Halloween comes
from the customs of the DRUIDIC
tribes. Most of the customs connected with the day
are remnants of ancient religious' beliefs and
celebrations of the New year.
Celtics followed the religion of the Druids, November
1st was new Years Day. It was also a joint festival
honouring their Sun "god" called "Samhain" meaning
"Summers End".
The word "Halloween" means the evening before All
Hallows or All Saints Day on November 1st. A catholic
day of observance in honour of saints.
Irish immigrants took Halloween celebration to America
in 1846 fleeing the potato famine.
Trick or Treat came from the nineteenth century custom
'Souling' on All Saints Day (November 1st). Beggars
would go to houses asking for soul cakes; the more
they received the more promises of prosperity and
protection from bad luck.
'Jack-o-lantern' comes from Irish folklore. A man
named Jack tricked the Devil into climbing a tree.
Jack carved a cross in the tree's trunk. The Devil
made a deal with Jack. When Jack died he was refused
entry to Heaven and Hell. The Devil gave Jack a
hollowed out turnip with one candle light to light his
way through the wilderness darkness.
The Pumpkin replaced the Turnip as it was more readily
available in America, which as carried on over in
Britain.
Orange and black became Halloween colours because
orange is associated with harvests and black is
associated with death.
Americans spend over $2.5billion annually on
Halloween.
Halloween custom of "bobbing for apples" comes from
the Roman goddess of fruit and tree Pomona. The
symbol of Pomona is apple.
The History of Halloween: The Celts
The ancient Celts observed Samhain at the end of October. They
divided the year into two halves—the Light half and the Dark half—and
Samhain heralded the change to the Dark half of the year and the cold winter
months. During Samhain, the barrier between the worlds of the living and the
dead was supposedly weakened, allowing spirits to enter the world of the living.
It was a time to be cautious and stay indoors, if possible.
The History of Halloween: The Romans and Europe
When the Romans conquered much of the Celtic world, they merged Samhain with
their own festivals, a harvest festival called Poloma, and a celebration
for the dead called Feralia.
When Christianity became the primary religion in Europe, November 1st
was decreed to be All Saint's Day—a day to honor the saints who didn't
have a day dedicated solely to them. The mass performed on All Saint's Day
became know as Allhallowmass, and the night before became known as All
Hallow's E'en, hence Hallowe'en or Halloween.
Jack-o-Lanterns
Jack-o-Lanterns are probably the most well known symbol of Halloween, but
they weren't always made from pumpkins. The tradition came from Ireland, where
hollowed-out turnips were originally used. When Irish immigrants arrived in
America, they found turnips harder to come by, but found that the softer
pumpkins were a wonderful substitute.
Trick or Treat
The practice of going door to door demanding candy is a tradition whose
history is fraught with controversy. Some believe that the practice originated
with the Druids, who threatened dire consequences to residents who didn't
respond generously to their demand for free goods or money. Since a similar
story comes from various historical roots among the countries of the British
Isles, historians can only agree that the practice seems to go back quite far
and leave it at that.
Modern-day trick or treat routines are fairly tame compared to practices that
were popular in the 1920s in North America. Tipping outhouses was a common
practice (and pity any occupants who were trapped and tipped). Even cow-tipping
was considered a clever prank in rural areas.
In some towns, the night before Halloween was known as Gate Night. The
evening's activities included switching gates among neighborhood fences.
Eventually, the festivities became raucous and city governments encouraged
people to turn the festivities over to young children, with trick or treating
localized to immediate neighborhoods.
In many cities and areas, the trick or treat tradition was eventually put to
good use. Some children collected pennies for UNICEF in bright orange, sealed
tin cans. Tricks rarely involved more than throwing a few eggs at cars, and most
kids today are happy to show off their costumes, collect some candy or sugarless
novelties, and chime "Happy Halloween" as they continue on their way.
