Happy Halloween Day

Description

Celebration
During Halloween, children and their parents engage in the tradition of Trick-or-Treating. Children dress up in costumes and visit their neighbors’ homes, where they enthusiastically call out “Trick-or-Treat,” and in return, receive candy or other treats. Halloween is also marked by costume parties, apple-bobbing activities, sharing horror stories, and visiting haunted house attractions. Despite its religious origins, Halloween is generally regarded as a secular holiday in the United States.

Origin
The term “Halloween” is derived from the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day, which commences the three-day observance of Allhallowtide. During this time, people remember the deceased, particularly saints and martyrs.

There is some debate about whether Halloween has its roots in the Gaelic festival of Samhain, where ancient Celts celebrated the end of the harvest. However, most historians acknowledge at least some connection between the two. Halloween was introduced to America by Irish immigrants, who eventually popularized the holiday.

Trick-or-Treat, Samhain, and Guising
The Celts in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man celebrated the period of Samhain. It was believed that during this time, the boundaries between the living and the dead were blurred, allowing fairies and spirits known as Aos Si to be more active.

Traditionally, offerings were made to appease the Aos Si, and it was believed that the deceased would return to visit their families. People impersonated the Aos Si to receive offerings on their behalf and protect themselves from any potential wrath. These individuals were known as guisers or mummers. Those who donated to the guisers could expect good luck throughout the winter. The practice of threatening to play pranks if offerings were not given gave rise to the term “Trick or Treat.”

Christian Influence
Despite its pagan origins, Halloween became associated with religious observance in Europe by the twelfth century. Some Christian literature suggested that the dead could walk the earth until All-hallows Eve, providing them with a final chance to seek vengeance on the living. Dressing in costumes became a way to disguise oneself and avoid any potential retribution from the deceased.

In the Middle Ages, parishes would display relics of saints and martyrs. Those unable to afford such relics would have parishioners dress up as the saints on Halloween. Fires were lit to guide souls to the afterlife and ward off evil spirits. In France, spirits were said to rise on Halloween during the Danse Macabre, serving as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly existence.