Everyone knows that Halloween is the one time of year when you can dress up as a witch, ghost or vampire and not be frowned upon for being on the wrong side of fashion.
But why do we all suddenly become so obsessed with witches, ghouls and ghosts at this time of year?
It’s common knowledge that Samhain was an ancient pagan festival originating from Ireland and Scotland.
It was believed to be a time when the veil between heaven and earth was at its thinnest.
Ghosts were more accessible than usual during Samhain.
Many believe these origins are what has led to the modern celebration of Halloween today.
In this article, we explore how and why people celebrate Halloween today.
What Is Halloween?
Halloween is a festival that is celebrated across the world on October 31st every year.
It is a festival that celebrates the end of the harvest season and welcomes in the cold winter months.
Traditionally, it is celebrated by
- Children dressing up in costumes and going Trick or Treating
- People carving out pumpkins to make Jack O Lanterns
- Attending parties or visiting haunted houses
Halloween has evolved a lot since its early beginnings.
It is now a festival that is celebrated by people of all ages and cultures across the globe.
Some people celebrate Halloween as a religious festival while others use it as an opportunity to dress up and scare their friends.
Where Does Halloween Come From?
Halloween is a festival that traces its origins back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain.
Samhain was a day that marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the winter season.
People celebrated this occasion with bonfires and feasts.
The spirits of the dead came back to haunt the living.
It was believed that on this day.
People would build bonfires and carve turnips or pumpkins to ward off the evil spirits.
And people celebrated this day to mark the beginning of the winter season and to predict how long the winter season would last.
It was also believed that on this day the veil between the living and the dead was lifted and that people could communicate with the spirits.
This day was also thought to have supernatural powers and so people would go to graveyards and ask questions from the spirits.
If the spirits answered questions correctly, the winter season would be shorter than usual.
It was believed so.
Trick Or Treating At Halloween
Traditionally, children would go from door to door on Halloween night and ask people for food.
They would ask for food such as apples, nuts or sweets.
The children would take this food and be given thanks by saying
Trick or Treat
This is how the tradition of trick or treating started.
The children would receive food or money and in return gift the people with their harmless pranks.
However, this tradition has since changed and children will often threaten the people with pranks if they do not receive sweets or money.
Halloween Parties And Games
Halloween is also a time for parties and games.
People often hold Halloween parties or attend themed Halloween parties.
These parties are usually full of games such as bobbing for apples.
People also love to play Halloween themed games.
Halloween is also a time where people can let their creativity run wild.
There are many Halloween themed events that encourage people to dress up as their favourite characters.
Halloween is a time when people can be as creative as they like and be someone else for the evening.