Halloween - History & Traditions

Halloween is coming up this week, now I have to admit this is not one of my favorite holidays. Of course when I was a kid dressing up and collecting candy was a big deal and when our daughters were young we continued the tradition. I've never been someone who gets excited about decorating my home - inside or outside - for Halloween but many people do and that's fine.

I thought I'd take this opportunity to not talk about or post pictures of Halloween decor but instead write about the history and traditions of this October holiday. Of course everyone already knows that Halloween is celebrated on the 31st of October but you may not know where it began and why.

Lets start with the meaning of the word Halloween, it dates back to about 1745 is of Christian origin and mean hallowed evening or holy evening. Halloweens origin can be found in the ancient Celtic festival know as Samhain - pronounced "Sah-win" - which was celebrated at the end of the harvest season, when people took stock of supplies and prepared for the winter ahead.

It was believed that on this date the worlds of living and dead would overlap causing the deceased to come and cause havoc such as sickness or damaged crops. It is also believed that the bonfires that were lit during the festival attracted multitudes of insects which in turn attracted bats - hence the association of bats with Halloween.

Other traditions that are now observed when celebrating Halloween such as masks, costumes even trick-or-treating can also be traced back to the middle-ages. For example: The wearing of costumes (Guising) and going from door to door demanding treats go back to the Celtic period when it was thought that the souls of the dead were out, along with fairies, witches and demons.

Dressing up in costumes became popular for Halloween parties in the United States in the early 20th century.  The first mass-produced Halloween costumes appeared in stores in the 1930s, this was also when trick-or-treating was becoming popular in the U.S.

Another tradition we have that also dates back is the carving of pumpkins or Jack-O-Lantern. A common belief is that the custom of the carving originated in Ireland, where turnips or beets were used. They were often carved with grotesque faces to represent spirits or goblins.

There you have a bit of the history of Halloween, so on October 31st whether you go out trick-or-treating, go to a party or just stay home have a safe and happy holiday.