Getting Into the 'Spirit' of Halloween
Everyone perceives Halloween as just a random
holiday and an excuse to dress up while getting free candy. Little do they
know, though, Halloween actually goes back as far as about 2,000 years ago. Started
by the Celts, it was originally a festival held on October 31st
called Samhain. Back then, winter was
the season most associated with death.
The Celts believed that on the night that ends summer and brings winter,
the world of the living and the dead blurred, which allowed the ghosts of the
dead to return to Earth and cause havoc like bring sickness and destroy crops. Around
the time of 800 AD, the upbringing of Christianity made its way into Celtic
lands.
Trick-or-treating originates from ancient
Ireland and during the Saint Columb Kill Festival. During that time, peasants
would go from house to house and gather necessities like cheese, butter, eggs,
apples, and bread cakes to prepare for the festivities. The most known
Halloween tradition is the costumes. Dressing up and making your way through
the town or neighborhood getting free treats goes back to the middle ages.
Halloween became very popular in America around
the time of the 19th and 20th centuries. Other cultures around the world celebrate very
similar traditions as we do in America. In England, it is known as Bonfire
Night. In Mexico, altars in the homes are decorated with candy, fruit, bread,
and flowers. Those are just a couple examples of other Halloween cultures.
Overall, Halloween has a very long, interesting
background. Honestly, I’ve never known any of this until I did my research.
Thank you, and Happy Halloween.
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