Halloween is a celebration of the spooky and scary, which is fitting for a holiday whose origins are shrouded in mystery. The beginnings of Halloween are uncertain indeed, which can contribute to the fun around this trick-and-treat filled celebration.
The history of the holiday can be traced fairly confidently back through the eighth century, when Pope Gregory III moved the religious holiday All Saints Day from May to November. The reasons for this move are heavily debated, and we may never know Pope Gregory’s motives, but what we do know is that All Saints Day was also known as All Hallows Day, making Oct. 31 All Hallows Eve. Over time, this title was shortened to Halloween.
One possible reason for the calendar move was the earlier Celtic celebration of Samhain (pronounced: SAH-win), which meant the end of summer and was celebrated on Nov. 1. The Celts, an agrarian society, tied their calendar closely to the changing of the seasons and the Earth’s rotation around the sun. Samhain marked the midpoint between the September equinox and the December solstice.
The beginnings of this celebration and its details are hazy. Still, Celtic society generally regarded Samhain as a time when the veil between the natural world and the spiritual world was thin. The lore was that this allowed for spiritual encounters of all kinds.
As the holiday moved forward in time, it was primarily celebrated in rural areas. By the beginning of the 20th century, however, the party had moved to cities as well and had taken on a darker, more destructive flavor. Young people would roam, performing tricks unless mollified by candy and treats. City dwellers began to formalize the celebrations in the ’20s and ’30s to reduce the level of mayhem. By the ’50s, movies began depicting the holiday in a more light-hearted way, and schools started to get in on the fun.
So, while it’s true that much of Halloween’s history is a mystery, it wouldn’t be as fun any other way.
Halloween Rituals & Customs
Halloween has several long-practiced rituals and customs, but they have changed over time to what we know today.
Pumpkin carving: This fun tradition has deep roots, but pumpkins were not involved in the holiday initially. During Samhain, people would carve root vegetables such as turnips, radishes and sweet potatoes and add a candle. The idea of cutting a vegetable and putting a light inside represented life — and was considered beneficial for the harvest.
Costumes: Donning costumes during Halloween also traces its origins to the celebration of Samhain, although motivations were different. People would use costumes to hide from spirits who were said to be out and about during this time of the year.
Trick or treating: The practice of going door to door to ask for candy has perhaps changed the most from its original incarnation. During Samhain, people would go about performing pranks because they could be blamed on spirits. Treats and snacks were then offered to spirits in an attempt to curb these practices. Young people later capitalized on this custom to go door to door, threatening pranks unless treats were offered. Thankfully, in the modern era, the practice has shifted its focus from destructive tricks to cute children in costumes requesting candy from willing participants.
