INTRODUCTION
Halloween is one of the most exciting holidays. Combining two favorite elements of any human being: Horror and Chocolate. Unlike the holidays of Christmas and Thanksgiving, which both have precise historical parts, the history of Halloween is a bit of a mystery. Have you ever wondered where Halloween rituals come from? Why, for example, do we ask strangers for treats? If denied then threaten to trick them. Lets learn about the origins of Halloween.
ANCIENT CELTIC ORIGINS
Halloween predates Christianity, going all the way to an ancient Celtic celebration about 2,000 years ago known as Samhain (pronounced "sow-in") that took place in what is now Ireland, parts of France, and the United Kingdom. Like most ancient holidays, Samhain marked a transition of seasons, from summer to the beginning of winter. Hence the dark and spooky vibes of Halloween today. Participants believed that on the night of October 31, the portal between the realm of the living and the dead would be open allowing lost souls to return to the earth. These ghostly stories are wreaking havoc on crops and the Celtic priests call upon Druids so they can make predictions and communicate with the dead to bless them with happier, warmer winters. The festivals also typically involved bonfires, at which the attendees wore costumes and participated in sacrifices of crops and animals. Afterward, the community would use the bonfire to light their hearth to bid goodbye to Summer and welcome winter. So while death and fear were at the heart of Samhain, it had its fun and celebratory side too. Historically, candles were lit around the house on Halloween to guide wandering spirits back home when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest. Another superstition is burning candles for good luck on Halloween. Many people believe that burning a brand new candle on the night of Halloween, particularly an orange candle, will bring you good luck in the coming year!
ROMAN REIGNS
After conquering a huge part of the Celtic territory in 43 CE, Romans ruled there for a few hundred centuries during which many traditions evolved and became part of Halloween tradition. For example, the Roman festival of Feralia, in which the community mourned its dead, and another ceremony called Pomona (Roman goddess and the protector of orchards), in which participants honored fruit and trees. The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The game of bobbing for apples has been a staple at Halloween parties for many years, but its origins are more rooted in love and romance. The game traces back to a courting ritual that was part of a Roman festival honoring Pomona, the goddess of agriculture and abundance. While multiple versions existed, the gist was that young men and women would be able to predict their future relationships based on the game. When the Romans conquered the British Isles in 43 AD, the Pomona festival blended with the similarly timed Samhain, a precursor to Halloween. In the Eighth century A.D., Pope Gregory III designated 1st November as the day to honor all the saints. All Saints Day they have incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before All Saints Day was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween.
ALL SAINTS' DAY
On May 13, A.D. 609, Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome in honor of all Christian martyrs, and the Catholic feast of All Martyrs Day was established in the Western church. Pope Gregory III expanded the festival which included all saints and martyrs and moved the observance from May 13 to November 1. By the 9th century, Christianity's influence had spread into Celtic lands, which led to replace the old Celtic rites. In A.D. 1000, the church made November 2 All Souls’ Day a day to honor the dead. All Souls’ Day was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. The All Saints’ Day celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day) and the night before Samhain in the Celtic religion, began to be called All-Hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.
AMERICA'S HALLOWEEN HISTORY
The Colonial Period (1600s–1700s)
During the Colonial period, Hallow's Eve was celebrated depending on Protestant communities' beliefs. Early colonists also known as Puritans, left England due to religious oppression and were called the Separatists. In Puritan New England, Hallow's Eve was celebrated and enjoyed in southern colonies with fewer restrictions. Cultural ties between the natives and Anglo-Saxon settlers likely led to harvest celebrations tied to Hallow's Eve. After the declaration of US independence from England, several European immigrants migrated to England bringing their customs along with them.
History of Trick-or-Treating
Americans have adapted many traditions and beliefs from European customs. They would visit each house in costumes to ask for food and money which later evolved into Trick and Treat traditions. Halloween was adapted for marriage practices in which unmarried females would use yarn, apple parings, or mirrors to reveal their future husbands. A shift was observed in American Halloweens in the late 1800s, from ghosts, witchcraft, and pranks being converted to building community Halloween parties became new traditions that included games, delicious treats, and of course the costumes.
Halloween Parties
As you know Halloween in the 1920s and 1930s celebration became all about the community. This brought up vandalism, which were the townspeople tried hard to prevent it but in vain as vandalism did occur in some celebrations. However, in the 1950s Halloween became a kid-friendly celebration. Of course, Trick-or-Treat came with full blow between the 1920s and 1950s as it was a cheaper way to celebrate Halloween. It also helped to control the vandalism (playing pranks) through the distribution of treats to kids. This was the beginning of America's new traditions.
All Souls Day and Soul Cakes
The early All Souls' Day parades in England may have inspired American trick-or-treating. Poor people who are begging for food would receive "soul cakes" in exchange for the prayers of deceased souls. Soon church would promote soul cakes to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for the souls. Children began "going-a-soul" which means that would visit households, for money, food, and ale. Halloween costumes were a blend of European and Celtic roots. A few Century ago, many people would find winter terrifying as the winter days were short and would lead to food shortages.
THE IRISH INTRODUCED JACK-O'-LANTERNS
The holiday we celebrate as Halloween today started taking off in the U.S. in the middle of the 19th century when a wave of Irish immigrants during the Potato Famine left their country. The newcomers brought their superstitions and customs, including the jack-o'-lantern. But back then, they carved them out of turnips, potatoes, and beets instead of pumpkins.
THE BRITISH SET OUT GHOSTLY GIFTS
Even though new customs were introduced people in Old England and Ireland continued to associate the end of October with the dead wandering among us. They set out gifts of food to satisfy hungry spirits, and people began dressing in creepy costumes to go begging for the treats themselves. The practice was called "mumming," and looked similar to today's trick-or-treating.
BLACK CATS AND GHOSTS
Halloween has always been a holiday filled with mystery, magic, and superstition. It began as a Celtic end-of-summer festival during which people felt especially close to deceased relatives and friends. For these friendly spirits, they set places at the dinner table, left treats on doorsteps and along the side of the road, and lit candles to help loved ones find their way back to the spirit world. Today’s Halloween ghosts are often depicted as more fearsome and malevolent, and our customs and superstitions are scarier too. We avoid crossing paths with black cats, afraid that they might bring us bad luck. This idea has its roots in the Middle Ages when many people believed that witches avoided detection by turning themselves into black cats. We try not to walk under ladders for the same reason. This superstition may have come from the ancient Egyptians, who believed that triangles were sacred. And around Halloween, especially, we try to avoid breaking mirrors, stepping on cracks in the road, or spilling salt.
HALLOWEEN MATCHMAKING & LESSER KNOWN RITUALS
What about forgotten trick-or-treat beliefs and traditions? Old traditions prioritize the present and future over the dead. Many involved matching young women with husbands and ensuring their marriage by Halloween. In the 1700s, an Irish matchmaker could hide a ring in her mashed potatoes on Halloween to help a guest find love. In Scotland, fortune-tellers advised young ladies seeking a good mate to name and burn hazelnuts after each boyfriend. The girl's future husband burned the nut, not the one that went off. Some versions of this story say the burning nut symbolized a short-lived love. Another tradition suggested a young woman who ate a sweet mixture of walnuts, hazelnuts, and nutmeg before bed on Halloween would dream about her future husband. Young women flung apple peels over their shoulders to form their future husbands' initials. They also saw egg yolks float in water and held candles to their faces in dark rooms in front of mirrors. Some rites were competitive. At some Halloween parties, the first chestnut burr finder married first. Sometimes the first good apple-bobber walks down the aisle. The same "spirits" the early Celts believed in are behind every Halloween belief, whether we're seeking love advice or avoiding bad luck for seven years.
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