WHAT IS HALLOWEEN?

What Is Halloween? Why Do We Celebrate Halloween? Why Halloween Costumes

Halloween is a festival dating back to 5th century B.C. in Celtic Ireland. In those days, the year ended with the end of summer officially ending on October 31st. This day was called Samhain.

The Celts had a strong belief in the afterlife and they believed that the spirits of the dead from the previous year came back on this day to possess the living bodies for the next year. This was the only hope for the spirits for afterlife. So to repel the evil spirits the common custom was to extinguish all the fire in the house and then dress up in a scary halloween costume and parade along the streets, a Halloween Costume Parade. If anyone was believed to be possessed then as a warning to the spirits that person was burnt, burned alive.

The Romans adopted this Pagan festival but discontinued the burning of humans and replaced that with burning in effigies, now known as halloween decorations or accessories.

The custom of Halloween came over to America in 1840 with the Irish. The favorite prank in New England was to trip over the outhouse and unhinges the gate.

The custom for trick or treat is thought to have originated in the 9th century from a European custom called souling when Christians went door to door begging for soul cakes, no we dont have that costume.

The Jack-o-Lantern came from an Irish folklore about Jack, a notorious drunkard and prankster who tried to trick Satan. Jack tricked Satan and was denied entry into heaven. Satan gave him a single ember to light his way through the darkness and cold. To make it last longer it was placed in a hollowed out turnip to make it glow longer. America converted the Irish turnip into the pumpkins, as they were plentiful.

Today, Halloween, with costumes and all the costume accessories and party supplies, is a jovial holiday meant for parties, gatherings and occasions.

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