Halloween History

Halloween is the one of the oldest holidays still celebrated today. It is also one of the most popular holidays, second only to Christmas. Some people view Halloween as a time for fun, putting on costumes, trick-or-treating, and having theme parties. Others view it as a time of superstitions, ghosts, goblins and evil spirits that should be avoided at all costs.

Halloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago! Celebrated on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar, it was originally a pagan holiday, honoring the dead. All Hallows Eve is the evening before All Saints Day on November 1st, designated by the Catholic church to honor their saints.

The Origin of Halloween

There are many versions of the origins and old customs of Halloween by different cultures but traditional Halloween practices remain the same.

Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Its roots lay in the feast of Samhain, which was celebrated annually on October 31st to honor the dead.

Samhain signifies "summers end" or November. Samhain was then a harvest festival with huge sacred bonfires, marking the end of the Celtic year and beginning of a new one.

The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful.

The American tradition of "trick-or-treating" probably dates back to the early All Souls' Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray for the family's dead relatives. The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as "going a-souling" was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food, and money.

Aren't you glad our modern day trick-or-treating involves costumes and candy?!

 

Free Spooky Craft Projects
Just for fun, we also offer some devilishly dark crafts...that's free craft projects...for you to try, or if you like gravely digging in the dirt,  try our gothic themed garden ideas! More...