- History of Halloween

History of Halloween

The History of Halloween – Why We Do What We Do

The history of Halloween is shrouded in mystery. Halloween – or “All Hallow’s Eve,” as the holiday was first called – dates back centuries. Contrary to what some people believe, Halloween wasn’t originally a day for demon worship. There are several versions of the history of Halloween. By some accounts, the traditions of the day can be traced back to fear.

Around the 5th Century BC, the Celts believed that the line between the living world that they inhabited and the spirit world of the dead disappeared. That meant that those who had died (some say only those who had died in the past year) could travel across the portal. But to what purpose?

To find a living body! Apparently, the idea was that the dead would search for a body to inhabit though it’s not clear what happened to that person when the body was taken over by a spirit. Because no one wanted to have this happen, the living would dress up in ghoulish costumes and run amok through the streets.

The history of Halloween pranks can probably be traced back to this custom. The Celts thought that wreaking havoc would discourage the prowling spirits from wanted their bodies. Some pranks became classics, such as tipping over outhouses – a prank that lasted through the early 1900s.

Sound familiar? Many believe this is the origin of our tradition of dressing up on Halloween.

By other accounts, these spirits wreaked havoc with the crops and the Celts built bonfires and offered sacrifices to keep the spirits away.

Looking at the history of Halloween, you may find that Trick-or-treating also has its origin based in the attempts to connect the living world with the afterlife. This time, the connection had a benevolent aim and was initiated by the living.

Sometime during the 8th or 9th Century AD, those in Europe had developed the idea that anyone who died stayed in limbo for a period of time. The only way the living could help speed the dead on their way to their final reward was to pray. If this is true, it stands to reason that having more people offer prayers would be even better.

With that in mind, those who had lost loved ones would bake small cakes to be distributed on November 2, known as All Saints Day. They would travel around, giving the cakes to any beggars who happened to be in the area. Beggars would agree to pray for the dead of those who gave them cakes. In some regions of the United States, as recently as a half-century ago, trick-or-treating was known as “begging.”

As is it will not happen with all traditions, the lines between Halloween itself and other holidays near that same date have blurred. It could be that the Roman tradition of praying to the Pomona – goddess of fruit – accounts for our tradition of bobbing for apples.

The history of Halloween in the US is much younger than in Europe. It’s believed that the Irish brought Halloween with them when they arrived in America during the mid 1800s.

There are some who hold to the idea that Halloween is all about demons and devil worship. Considering the number of references to spirits and the dead, it’s no wonder that cults associated with the “black arts” have adopted the date as their own.

You can find more information on Halloween dates, customs and rites at Wilstar, at The Holiday Spot, and from the History Channel at http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/halloween/.

So what is it that makes Halloween one of America’s favorite holidays? Perhaps it’s the thrill of our current traditions including trick-or-treating. Maybe it’s just the chance we need to dress up, hide our identities and become someone (or something) else for a while.

Or it could be the mystery that surrounds the unknown – the sheer potential that there could be a date when the line between the spirit and living worlds do blur. Regardless of the history of Halloween, today’s rites and customs are forever changing.

Check out these 3 Articles about the History of Halloween:

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