Welcome, everyone, to the best time of the year (for me). It's autumn, the air is cool, and everything turns colourful. Halloween is here! For many, it's a fun, mysterious night.
To really understand Halloween, we should know where it comes from. Halloween used to be called Samhain, (which sounds like "Sow-wen.") It connects ancient Celtic customs to our modern spooky holiday. Samhain marked the end of the harvest and the start of winter. The Celts could feel the days getting shorter and the nights getting longer. They thought that on Samhain night, October 31st, the border between the living and the dead got thin. It wasn't about being scared, but more about respecting nature and life.
They believed that spirits, even some supernatural beings, could visit the living on Samhain. The Celts would light big fires to help these spirits find their way and to protect the living. The fires made everything look strange and comforting.
Wearing costumes, which we do on Halloween, comes from this belief too. People would dress up in animal skins to look like spirits. It was to be safe, not to be afraid. Now, we wear costumes to have fun and be creative. You can be anything you want, a witch or a pirate.
These things, like bonfires, costumes, and sharing food, were part of the Samhain celebrations. They celebrated the circle of life and death. Over time, other cultures influenced these customs, such as Roman feasts and Christian celebrations, to create the Halloween we love today.
Carving pumpkins is a big part of Halloween. But why do we do it? The tradition started with the story of "Stingy Jack." He was tricky and cheated the Devil. When he died, he couldn't go to Heaven or Hell, so he wandered the Earth with a light inside a turnip.
People in Ireland and Scotland began carving faces into turnips to keep him away. When they moved to America, they found pumpkins were even better for carving, and that's how we got Jack-o'-Lanterns. The carved pumpkins also light the way for trick-or-treaters and add spookiness to Halloween.
Trick-or-treating, where people go door-to-door in costumes for sweets, has a long history too. It came from ancient traditions of offering food to spirits. Over time, it became kids dressing up and asking for treats. It was meant to be fun and to bring people together.
Trick-or-treating increased during the Great Depression and World War II. Towns wanted to bring people together and provide a safe, enjoyable activity for children. It was a way for neighbours to share what they could during difficult times.
After World War II, Halloween saw more commercialisation. Sweet companies saw the holiday as a way to make money and began marketing specifically for Halloween, contributing to the association of Halloween with sweet treats.
So, whether you're carving pumpkins, making scary snacks, decorating your home, or watching horror movies, enjoy every moment of Halloween.
Happy Halloween!
Have a night full of fun and unforgettable memories.
Check your understanding
What is the historical background of Halloween, and how does it connect to ancient Celtic traditions?
How did the Celts view the transition from the end of the harvest season to the start of winter, and why was Samhain, October 31st, significant in their beliefs?
Why did the Celts light bonfires on Samhain, and what purpose did these fires serve?
How did the tradition of wearing costumes on Halloween originate, and what was its original purpose?
What is the origin of the tradition of carving pumpkins into Jack-o'-Lanterns, and why did it shift from turnips to pumpkins in North America?
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Vocabulary
Samhain: Pronounced "Sow-wen," it's an ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It's considered the precursor to modern Halloween.
Celts: An ancient Indo-European people who inhabited parts of Europe, including Ireland and Scotland.
Supernatural: Something beyond the natural or explainable; often related to mysterious or otherworldly phenomena.
Bonfires: Large, controlled fires often used for celebration, rituals, or illumination.
Malevolent: Having or showing a desire to harm others; having evil intentions.
Folklore: Traditional beliefs, customs, and stories passed down through generations within a particular culture.
Commercialisation: The process of making something, in this case, Halloween, more focused on making a profit, often through marketing and selling products or services.