(This will be only a brief summary of the history of halloween. There are lots of sites out there that cover this topic, and I don't want to be redundant. Please visit some of the pages listed below for more history of Halloween.)
When it comes to the origin of modern Halloween, most people tend to agree on the following:
- It was a celtic tradition.
- It was brought to North Amrerica by the Irish.
- Jack-O-Lanterns were originally carved from turnips, but the Irish immigrants switched to pumpkins as they were more plentiful in the new world, and easier to carve.
- It is a lot of fun!
Where most people disagree is in the nature of the worship preformed by the celts. Some believe that it was a tribute to a god of the dead or underworld called Samhain (Pronounced Sow-wen, but usually misspronounced as Sam-hane). Some right wing christians believe that there was human sacrifice involved, and that "treats" were given to buy the favour of the celtic druids, so as not to come to harm.
Others believe that it refers to the celtic new year. The end of the old year fell on what is October 30, and the new year started on November 1. October 31, then, was thought to be a day "in limbo" when the laws of nature and physics were suspended, thus the dead could walk the Earth. On this "limbo" day, people were encouraged to act in a chaotic way, and thus young ruffians wandered the streets causing mischief, or begging for food door to door.
There is also some confusion caused by the fact that the Catholic church celebrates the Feast of All Saints over a three day period which includes October 31. The word Halloween is a contraction of All Hallows Eve, a holy night which fell before All Saints Day.
Despite all this, the most commonly held beliefs are that a) it was a celtic tradition, b) that Jack-O-Lanterns are meant to light the way for wayward spirits to the beyond, and c) that costumes, or other scary paraphernalia were used to scare away "evil" spirits. There is a wonderful history behind this holiday, and I encourage any who are interested not only to read what's on the web, but to check your local library as well. Keep an open mind! For me, halloween is about experiencing that wonderful adrenaline rush that goes with being scared, as well as reclaiming what it was like as a child not to fear the things under the bed for one night, but to be a part of the scariness instead.
Links to more reading:
