The Spooky Origins Of Halloween

Halloween is certainly a favorite holiday for millions throughout the world. Though it is widely celebrated throughout the world, it is undeniably unusual. On the surface level, the holiday seems to have misaligned values when compared to other holidays. Where do these unusual traditions come from? Let’s have a closer look at the history of Halloween.

Halloween’s earliest origins trace back around 2,000 years ago. The Celtic people inhabited the land that is now known
as Ireland. These people considered November 1st to be the start of their calendar, making October 31st their New Year’s Eve. This night was called “Samhain,” and called for a huge celebration. On this night, it was believed the realms of the living and the dead merged, though it was only for one night, each calendar.

Hundreds of years later, in recognition of the celebration of Samhain, Pope Gregory III decided November the first would be considered “All Saint’s Day.” This was a celebration for all of the saints in the church. Then, the holiday’s name would be changed to “All Hallows Day.” Over time, the culture of the holiday shifted. Eventually, the day before All Hallows Day, also known as “All Hallows Evening,” became an even more holy celebration than the original All Hallows Day.

In the mid-1800s, All Hallow’s Eve had migrated to the United States, but it was different. It was essentially a hodgepodge of many different cultures’ rituals on the 30th of October. The name changed from “All Hallow’s Eve,” to a more modern name, Halloween. The trend of Trick or Treating has been around since it began in the US; It was an expansion and reinterpretation of traditions past. Around the turn of the century, however, Halloween turned hostile. It focused on the “tricking” of trick or treating. Tricks became more and more devious and called for reform. Our culture continued to shift back to a growing embrace of Halloween. As it grew, it became more and more about the social aspect of holidays. It’s now a night of parties or spending time with loved ones and friends. Maybe now it isn’t so different from the other holidays after all!