Halloween – Its History & Origin

Halloween is one among a small number of those ancient or traditional holidays that is still celebrated today. It comes only second to Christmas in terms of popularity, enthusiasm and money spent. Most of the people celebrate this spooky holiday season without knowing where Halloween actually originated from. Knowing the history and origin of Halloween can make it more interesting and exciting and give you and your family some great decorating and costume ideas.

There are some people who look at this howling holiday season as a time for enjoyment and fun. They celebrate by putting on scary costumes, wearing crazy make-up, and “trick or treating”. People also throw themed parties both at home and in companies for Halloween. But, there are still a section of people who regard Halloween as the time of true superstitions, goblins, ghosts, and other evil sports, that must be avoided.

Delving into the history of Halloween:

The history Halloween dates back to October 31st, which is the last day of the old Celtic calendar. It was formerly considered as a pagan holiday, and was celebrated to honor the dead. Halloween was originally known as “All Hallows Eve” and it dates back more than 2000 years. “All Hallows Eve” is the eve before All Saints Day, which the Christians created to convert the pagans. It is celebrated on the first day of November.

There are many version of stories related to the origin of the 1st Halloween and how it came to be. Though different cultures view the occasion in different ways, the main practice and culture remains the same throughout. The culture of Halloween dates back to the era of the Druids, a Celtic culture established in Britain, Ireland, and Northern Europe. Its roots mainly lay in the feast of Samhain, which was celebrated annually on 31^st October. Samhain implies the end of summer or November. Samhain was celebrated as a harvest festival with several huge sacred bonfires, which marks the end of one Celtic year and the beginning another.

It was the firm belief of the Celts that the souls of dead, wandered the villages and streets at night. As all the spirits were considered to be friendly and harmless, people tried to pacify them with gifts and treats so that the next year’s crops would be in abundant. This custom later evolved into the trick-or-treating of today’s Halloween.

Wikipedia – History Of Halloween
History.com – Origins of Halloween