Fall Holidays

Fall is a really beautiful season and is also one of my favorite seasons. There are several holidays that come and go, but the two most celebrated are Halloween and Thanksgiving. When I first moved here, I had no idea what Halloween or Thanksgiving was because I have never celebrated them. I have seen people wear costumes and go to each and every house in their neighborhood to collect candies. I even hear my friends talk about the big dinners that they had with their families on Thanksgiving. Over the years, I got fascinated by the traditions incorporated into these holidays. So I asked my cousins, in Boston, and I did a little bit of my own research, to figure out what makes these holidays special and why people celebrate them.

Let’s start off with Halloween. When you think of Halloween, you typically think of dressing up, trick or treating, and comparing your candy with friends. At least, that’s what I think. However, did you know Halloween did not start off this way? According to History.com, It is said that it originated from an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain. During Samhain, people lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off ghosts. They celebrated their new year on November 1st and that time of year was often associated with death. It was believed that on the night of October 31st, ghosts returned to Earth so the Celts burnt crops and animals as sacrifices. Later Christianity influenced the holiday and November 1st was declared as All Saints’ Day and October 31st became All Hallow’s Eve, known today as Halloween. Halloween is all about being with your friends and dressing up while getting candy at the same time. Who wouldn’t like that?

While Halloween spreads the holiday fear, Thanksgiving, on the other hand, is a little different. Most people associate Thanksgiving with food. Everyone knows the story of Thanksgiving. According to History.com, It originated in 1620 when a group of pilgrims from England settled in Plymouth and formed an alliance with a tribe of Native Americans. In 1621, the two groups shared a feast, which was known as the first Thanksgiving. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. Did you know that Thanksgiving has all the elements of a meal? The meat part - Turkey of course. The starch - Potatoes. The veggies - corn or beans. Fruit - Cranberries. Grains - Rolls. It's perfect! Thanksgiving is all about being thankful and spending time with your family.

To this day, Halloween and Thanksgiving thrill people of all ages, young to old. Conclusively, Halloween and Thanksgiving are different occasions with their own traditions and surprises. So I hope you make the most out of these holidays!