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The history of Halloween

One theory states that many Halloween traditions were influenced by Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain, which is believed to have pagan roots. Samhain is usually celebrated from October 31st to November 1st to welcome in the harvest and usher in the dark half of the year. Celebrants believe that the barriers between the physical world and the spirit world break down during Samhain, when it was thought that the ghosts of the dead returned to Earth, allowing more interactions between humans and denizens of the other world.

There are four Celtic seasonal festivals, similar to the four seasons of the year. They are called Samhain, Imbolc, Bealtaine, and Lughnasadh.

Some go further and suggest that Samhain may have been christened as All Hallow’s Day, along with its eve, by the early church. Halloween evolved over centuries, transitioning from a pagan ritual to a day of parties, costumes, jack-o’-lanterns, and trick-or-treating for children and adults.

The tradition dates back over 2,000 years and is still carried on today. The evening before All Saints Day became a holy or hallowed eve, and thus Halloween.

Fun Facts about Halloween

Haunted Attraction: The first recorded haunted attraction was the Orton and Spooner Ghost House in Liphook, England, which opened in 1915. Today, haunted houses are a staple of Halloween festivities.

Harry Potter and Halloween: The UK is home to the Harry Potter series, which has several key events occurring on Halloween night. For example, Harry’s parents were killed by Voldemort on October 31st, and the famous troll incident happened during the Hogwarts Halloween feast.

Trick-or-Treating Origins: In medieval Britain, the tradition of “souling” involved poor people going door-to-door to rich families, offering prayers for the dead in exchange for pastries called soul cakes. This has turned into modern day trick-or-treating.

Jack-o’-Lantern Origins: The practice of carving pumpkins into Jack-o’- Lanterns is believed to have originated from an Irish myth about “Stingy Jack,” a man who tricked the Devil. The Irish and Scottish brought this tradition to the UK, where they originally carved turnips before pumpkins became popular.

Witch: The word “witch” comes from the Old English wicce, meaning “wise woman.” In fact, wiccan were highly respected people at one time. According to popular belief, witches held one of their two main meetings, or sabbats, on Halloween night.

Please note: All articles written by young people are fictional in nature and nothing is to be taken as fact.
By Tegan, Speak Out member
 
Photo credit: QuinceCreative via Pixabay
Facts reference: www.factretriever.com

Staying safe

One of our Speak Out members has written some top tips on how to stay safe when out trick or treating.

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