Halloween 2023: As it exists today in the United States, Halloween is a holiday when we can all indulge in the darker, creepier side of life and eat loads of candy.
However, from a historical perspective, Halloween held religious significance and played a crucial role in the cultural traditions of its celebrants.
This year, Halloween falls on Tuesday, October 31, 2023.
Halloween day is considered the scariest day of the year and it is a secular celebration rather than a religious one. This festival is celebrated in Europe and the United States (US) on October 31 and it also marks the difference between summer and winter.?
However, not everyone is as Halloween obsessed as Americans. In England, Halloween is generally not celebrated at all.
Halloween is a holiday celebrated on October 31st. It is thought to have originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was a celebration of the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the winter.
On Samhain, the Celts believed that the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead was lifted, and that spirits could freely roam the earth. To protect themselves from malevolent spirits, the Celts would wear costumes, light bonfires, and offer sacrifices to the dead.
Over time, Samhain evolved into Halloween, a holiday that is more focused on fun and celebration than on warding off evil spirits. However, many of the traditional Halloween customs, such as wearing costumes and lighting bonfires, can still be traced back to their Celtic origins.
Here are some of the reasons why Halloween is celebrated:
To have fun:?Halloween is a time to dress up in costumes,?go trick-or-treating,?and attend parties.?It is a holiday that is enjoyed by people of all ages.
To celebrate the harvest:?Halloween marks the end of the harvest season,?and it is a time to celebrate the bounty that the earth has provided.
To remember the dead:?Halloween is also a time to remember the dead.?Many people visit cemeteries on Halloween to pay their respects to loved ones who have passed away.
To tell stories:?Halloween is a time to tell stories about ghosts,?witches,?and other supernatural creatures.?These stories can be scary or funny,?but they always help to create a sense of excitement and anticipation for the holiday.
The word "Halloween" is derived from "All Hallows' Eve," which is a contraction of "All Hallows' Evening." Here's the breakdown:?
In medieval England and other parts of Europe, the word "Hallow" referred to a holy person or saint. "Hallow" is an archaic word for "saint" or "holy." "Evening" is, of course, the time when the event takes place. So, "All Hallows' Evening" means the evening before All Hallows' Day.
All Hallows' Evening: In medieval England and other parts of Europe, the word "Hallow" referred to a holy person or saint. "Hallow" is an archaic word for "saint" or "holy." "Evening" is, of course, the time when the event takes place. So, "All Hallows' Evening" means the evening before All Hallows' Day.
All Hallows' Day: All Hallows' Day is also known as All Saints' Day. It's a Christian holiday that is observed on November 1st. It's a day to honor all the saints, known and unknown, in Christian traditions.
All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day: In Christian history, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day (observed on November 2nd) were meant to commemorate and pray for the souls of the deceased. These were important days to remember and honor departed loved ones. The night before All Hallows' Day, known as All Hallows' Eve, eventually became known as Halloween.
Over time, Halloween evolved from being a solemn Christian observance to a secular and festive holiday associated with various traditions, including costume parties, trick-or-treating, haunted houses, and the carving of jack-o'-lanterns. It's a time when people engage in playful and spooky activities, often centered around themes of ghosts, witches, and the supernatural.
It is said that Celts lived in Ireland, Northern France, and England approximately 100 years ago and they were the ones to introduce the festival of Halloween. It is also known as Samhain and this festival marks the end of summer on October 31 and the beginning of the New Year on November 1.
Nowadays people have started to celebrate it as the day of the dead and it is believed that ghosts, spirits, and the dead roam around the earth on this day.
People earlier used to light bonfires and offer their favorite food to their dead family members. They had started the tradition to decorate their house with carved pumpkins, lanterns, and flaunt scary costumes on the occasion.
It is thought that the annual ritual first came from Ireland and was used to scare aware the ghostly presence of Stingy Jack, who wandered the earth once a year. Stingy Jack supposedly tricked the devil for his own benefit, so when he died he was not allowed into either heaven or hell.
Instead, Jack roamed the planet for eternity and people would carve faces from turnips, which were most readily available, to frighten him away. When Irish immigrants began moving to America they brought this tradition with them, carving their jack-o-lanterns from the native pumpkin.
At some point, this tradition become bound with the Celtic celebration of Samhaim, an ancient Irish and British festival that marked the end of summer on 1 November. It was thought that this was the day on which the souls of all those who had died in the previous year would travel to the afterlife.
As per Britannica, in the 8th century CE, the Roman Catholic Church moved All Saints¡¯ Day, a day celebrating the church¡¯s saints, to November 1. This meant that All Hallows¡¯ Eve (or Halloween) fell on October 31. Traditions from Samhain remained, such as wearing disguises to hide from the souls wandering around your home. The folklore about Stingy Jack was quickly incorporated into Halloween, and we¡¯ve been carving pumpkins-or turnips-ever since.
One of the most recognisable features of Halloween is the tradition of wearing costumes. People, especially children, dress up as various characters, monsters, creatures, or pop culture figures. This practice is believed to have originated from the ancient belief in disguising oneself to avoid being recognised by wandering spirits.
Another well-known tradition is trick-or-treating, where children go from door to door in their neighborhoods, dressed in costumes, and ask for candy or treats. The phrase "trick or treat" is a playful threat, suggesting that if treats are not provided, a prank may be played on the homeowner.
(Note: Dates/timings may be subject to change; details mentioned here are as per the information available.)
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