The Origin of Halloween By: Ben Welch 10-25-22
Halloween is a tradition not celebrated by everyone but still celebrated by lots of people. Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31, and Halloween 2022 will occur on Monday, October 31.
“The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.” History.com says.
“In the eighth 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.
This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was 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. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort during the long, dark winter.
Fun Fact: Did you know that one quarter of all candy sold annually in the US is on halloween?
By 43 A.D., 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 traditionally 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 are practiced today on Halloween.
Writer Bio
Ben Welch: Ben Is a 13-year-old 7th grader here at EJHS. Ben is involved in a few outside school activities including being in the EHS marching band and the Design Lab Club. Ben enjoys fishing, baseball, being outside, and being around people including his two brothers, mom, dad, and dog.