Origin Of Halloween

We all know Halloween, but… how exactly did it start?

Halloween originated thousands of years ago, originally as the festival of Samhain - forming part of the ancient Celtic beliefs in various parts of Europe.

As the summer in Europe ended, the Celts believed the barrier between the natural world and the supernatural world was becoming strangely thin. This to them meant that spiritual beings could cross over into the natural world and dwell here. The Celts decided to have a big party of sorts in order to scare the ghosts and spirits away.

As the years passed, the day became known as ‘Al Hallows Eve’ - the day before All Saints Day on 1 November.

Samhain signifies "summers end this was a harvest festival with huge sacred bonfires, marking the end of the Celtic year and beginning of a new one. Many of the practices involved in this celebration were fed on superstition.

The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating.

 

 

In the 1900s, this trend progressed to America who intended the festival to be celebrated as a huge party by carving pumpkins and hanging lights. In the coming years, the festivities continued with trick or treating around the neighbourhood and dressing up in costumes.

Now that we know the background of Halloween and how it came about, how will you be spending your this year?......