Halloween: History of the Celebration
ANCIENT ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN | |
| Halloween is a holiday celebrated on October 31. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. Soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes, and eating treats. Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of winter, a time of year often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. These prophecies were an important source of comfort during the long, dark winter. To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter. By 43 AD, the Roman Empire had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the 400 years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain. The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditional commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple, and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of bobbing for apples that is practiced today on Halloween. | Halloween History from National Geographic |
Costumes are worn around Halloween. An early reference to wearing costumes at Halloween comes from Scotland in 1585, but they may pre-date this. There are many references to the custom during the 18th and 19th centuries in the Celtic countries of Scotland, Ireland, Mann and Wales. It has been suggested that the custom comes from the Celtic festivals of Samhain and Calan Gaeaf, or from the practice of "souling" during the Christian observance of Allhallowtide. Wearing costumes and mumming has long been associated with festivals at other times of the year, such as on Christmas. | |
HISTORY OF GIVING TREATS | BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW... |
| From at least the 16th century, the festival included mumming and guising, which involved people going house-to-house in costume, usually reciting verses or songs in exchange for food. It has also been suggested that wearing costumes developed from the custom of souling, which was practiced by Christians in parts of Western Europe from at least the 15th century. At Allhallowtide, groups of poor people would go door-to-door, collecting soul cakes - either as representatives of the dead, or in return for saying prayers for them. One 19th century English writer said it "used to consist of parties of children, dressed up in fantastic costume, who went round to the farm houses and cottages, singing a song, and begging for cakes, apples, money, or anything that the goodwives would give them." |
RECOMMENDED READING MATERIALS @ YOUR LIBRARY | |
| HALLOWEEN MERRYMAKING: AN ILLUSTRATED CELEBRATION OF FUN, FOOD, AND FROLICS FROM HALLOWEEN'S PAST by: Diane Arkins Call Number: 394.264 ARK Contains recipes, games, costumes, party ideas, and decorations, along with excerpts from vintage periodicals, show the gaiety that epitomized historic Halloween celebrations. | |
| HALLOWEEN: TRICKS AND TREATS by: Matthew Mead Call Number: 745.594 MEA Deceptively simple projects - from pumpkin treat holders and personalized candy boxes to black cat cupcakes and cutie-jack-o-lantern-pies to scary black duct tape stencils - all include step-by-step directions and gorgeous photos. | |
| MATTHEW MEAD'S HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR by: Matthew Mead Call Number: 745.594 MEA Frightfully simple ideas for creepy decorations, terrifying sweets, and unique costumes will thrill trick-or-treaters of all ages. Holiday style pro Matthew Mead offers endlessly inventive haunted home makeovers, quick-and-easy ways to reinvent store-brought cookies and candy, awesome themed parties, and more to make, eat, and enjoy in the weeks before, and throughout all hallows' eve. | |
| HALLOWEEN: A GROWN-UPS GUIDE TO COSTUMES, DEVILISH DECOR & FABULOUS FESTIVITIES by: Joanne O'Sullivan Call Number: 745.594 OSU A Halloween book for adults brimming with practical and inventive ideas for parties, decorations, and costumes, and with an amazingly atmospheric design that's a luscious treat for grown-up eyes. After all, when it comes to Halloween, why should kids have all the fun? | |
| IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN Call Number: J 791.43 ITS Longtime believer, Linus, believes that this year the Great Pumpkin will come and he decides to keep watch all night in the pumpkin patch to welcome him. Charlie Brown dresses up as a ghost, but does not scare up the usual kinds of Halloween loot when trick-or-treating. Snoopy crashes into Violet's party, as well as Linus' vigil. | |
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