Why do we celebrate Halloween? History, origin and meaning
HALLOWEEN has its origins in the Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated in Pagan times.
But today, Halloween is the festival of scary costumes, carved pumpkins, horror films, and trick-or-treating. Read on to find out more about the spooky celebrations…
Why do we celebrate Halloween?
Halloween falls on October 31 every year.
It dates back to the ancient festival of Samhain, celebrated by the Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago on the lands now known as Ireland, the , and northern France.
One of the most important celebrations in the Celtic calendar was Samhain, or the Feast of the Dead.
Samhain celebrated the harvest and marked the end of summer, heralding the start of winter, a time of year most closely associated with death.
The Celts believed that at this time of year, ghosts of the dead came back to earth.
But the Celtic pagans didn’t fear the dead— instead, Samhain was a time for Druids (Celtic priests) to make prophecies.
Huge bonfires were built, where people would offer crops and animals as sacrifices, and costumes were worn to ward off evil spirits.
The modern name of Halloween has evolved from All Hallows' Evening, also referred to as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve or All Saints' Eve.
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Halloween is on the day before Christian holy day of All Saints' Day, which is still celebrated widely across Europe today.
All Saints' Day takes place on November 1 each year, and used to remember all the saints, especially those who do not have an official day of their own.
Today’s tradition
Pope Gregory III made November 1 a day to honour saints and martyrs, in the 8th century.
By the 9th century, Christianity had expanded into Celtic lands, replacing and blending with existing pagan traditions.
To keep the peace with the pagans, Pope Gregory made sure All Saints’ Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain.
Over time, October 31 became known as All Hallows’ Eve, which gradually became once again separate from Christianity— becoming the festival we now know as Halloween.
Halloween became popular in the United States after the Irish potato famine in the 1840s led to mass migration across the Atlantic.
Borrowing from European traditions, people began to dress up in costumes and go to their neighbours’ houses to ask for money or food, a tradition which is now known as trick or treating.
Today, October 31 is a day for parties and spookily decorated houses, with family and friends.
In the United States, Halloween is the country’s second-largest commercial holiday after Christmas.