presumed thoughts, for the life (living) and the dead (deceased).
Halloween has been around for more than a thousand years. Originally a religious observance, it became increasingly secular over the centuries until its religious trappings all but disappeared. Today Halloween is considered a holiday for dress-up and fun, especially for children, therefore the event is popular among people of all ages and ethnicities.
Halloween’s origins can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhian, which was held on November 1 in contemporary calendars. It was believed that on that day, the souls of the dead returned to their homes, so people dressed in costumes and lit bonfires to ward off spirits. In this way, popular Halloween tropes such as witches, ghosts, and goblins became associated with the holiday.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
In the 7th century CE, Pope Boniface IV created All Saints Day, originally celebrated on May 13. A century later, Pope Gregory III moved the holiday to November 1, likely as a Christian substitute for the pagan festival of Samhain. The day before the saintly celebration became known as All Hallows Eve, or Halloween.
Though the holiday began in Celtic regions of Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, it quickly spread to other parts of the world. The first American colonists in New England were forbidden to celebrate it for religious reasons, though it enjoyed some popularity in the Southern colonies. By the 1800s, fall festivals marking the seasonal harvest incorporated Halloween elements, and Irish immigrants escaping the devastating Potato Famine brought with them many Halloween traditions that remain today.
The custom of trick-or-treating, in which children dress up in costume and solicit treats from neighbors, became popular in the United States in the early 20th century as Irish and Scottish communities revived the Old World custom of “guising,” in which a person would dress in costume and tell a joke, recite a poem, or perform some other trick in exchange for a piece of fruit or other treat. By 1950, trick-or-treating for candy had become one of Halloween’s most popular activities. Today, Halloween is one of the biggest holidays for candy sales in the United States, estimated to be more than $3 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.
There is a lot to anticipate, from planning spine-tingling parties to arranging spooky décor and doing the groundwork for trick-or-treating loved ones. The event's aura can be seen spreading across many countries globally in no time.
Regardless of your age, or your stage in life, the October Holiday does not get old. No matter how many times you have had the opportunity to celebrate the spooky day, you still do not want to miss out on the highly fantastic event. It marks a once-a-year chance for parents to enjoy their drinks while watching their children dress up for trick-or-treating and candies.
Amidst the chaos of preparing for a 'perfect' Halloween, this entire story behind the occasion is to enhance your perspective concerning the festivities and parties for the day. About the history of Halloween, Halloween History is far older than you may realize. The wizards, witches, goblins, demons, and other supernatural stuff you associate with the day have come a long way from centuries ago. Let's dive in deeper to find out some interesting facts about Halloween.
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History of Halloween - Source: National Geographic
As a result, witches, goblins, ghosts, and other terrifying supernatural elements became associated with Halloween. The Celtic mythology made the people of Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of the Man believe that the veil between the Earth and the supernatural world dwindled during Samhain. Following this, the spirits and evil return to the world easily. Per the Mirror, people would offer food to try to be on the good side of the souls to prevent misfortune.
Halloween, also marks the end of summer, harvest, and the start of the freezing winter, which causes the death of people. Moreover, the Celts believed that it would become more accessible for priests to forecast the future on this day.
Since the Celts held polytheistic beliefs, the holiday of Samhain involved various rituals and ceremonies in establishing a connection with the spirits. While not much is known about the celebrations, many people believe that Celts made lanterns out of gourds, ate feasts relating to the event, and wore costumes like animal hides. Here's where the history of jack-o-lantern originates.
Further, as Christianity prevailed and the pagan overtones of the celebration diminished, the basic traditions held up to the day. These traditions not only remained but also changed and modernized with time. Thus, the festival has changed over time from an ancient tradition to today's celebrative event.
Moreover, Halloween is a blend of pagan holidays and other traditions, through which the Christians tried to convert the Celts to Christianity. During the Samhain events, the spirits of the dead were believed to return to homes, and those who passed away during the year were considered journeying to the other world. On the day, they used to set bonfires on hilltops to scare away the evil and relit their lost hopes for the upcoming winter season.
Although the practices are standard within many cultures, some Halloween customs remain intact in different countries. As time went by, the myths evolved into fun games and parties. For instance, the beliefs about the dead returning were replaced with future forecasting. For example, the Bobbing for apples became widely known among people.
Another tradition was mirror gazing, where people thought looking into the mirror might help them foresee their future. It is also believed that people would give out fortune cookie-like flavors to take refuge from the devil. Another claim is that people would write messages on paper with milk, keep them in a walnut shell, and burn them. They did so for messages to emerge magically for the recipients.
Halloween or Hallowe'en, also known as All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve, is celebrated in many countries on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. On this occasion, the Christians honor saints and pray for recently departed souls. Halloween Indoor decorations usually reflect the practices.
Halloween is a popular holiday in America today, but it almost didn't make it across the Atlantic. The Puritans disapproved of the holiday's pagan roots, so they did not participate in its celebrations. It was not until after mass Irish and Scottish immigration in the 19th century, following the Irish potato famine, that Halloween became a major holiday in America. Most of the holiday's traditions were inherited from the Irish and Scots. Originally confined to these immigrant communities, it gradually assimilated into mainstream society by the early twentieth century.
In Ireland and Scotland, the turnip was traditionally carved during Halloween. Still, immigrants to North America used the pumpkin, which is much softer and more prominent, making it easier to cut than a turnip. The American tradition of carving pumpkins become associated with Halloween by the mid-to-late 19th century.
In Scotland and Ireland, guising – children dressing up in costumes – is a traditional Halloween costume. Guising in America was first recorded in 1911, when a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, reported children going "guising" around the neighborhood.
American historian Ruth Edna Kelley wrote her first book-length history of Halloween in the US; The Book of Hallowe'en (1919). In her book, Kelley talks about customs that arrived across the Atlantic; "Americans have fostered them, and are making this an occasion something like what it must have been in its best days overseas. All Halloween customs in the United States are borrowed directly or adapted from those of other countries".
The first official citywide Halloween celebration in America occurred in Anoka, Minnesota, in 1921. The Halloween postcards produced between the turn of the 20th century and the 1920s commonly show children but not trick-or-treating. Trick-or-treating became widespread in North America during the 1930s, with the first US appearance of the term in 1934 and the first use in a national publication occurring in 1939.
In the mid-1950s, trick-or-treating became one of the most famous traditions of Halloween. Halloween is the most significant festival in the United States, with candy sales of around $2.5 billion yearly.
Furthermore, it was rumored that people would dress up as saints and read poetry from door to door. Kids would also knock on doors and ask people for soul cakes (originated from the All-Souls' Day) and biscuits. As the concept of trick-or-treating had started already, this practice became a tradition for Halloween. By 1900, the idea had evolved and became popular in the US in which families would give treats to kids so that they were not subject to any holiday pranks.
Regarding the costumes, they evolved significantly as well. Although they began by disguising themselves as saints (an attempt to pay heartfelt tributes to them), this custom lost popularity among the folks in no time. That is when the Irish and the Scottish people brought about the idea of dressing up in a spooky and spine-tingling attire as a method of scaring away the unaware neighbors. In no time, the Halloween costumes became terrifying, eerie, funny, and inventive, all at once.
Halloween costumes in the early 20th Century- Source: history.com
By the end of 1800, there was a movement among the people of the US to change the Halloween celebrations from an event relating to ghosts, goblins, and demons, to a celebration of neighborhood and community gatherings.
Then, the Halloween parties became a famous way for kids and adults to commemorate the day. The festival, then, became centered on different games, seasonal delicacies, and festive costumes. Probably this is even where most of the uniqueChristmas Holiday Ideas root from. As a result of the US movement, the newspaper and agencies urged parents to remove any 'scary' essence from Halloween festivities. By the start of the 20th century, Halloween had lost most of its religious connotations and superstitions and had become more of a fun and games event.
Many gift ideas for adults may include Halloween-themed wine labels, spooky candles, cute yet frightening dishes, terrifying garden flags, and so on. However, many wish to go the extra mile to please the important people in their lives.
Halloween is here, the time for pumpkin carving and trick-or-treating children.
The Name 'Halloween' Is Derived From 'Holy Evening.'
While the dead & evil spirits was warded off, the ancestors were welcomed home. A bonfire would start with the murdered animals' bones, and food was made for the life and the dead.
"Jack-O'-Lantern" Originates From Irish Stingy Jack And Not Pumpkins.
The most famous image you associate with Halloween is undoubtedly the jack-o'-lantern. Traditionally, it is made up of Halloween pumpkin carving and lighting it up from the inside (creepy, right?). However, the story is different in reality, and the first jack-o-lantern was carved out of turnips. Jack-o-lanterns are named after Jack, an Irish legend who convinced the devil to turn into a coin.
Trick-Or-Treating Started From 'Souling.'
Do you see children knocking from door to door searching for treats and candies on Halloween? You do, of course, since it is the most popular Halloween event. The tradition, however, roots back in the customs of Samhain. Here's the real story behind it; souling grew wide as the Catholic Church replaced pagan festivities, where underprivileged people visited homes dressed up as evil spirits to accept food in exchange for prayers.
Some Halloween Rituals For Finding A Husband
Well, it sounds a little extra, but yes, the Halloween occasion was perfect for single ladies to find their romantic match. Women used to throw apple peels on their shoulders to see their future husband's initials in the pattern. And when they bobbed for apples, the winner would marry first. Sometimes they also stand in a dark room, holding a candle in front of a mirror to see their husband's face in the mirror.
Candy Corn Was Called "Chicken Feed."
Many Halloween-obsessed personalities would argue that candy corn tastes like chicken feed, but that's not the reason behind its original name. George Renninger gave the original word and sold it to the Jelly Belly Co. The story behind its chicken feed name is that we used to feed chickens, and that creation was called "chicken feed."
Century Immigrants Popularized Halloween In The US
Despite the Colonial New England era awareness of Halloween, History tells us that the celebration of Halloween was minimal due to their strict protestant beliefs. The celebrations were the same until the middle of the 19th century. In the 19th century, Irish and other migrants arrived, and the Halloween holiday became widespread across America.
History Of Michael Myers Mask On Halloween
The costume from a 1978 film is not for terrifying anyone. The back story is revealed by the New York Times that the production designer Tommy Lee Wallace found a mask of William Shatner as Captain Kirk in Star Trek, and he was inspired by it. The crew sprayed white paint to create a look we are familiar with!
Fastest Pumpkin Carving Took 16.47 Seconds Only
Carving pumpkin is a favorite activity for many; however, do you know the one who made the Guinness World Record in 2013? New York's Stephen Clarke holds the World Record for having a speedy Lantern on Halloween. He completed this masterpiece within 16.47 seconds. For qualifying this round, the pumpkin had to have eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.
Night Before Halloween Is Called Goosy Nights In Some Places
For those who've spent some time on the East Coast and the Midwest, this news might not be new for them since, on October 30, many teens and tweens pull pranks. However, from toilet papering the trees outside houses, egging cars, and some more dangerous capers. This tradition hasn't reached the West Coast yet.
The day also marks the end of the harvest or the beginning of the new year for Wiccans. It is also believed that this time of the year is when the boundary between this world and the supernatural world is the thinnest, allowing easy access for ghosts, the devil to step in, and the evil spirits to return to their homes. For this reason, Halloween is believed to be the potential time for forecasting the future. However, Halloween has changed form and modernized with time. From solely practicing religious rituals to enjoying quality time with loved ones, the occasion has come a long way. Modern celebrations of Halloween, though, incorporate old traditions yet have transformed it into a fun event, gathering neighbors and loved ones and giving them Christmas gifts.
Although the main events that reflect the true essence of Halloween include trick-or-treating, costume parties, and spooky yet fun games, in parts of the world other than the US, bonfires, and fireworks are also chief components of the day. After the children are done trick-or-treating, they visit their neighbors and loved ones for Halloween and costume parties. There, they play apple-bobbing and card games to enjoy the feast. In Latin America, the celebration is based mainly on the honor of the dead that are believed to return to their homes. Many families create an altar for the ones who have passed and fill them with treats, flowers, and the person's favorite beverages.
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