History of Halloween
We may believe it’s about bags full of candy or whose costume is best, but Halloween has a rich history. Also known as All Hallows Eve, All Saints Eve, All Halloween, or simply Halloween, it is celebrated by people around the world. The word Halloween was first seen in 1745, meaning “holy evening.” People would throw small parties, attend gatherings, or go to church services. According to History, Halloween was originally a festival of Samhain. This is a Celtic festival which comes from Scottish Gaelic tradition.
Halloween is dedicated to remembering the dead, saints, martyrs, and the faithfully departed. Even though it is a Western-Christian and non-Christian gathering, many people who do not observe Halloween actually observe Samhain in November.Other religious groups choose not to participate. They might believe that it is associated with Satanism and Paganism, according to gracetoyou. The tradition of dressing up began in the 19th and early 20th century.
In the middle ages, Halloween games consisted of divination rituals, or games to tell one’s future. As time progressed games also included fun ideas like who could eat apples without their hands or who had the best scary stories. There is folklore about the famous jack-o’-lantern that is associated with Irish Christians. They believe that when a lantern is set out, it shows that a soul has been denied entry to both heaven and hell. This superstition corresponds with how America started carving pumpkins in the mid 19th century.
According to History, another Halloween custom is the famous trick or treat. The words seem like a simple question now, but “treat” was associated with homes giving out candy, while “trick” was an implied “threat” to those who did not. We all know that America has a lot of festive holidays, but what we do not know is how much money is spent on them. According to CNBC, Christmas is number one on the list, followed by Halloween at number two. People every year will spend an estimated 6 billion dollars on the creepy holiday.
