The History of Halloween

Summary

Halloween's origins trace back 2,000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain, marking the Celtic New Year's end and a thin veil between the worlds of the living and spirits. Celts offered food to appease spirits and donned costumes for protection. The Roman Catholic Church later transformed Samhain into the three-day All Hallowtide, incorporating All Hallows Eve, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day. Traditions like souling and guising emerged, with people in costumes going door-to-door for treats. In the 19th century, Irish and Scottish immigrants brought these customs to North America. Victorian-era interest in the occult and spiritualism revived old traditions, including Halloween parties with games like apple bobbing. Trick-or-treating, initially a mysterious custom, became mainstream after children in Philadelphia donated their Halloween collections to UNICEF, leading to UNICEF's Nobel Peace Prize in 1965. Today, Halloween is a blend of traditions, focusing on the supernatural and communal sharing of food.

Takeaways

• 🎃 Halloween originated about 2,000 years ago as a Celtic holiday called Samhain, marking the end of the Celtic year.
• 👻 The Celts believed October 31 was a night when the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead was thin, and they would offer food and drink to appease spirits.
• 😈 Celts would dress in costumes to protect themselves from vengeful spirits on this night.
• 👵🏻 It was also a time when departed souls were believed to return to the world, so empty chairs were left for them at feasts.
• 🏰 The Roman Catholic Church later transformed Samhain into All Hallowtide, a three-day festival starting with All Hallows Eve on October 31.
• 🍰 In the 15th century, the tradition of 'souling' emerged where people would go door-to-door singing for soul cakes to appease the dead.
• 🇬🇧 In the 16th century, Scottish and Irish 'guising' involved dressing in costumes and going door-to-door for food and money.
• 🌎 The traditions of guising were brought to North America by Irish and Scottish immigrants in the 19th century.
• 🎉 Victorian times saw a revival of old traditions and an interest in the occult, with Halloween parties focusing on young adults and romance.
• 🍎 Trick-or-treating was not a Victorian practice, but it became popular in the 20th century, especially after children in Philadelphia donated their Halloween collections to UNICEF, leading to UNICEF winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965.

Q & A

When did the holiday of Halloween originate?

Halloween originated around 2,000 years ago and was celebrated by the Celts in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man.

What was the original name of the holiday that is now known as Halloween?

The original name of the holiday was Samhain.

What did the Celts believe about the night of October 31st?

The Celts believed that October 31st was a night when the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead was very thin, allowing spirits and fairies to cross over.

Why did the Celts put out food and drink on Halloween?

The Celts put out food and drink to appease the spirits and ensure a prosperous year ahead.

How did the Celts protect themselves from vengeful spirits on Halloween?

The Celts would dress up in costumes as a means of protection from any vengeful spirits that might attack them on this night.

What was the significance of leaving empty chairs during the feast on Halloween for the Celts?

Leaving empty chairs was a tradition to welcome the departed souls of relatives who were believed to return to the world on Halloween night.

How did the Roman Catholic Church attempt to change the pagan rituals of Halloween?

The Roman Catholic Church attempted to change the pagan rituals by supplanting their own holidays onto the pagan holidays, changing Samhain to the three-day festival known as All Hallowtide.

What is the significance of the three-day festival of All Hallowtide?

All Hallowtide starts with All Hallows Eve (Halloween) on October 31, followed by All Hallows Day (All Saints Day) on November 1, and ends with All Souls Day on November 2.

What was the tradition of 'souling' and how did it relate to Halloween?

Souling was a tradition starting in the 15th century where people went door to door, often in verse or song, and were given 'soul cakes' in exchange, which were meant to appease the dead.

How did the tradition of 'guising' in Scotland and Ireland differ from 'souling'?

Guising was similar to souling but included dressing up in costumes and going door to door asking for food and money.

When did the tradition of trick-or-treating become popular in North America?

The tradition of trick-or-treating became popular in North America in the 19th century with the influx of Irish and Scottish immigrants.

What event in 1950 helped to solidify the custom of trick-or-treating in the United States?

In 1950, a group of children in Philadelphia donated all the money they collected on Halloween night to UNICEF, which became an annual tradition until 1965.

Why did trick-or-treating lose its mysterious aspect after 1965?

After UNICEF won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965 for the efforts of children collecting money on Halloween, trick-or-treating became a widely expected and accepted custom.