The History Of Halloween
History Of Halloween
By Flora Gamba ‘23
In Western culture, Halloween, which is celebrated every year on October 31st, is a day of costumes, candy, and spooky delights. Whether you’re a fan of horror movies, ghost stories, dressing up, or simply enjoy trick-or-treating, Halloween is a favorite holiday for many. What most don’t know; however, is the true history and origins of Halloween and the way that the holiday became what it is today.
Samhain
Samhain Altar, Google Images
Halloween is descended from the Ancient Celtic tradition of Samhain (SAH-win). The pagan holiday is typically celebrated from October 31 to November 1. Though it represents welcoming the harvest and the darkest months of the year, many believe that the barriers between the physical and spirit world break during the holiday.
Samhain is one of the four fire festivals in Ancient Celtic tradition. Druid priests would light a community fire using a wheel. A flame was often taken from the community fire and brought back to individual homes. In most cases, cattle sacrifices were also made during Samhain.
Samhain Fire, Google Images
Since many believed that the barrier between worlds was broken during Samhain, offerings were left outside of villages for Sidhs (faires). People would also dress as monsters and animals so Sidhs could not kidnap them. Other monsters associated with Samhain include the Pukah (shape-shifter), the Lady Gwyn (headless woman), the Dullahan (impish creatures, often headless horsemen), and the Faery Host (a group of hunters who would kidnap people).
When the Roman Empire conquered most of the Celtic territory, Roman traditions, such as Feralia, began to merge with traditional Celtic celebrations, such as Samhain. The Roman tradition of Feralia took place in late October and was a way to commemorate the passing of the dead. Another Roman tradition, the celebration of the goddess Pomona, was the origins of the modern tradition of bobbing for apples, as the symbol of Pomona is the apple.
Roman Goddess Pomona, Google Images
Christianity and All Saints’ Day
The Catholic feast of All Saints’ Day was originally created by Pope Boniface IV in 609 A.D. Originally called All Martyrs Day, the feast was celebrated on May 13. However, Pope Gregory III later moved it to November 1 and expanded it to include all saints as well. As Christianity spread to Celtic lands, it also began to fuse with Celtic traditions. The church eventually declared November 2 All Souls’ Day. Today, many people believe this was a way for the church to replace the Celtic festival with a church-sanctioned holiday. All Saints’ Day began to be called All-hallows and Samhain began to be called All-Hallows Eve. It was eventually shortened to Halloween.
Modern Halloween
There are many popular traditions associated with Halloween, however one of the most common ones is trick-or-treating. This became popularized in America, but was borrowed from European traditions. People would dress up in costumes and go door to door asking for food or money. In the late 1800s, Americans began to focus on the community aspect of Halloween and began to host neighborhood parties. In the early 1900s, the parties were enjoyed by adults and children alike and included games, food, and costumes. At these parties, however, the superstitious and religious overtones began to disappear as parents encouraged towns to take away the frightening and gory aspects of the holiday. Slasher and horror films eventually revitalized the terrifying aspects of Halloween, while the night itself became more geared towards children.
Children Trick-or-Treating, Google Images
Despite the many superstitions that are often associated with Halloween, at its core, it is a fun holiday where children (and adults) can dress up and have fun. From its origins in Ancient Celtic fire celebrations, to its merge with Christianity, and later its fun community spirit in America, Halloween has become a major part of Western culture.
Credits
Written By: Flora Gamba
Edited By: Maria Shelley
Cover Photo By Google Images
Photo 1: Samhain Altar by Google Images
Photo 2: Samhain Fire by Google Images
Photo 3: Roman Goddess Pomana by Google Images
Photo 4: Children Trick-or-Treating by Google Images
References
History.com Editors. “Halloween: Origins, Meaning, & Traditions.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 18 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween.
History.com Editors. “Samhain: Traditions, Halloween, Wicca.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 6 Apr. 2018, www.history.com/topics/holidays/samhain.
Mercy Media Edition #2
October 28th, 2021
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