Origin of Halloween

hosts, goblins, witches, vampires, skeletons, and the spirits of the dead today conjure up the latest Hollywood horror movie. But when the doorbell ominously rings on October 31st and the creaking door is slowly, apprehensively, tremulously swung open, the exuberant cries of "Trick or Treat" that eagerly fill your ears can only mean one thing - Halloween.

he origin of Halloween has its roots in ancient Celtic traditions and beliefs. The festival called Samhain celebrated on November 1st was the New Year’s Day of the Celts and is considered to be the predecessor of contemporary Halloween. It was also a day of the dead, when the souls of those who died during the year were allowed to walk the night.

any of the traditional customs and beliefs associated with Samhain have persisted as part of the "folk" culture in the West, for thousands of years. The nighttime wandering of the dead, the offering of food and drink to masked and costumed revelers, and the lighting of bonfires, are some of the traditions that continue to be practiced on October 31st - what has become known as the Eve of All Saints, the Eve of All Hallows, or Hallow Even.

hroughout the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Reformation, the once wild and powerful spirits of Samhain and traditional cultures were considered by the church to be evil. The gods, goddesses, and other spiritual beings of traditional religions were considered to be manifestations and servants of the Devil. Thus, the cast of characters associated with Halloween has come to include the representations of ghosts, skeletons, the devil, evil creatures, witches, and goblins.

ike many holidays Halloween is an amalgamation of many traditions and beliefs. In England on the eve of Guy Fawkes Day (November 5th), known as Mischief Night, children are allowed to play pranks on adults, just as in many U.S. cities the 30th of October is sometimes known as Mischief Night. In the Harz Mountains in Germany, Walpurgisnacht, or the eve of St. Walpurgis Day (the eve of May 1st) witches, demons, and the spirits of the dead were supposed to be very active haunting the night. In Mexico and in many other Latin American countries, November 1st and 2nd is the Day of the Dead - El Dias de los Muertos. Candy skulls, skeletons, toys, statues and decorations are seen everywhere. It’s a day of festivity where families build home alters, decorate graves, make offerings of special bread for the dead, attend religious services, and celebrate and remember the dead.

lthough not officially a national holiday, Halloween is one of the most popular American celebrations with a rich history of regional traditions that make it fun for adults and children alike.