Over 2000 years ago the Celts, who lived in what is now known as Ireland, began a haunting tradition. November 1st was considered New Year’s Day for the Celts and they also celebrated this day’s eve. On October 31st (or Samhain) the worlds of the dead and the living became one as the dead came back to earth and the Celtic priests to announced predictions about the future.
To celebrate this day, Celts wore costumes and attempted to tell each others fortunes. However, when the Romans conquered this territory, the Roman holiday of Feralia (a holiday commemorating the dead) was combined with the Celtic Samhain. After the Romans, Christian influence changed the celebration once again. Pope Boniface IV declared November 1st All Saint’s Day to honor saints and martyrs, apparently in an attempt to replace Samhain.
All Saint’s Day was also referred to as All-hallows, or All-hallowmas from the Middle English term for All Saint’s Day. Eventually the eve of this day was called All-hallows Eve, a name that would one day turned into Halloween. Eventually All Soul’s Day wa
s added on November 2nd, and the three days together became known as Hallowmas.
When coming to America, Europeans brought their Halloween traditions along. These traditions came together with the celebrations of American Indians and other ethnic groups, creating a uniquely American version of the holiday. Early celebrations were usually public events full of dancing, singing
, and storytelling.
The late 19th century immigrants brought new twists to the Halloween tradition. These immigrants began to dress up on Halloween and go house to house asking for much needed food or money, which eventually turned into modern day trick-or-treating. The Irish brought along jack-o-lanterns that originated as coals or small candles inside turnips to ward off evil spirits. Once the Irish discovered pumpkins were easier to carve, the tradition began.
By the 1920s and 30s, Halloween became a community celebration with parades and parties. However, vandalism also became more and more popular. Into the 1950s, Halloween celebrations moved from the community to the classroom and the popular tradition of trick-or-treating began to take hold in order to bribe vandals with candy to stop performing “tricks.”
Witches became associated with Halloween due to a European belief that witches would gather each year to celebrate and worship the devil. It was also believed if one wanted to meet a witch he should wear his clothes inside-out and walk backwards on Halloween night and a witch would appear at midnight!
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