Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago 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 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 and direction 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 A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred 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 is practiced today on Halloween. By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.
As European immigrants came to America, they brought their varied Halloween customs with them. Because of the rigid Protestant belief systems that characterized early New England, celebration of Halloween in colonial times was extremely limited there. It was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies. As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups, as well as the American Indians, meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included "play parties," public events held to celebrate the harvest, where neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other's fortunes, dance, and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country. In the second half of the nineteenth century, America was flooded with new immigrants. These new immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing Ireland's potato famine of 1846, helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally. Taking from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today's "trick-or-treat" tradition. Young women believed that, on Halloween, they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings, or mirrors. In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers, than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft. At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season, and festive costumes. Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything "frightening" or "grotesque" out of Halloween celebrations. Because of their efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century. By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular, but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague Halloween celebrations in many communities during this time. By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated. Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. In theory, families could also prevent tricks being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats. A new American tradition was born, and it has continued to grow. Today, Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country's second largest commercial holiday.
The American Halloween tradition of "trick-or-treating" probably dates back to the early All Souls' Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray for the family's dead relatives. The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as "going a-souling" was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food, and money. The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits. On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter.
I celebrate first and two of November I travel to huajuapan de león Oaxaca,to visit the tombs of my grandparents paternal and the one an uncle. And in the DF I visit the tomb of my maternal grandmother and the one an uncle. In my house offering is put with food , candles, photos and perforated paper.
Meaning Halloween means " All hallow's eve ", word that comes from the ancient Englishman, and that it means " eve of all the saints ", since it refers to the night of October 31, eve of the Holiday of All the Saints. The former Anglo-Saxon custom has stolen his strict religious sense from him to celebrate in his place the night of the terror, of the witches and the ghosts. Halloween marks a sad return to the former paganism, trend that has propagated also between the Hispanic peoples.
Origins The celebration of the Halloween began with the Celtic, former settlers of Eastern Europe, Western and part of Asia Minor. Between them there were living the Druids, pagan adoring priests of the trees, specially of the oak. They believed in the immortality of the soul, which they were saying it was getting in another individual on having left the body; but on October 31 it was returning to his former home to ask for food his inhabitants, who were forced to do provision for her. The Celtic year was concluding in this date that it coincides with the autumn, which principal characteristic is the fall of the leaves. For them it was meaning the end of the death or initiation of a new life. This education there propagated across the years unitedly with the adoration to his god the " master of the death ", or "Samagin", whom on the same day they were invoking to consult him on the future, health, prosperity, death, between others. When the Celtic peoples were Christianized, not they all resigned the pagan customs. That is to say, the conversion was not complete. The chronological coincidence of the pagan holiday with the Christian holiday of All the Saints and that of the deceased, which is the following day, did that it was mixed. Instead of remembering the good examples of the saints and praying for the forbears, they were filling with fear before the former superstitions on the death and the deceased. Some Irish immigrants introduced Halloween in the United States where it managed to be a part of the popular folklore. Him were added diverse pagan elements taken of the different groups of immigrants up to managing to include the belief in witches, ghosts, goblins, drácula and monsters of any species. From there, it has propagated all over the world. On October 31 in the night, in the countries of Anglo-Saxon culture or of Celtic inheritance, there are celebrated on eve of the holiday of All the Saints, with the whole scenery that before he reminded to the dead men, then with the arrival of the Christianity to the souls of the Purgatory, and that now have turned into a mental salad into that beliefs are not absent in witches, ghosts and similar things. On the countries of Mediterranean culture, the recollection of the deceased and the attention to the death it centres on November 2, the day following the celebration of the resurrection and the happiness of the paradise for that it waits for the Christian community, a family of "saints" like her San Paul was dealing.
Diverse traditions join, are mixed and are influenced mutually in this beginning of November in the cultures of the western countries. In Asia and Africa, the worship to the forbears and to the dead men has strong roots but it is not so tied to a concrete date as in our culture. In Hallowe'en (of All hallow's eve), literally on Eve of All the Saints, the Anglo-Saxon legend says that it is easy to see witches and ghosts. The children disguise themselves and go - with a candle got in a gourd emptied in that incisions are done to form a skull - of house in house. When the door is opened they shout: " trick or treat " to indicate that they will spend a joke to whom not they of a species of gratuity or bonus in delicacies or money. A former Irish legend narrates that the illuminated gourd would be the face of such a Jack O'Lantern who, in the night of All the Saints, invited the devil to drink in his house, pretending to be a good Christian. Since he was a dissolute man, it finished in the hell. With the arrival of the christianity, while in the Anglo-Saxon countries it was taking it forms the procession of the disguised children asking of door in door with the lantern in the shape of skull, in the Mediterranean ones other customs were spreading tied on November 1 and 2. In many Spanish peoples there exists a tradition of going of door in door touching, singing and asking for money for the " Souls of the purgatory ". Nowadays, though less that long ago, the cemeteries continue being visited, they fix the tombs up with flowers, the late relatives are remembered and one prays for them; in the houses one was speaking about the family, about all the alive ones and from that they had gone on to another life and there were consumed special sweets, which last for the occasion, since in Spain the buns of wind or the saint's bones. Meanwhile, to another side of the ocean and to the south of The United States, the catholic tradition taken by Spanish and Portuguese it was dying of own color in every American country, mixed to the local rites precoloniales and to the local folklore In Galicia two traditions join: the celta and the catholic one, for what there is this the region of Spain in which more it lasts the tradition of the recollection of the dead men, the souls of the Purgatory, very joined the local folklore, and the legends on appearances and ghosts. In all the representations rites and recollections pervive an unconscious, and rather pagan desire, to exorcize the fear of the death, to avoid his distress. The ancient myth of the return of the dead men, has turned today into ghosts or dráculas with special effects into the trillers.
Disney Paris: from October 2 until November 1 Halloween is celebrated in Disney París by holidays between happy and terrifying. This month they are the most famous villains the protagonists of the amusement in the theme parks. A promise of pranks and adventures.
But it is not necessary to go very far to enjoy a terrifying Halloween: Port Aventura, in Spain, transforms during these holidays. Zombies and vampires, strange monsters and all kinds of terrors will stalk the visitors during this October. Halloween in the United Kingdom. The tradition of the night of Bruges in these countries is very strong and we can join it with visits to former castles and monasteries where, many people say, still there are spirits patrolling. Festivity of all the Saints The holiday of All the Late Public inspectors was instituted by San Odilón, Benedictine monk and fifth Abbot of Cluny in France on October 31 of the year 998. On there having be fulfilled the millenium of this festivity, the Pope Juan Paul II remembered that " San Odilón wanted to exhort his monks to pray in a special way for the deceased. From the Abbot of Cluny one began to extend the habit of interyielding solemnly for the deceased, and managed to turn what San Odilón was called the Holiday of the Dead men, practical still today in effect in the universal Church ". " On having prayed for the dead men - says the Holy Father-, the Church contemplates especially the mystery of Christ's Resurrection that for his Cross obtains the salvation and the eternal life. The Church waits in the eternal salvation of all his children and of all the men ". After the importance of the prayers for the deceased, the Pontiff affirms that the " prayers of intercession and of petition that the Church does not stop directing God have a great value. The Gentleman always shakes for the petitions of his children, because he is A God of alive. The Church believes that the souls of the purgatory " are helped by the intercession of the public inspectors, and especially, by the propiciatory sacrifice of the altar ", as well as " by the charity and other works of piety ".
In my family the day of dead men we feast it of the following way: We place the offering that takes dead man's bread, flowers, watching, skulls of chocolate, sweet of gourd, sweet of yam, mandarins, glasses with water, atole, like, tamales, tequila, cigars, we adorn her with bad paper of diverse colors and put relatives' photos that have expired. We go to the pantheon to adorn with flowers and watching the tombs of our dear beings. Some occasions beside adorning the tombs we happen the night in the pantheon watching the tomb and waiting for our beings wanted to invite them of our food, this day the pantheon dresses of holiday and fills with colors. Also in the night my cousins and I accompany my nephews who disguise themselves to ask calaverita; and in turn we give calaverita the children.
History of Halloween, like any other festival's history is inspired through traditions that have transpired through ages from one generation to another. We follow them mostly as did our dads and grandpas. And as this process goes on, much of their originality get distorted with newer additions and alterations. It happens so gradually, spanning over so many ages, that we hardly come to know about these distortions. At one point of time it leaves us puzzled, with its multicolored faces. Digging into its history helps sieve out the facts from the fantasies which caught us unaware. Yet, doubts still lurk deep in our soul, especially when the reality differs from what has taken a deep seated root into our beliefs. The history of Halloween Day, as called from the net, is being depicted here in this light. This is to help out those who are interested in washing off the superficial hues to reach the core and know things as they truly are. 'Trick or treat' may be an innocent fun to relish on the Halloween Day. But just think about a bunch of frightening fantasies and the scary stories featuring ghosts, witches, monsters, evils, elves and animal sacrifices associated with it. Behind the name... Halloween, or the Hallow E'en as they call it in Ireland , means All Hallows Eve, or the night before the 'All Hallows', also called 'All Hallowmas', or 'All Saints', or 'All Souls' Day, observed on November 1. In old English the word 'Hallow' meant 'sanctify'. Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherians used to observe All Hallows Day to honor all Saints in heaven, known or unknown. They used to consider it with all solemnity as one of the most significant observances of the Church year. And Catholics, all and sundry, was obliged to attend Mass. The Romans observed the holiday of Feralia, intended to give rest and peace to the departed. Participants made sacrifices in honor of the dead, offered up prayers for them, and made oblations to them. The festival was celebrated on February 21, the end of the Roman year. In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day to replace the pagan festival of the dead. It was observed on May 13. Later, Gregory III changed the date to November 1, the American version of Halloween Day celebration owes its origin to the ancient (pre-Christian) Druidic fire festival called "Samhain", celebrated by the Celts in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. I think Halloween is and American tradition that mexicans adopted, neither I disguised myself as any character nor my cousins and my brothers do, because we all think that we have to respect mexican traditions like dead´s bread, tequila, atole, the marvelous offerings, etc. That´s why we make offerings to the people that have died. We agree only with mexican traditions, that have passed through generations since ancient times, not by american traditions that I think they don have nothing to do with our costumes, they are just one more bussiness medium.
THE HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN Origins What we know today as Halloween or Halloween are celebrated more than 3000 years ago by the Celts, a warrior people who lived in areas of Ireland, England, Scotland and France. Precisely on 31 October, the Celts celebrated the end of the year with Samhain, a pagan holiday. European immigration to the United States, mainly of Irish Catholics in 1846, the tradition of Halloween came to America. Who were the Celts? They came originally from Asia to form the trunk, as a member of Indo-Germanic people, who settled in western Europe in the twentieth century BC and inhabited the central and northern Europe. For the year 1000 BCE spread throughout the British Isles, northern France, part of Switzerland and northern Italy. Invaded Spain in the ninth century BCE Their language was Indo-European, which is a few literary records. For the fourth century BCE were displaced from central and northern Europe as a result of the arrival of other peoples, Germanic groups.
WHAT IS HALLOWEEN? When Emperor Constantine decreed that the inhabitants of his empire to convert to Christianity, many pagan rituals were introduced. That was how the festival of Samhain infiltrated. By the eighth century, the Christian Church became the 1st of November at the All Saints Day to honor all the saints who did not have a particular day of celebration. Over the years these festivals combined, and most called 'All Hallowmas "(the mass of all the saints, holy people) at All Saints' Day. The night before became known as "All Hallows Eve" (Eve of All Saints Day). Over time, his name became Halloween. The custom of trick or treating from door to door (trick-or-treating) became popular around 1930. It is believed, does not go back to Celtic culture it derives from a practice that emerged in Europe during the ninth century souling call, a kind of service for the souls. While many religious people think that this festival is done with the purpose to worship the devil or demons, the truth is that it has become a fun date for the child. In general it is a tradition in the U.S. more important in that country Finally the conclusion will be no one to take as an insult to Christianity and there will be others who see it as an opportunity to go trick-healthy with their kids and share with them.
THE HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN Origins What we know today as Halloween or Halloween are celebrated more than 3000 years ago by the Celts, a warrior people who lived in areas of Ireland, England, Scotland and France. Precisely on 31 October, the Celts celebrated the end of the year with Samhain, a pagan holiday. European immigration to the United States, mainly of Irish Catholics in 1846, the tradition of Halloween came to America. Who were the Celts? They came originally from Asia to form the trunk, as a member of Indo-Germanic people, who settled in western Europe in the twentieth century BC and inhabited the central and northern Europe. For the year 1000 BCE spread throughout the British Isles, northern France, part of Switzerland and northern Italy. Invaded Spain in the ninth century BCE Their language was Indo-European, which is a few literary records. For the fourth century BCE were displaced from central and northern Europe as a result of the arrival of other peoples, Germanic groups.
WHAT IS HALLOWEEN? When Emperor Constantine decreed that the inhabitants of his empire to convert to Christianity, many pagan rituals were introduced. That was how the festival of Samhain infiltrated. By the eighth century, the Christian Church became the 1st of November at the All Saints Day to honor all the saints who did not have a particular day of celebration. Over the years these festivals combined, and most called 'All Hallowmas "(the mass of all the saints, holy people) at All Saints' Day. The night before became known as "All Hallows Eve" (Eve of All Saints Day). Over time, his name became Halloween. The custom of trick or treating from door to door (trick-or-treating) became popular around 1930. It is believed, does not go back to Celtic culture it derives from a practice that emerged in Europe during the ninth century souling call, a kind of service for the souls. While many religious people think that this festival is done with the purpose to worship the devil or demons, the truth is that it has become a fun date for the child. In general it is a tradition in the U.S. more important in that country Finally the conclusion will be no one to take as an insult to Christianity and there will be others who see it as an opportunity to go trick-healthy with their kids and share with them.
think this is one of the most imporatnt traditions in the United States of America and currently is a great time to ask for candy and where children dress up some terrific characters, and that since she started this practice which initially was not thus, the pair some people Halloween is fun.
The word itself, "Halloween," actually has its origins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve. November 1, "All Hollows Day" (or "All Saints Day"), is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. But, in the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31. The holiday was called Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New year. In Greek mythology, goddesses of the underworld were often used to invoke the Samhain. Popular Greek Goddess costumes portray Hecate and Medusa. Hecate was the most favored goddess by Zeus, and wandered the emptiness between the worlds of life and death looking for souls of the dead. Both were considered serpent goddesses, and their ancient dark legends spawned myths such as vampires, who fed off the living using venom and snake-like fangs. Ritualistic dress includes snake adornments and three headed masks. Today, Hecate is often referred to as the goddess of witches. The custom of Halloween was brought to America in the 1840's by Irish immigrants fleeing their country's potato famine. At that time, the favorite pranks in New England included tipping over outhouses and unhinging fence gates. The Jack-o-lantern custom probably comes from Irish folklore. As the tale is told, a man named Jack, who was notorious as a drunkard and trickster, tricked Satan into climbing a tree. Jack then carved an image of a cross in the tree's trunk, trapping the devil up the tree. Jack made a deal with the devil that, if he would never tempt him again, he would promise to let him down the tree. According to the folk tale, after Jack died, he was denied entrance to Heaven because of his evil ways, but he was also denied access to Hell because he had tricked the devil. Instead, the devil gave him a single ember to light his way through the frigid darkness. The ember was placed inside a hollowed-out turnip to keep it glowing longer. The Irish used turnips as their "Jack's lanterns" originally. But when the immigrants came to America, they found that pumpkins were far more plentiful than turnips. So the Jack-O-Lantern in America was a hollowed-out pumpkin, lit with an ember. So, although some cults may have adopted Halloween as their favorite "holiday," the day itself did not grow out of evil practices. It grew out of the rituals of Celts celebrating a new year, and out of Medieval prayer rituals of Europeans. And today, even many churches have Halloween parties or pumpkin carving events for the kids. After all, the day itself is only as evil as one cares to make it.
I think the story is interesting Halloween, I confess that I knew absolutely nothing about it, although I think that Mexico copied this tradition to America, although the tradition of Day of the Dead that exists here in Mexico, also has its history, in my opinion more reasoned than Halloween. I think that we don't need to copy anything, since we count very beautiful traditions, otherwise they would go missing traditions over time.
Halloween is the one of the oldest holidays still celebrated today. It's one of the most popular holidays, second only to Christmas.
Some people view Halloween as a time for fun, putting on costumes, trick-or-treating, and having theme parties. Others view it as a time of superstitions, ghosts, goblins and evil spirits that should be avoided at all costs.
As the Christian debate goes on, celebrating Halloween is a preference that is not always viewed as participating in an evil holiday. Halloween is often celebrated with no reference to pagan rituals or the occult.
Halloween in USA.Many children dress up in fancy costumes and visit other homes in the neighborhood. At each house, they demand sweets, snacks or a small gift. If they do not get this, they threaten to do some harm to the inhabitants of the house. This is known as playing 'trick-or-treat' and is supposed to happen in a friendly spirit, with no nasty or mean tricks being carried out. However, if your children take part, it is important to accompany them and to check their 'treats' to make sure they are safe to eat or play with. Some families carve lanterns with 'scary' faces out of pumpkins or other vegetables or decorate their homes and gardens in Halloween style. These were traditionally intended to ward off evil spirits.
Halloween History .Halloween is on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday, honoring the dead. Halloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago.
All Hallows Eve is the evening before All Saints Day, which was created by Christians to convert pagans, and is celebrated on November 1st. The Catholic church honored saints on this designated day.
Origin of Halloween. While there are many versions of the origins and old customs of Halloween, some remain consistent by all accounts. Different cultures view Halloween somewhat differently but traditional Halloween practices remain the same.
Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lay in the feast of Samhain, which was annually on October 31st to honor the dead.Samhain signifies "summers end" or November. Samhain was a harvest festival with huge sacred bonfires, marking the end of the Celtic year and beginning of a new one. Many of the practices involved in this celebration were fed on superstition.
The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating.
Halloween is on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday, honoring the dead. Halloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago. The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating. All Hallows Eve is the evening before All Saints Day, which was created by Christians to convert pagans, and is celebrated on November 1st. All Hallows Eve es la víspera de Todos los Santos, que fue creado por los cristianos a convertir a los paganos, y se celebra el 1 de noviembre. The Catholic church honored saints on this designated day. La iglesia católica los santos honrados en este día designado. origen de halloween. Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lay in the feast of Samhain, which was annually on October 31st to honor the dead and came to America by immigrants who came so popularized in this country and change a little tradition.
Halloween and the Day of the Dead is not so different, because the 2 a day to celebrate the dead.
Hi!! This is the information that I found on halloween: Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. Traditional activities include trick-or-treating, bonfires, costume parties, visiting "haunted houses" and carving jack-o-lanterns. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late twentieth century including Ireland, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom as well as of Australia and New Zealand. Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain. The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture. Samhain was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and prepare for winter. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped and the deceased would come back to life and cause havoc such as sickness or damaged crops.
The festival would frequently involve bonfires. It is believed that the fires attracted insects to the area which attracted bats to the area. These are additional attributes of the history of Halloween.
Masks and consumes were worn in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or appease them.
Trick-or-treating, is an activity for children on or around Halloween in which they proceed from house to house in costumes,the "trick" part of "trick or treat" is a threat to play a trick on the homeowner or his property if no treat is given. Trick-or-treating is one of the main traditions of Halloween. It has become socially expected that if one lives in a neighborhood with children one should purchase treats in preparation for trick-or-treaters.
Part of the history of Halloween is Halloween costumes. The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays goes back to the Middle Ages, and includes Christmas wassailing. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of "souling," when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. Shakespeare mentions the practice in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1593), when Speed accuses his master of "puling [whimpering, whining], like a beggar at Hallowmas."
HEY WHATS UP? I didnt want to investigate about Halloween generally, there´s now alot of information here in the blog, so i invetigate about Halloween in my favorite contry, Holland, here is it...
It surprised me a lot when i looked Holland has Halloween, is a strange country so i didt´n thought that, but it is in another day, called Saint Martin's Day, November 11th, is a celebration in Holland very much like "trick-or-treat". People in Holland go around getting treats by ringing on some doorbells, singing songs for which they are given sweets or tangerines. They go around with lanterns and here is one the songs they sing: Elf November is de dag, Dat mijn lichtje, Dat mijn lichtje. Elf November is de dag, Dat mijn lichtje branden mag.
Words to Sint Maarten Song.
This is the story of why the Dutch celebrate Saint Martin. It was a dark and stormy night. Martin was quite alone on that dark stormy night. He only had a cloak and a singular piece of bread. He was returning home when suddenly a poor and homeless man appeared in the darkness. Martin felt pity for the man and gave him half his piece of bread, and half his cloak and offered him hospitality in his home. Now he is called St Martin and is known for his kindness to the stranger. That is why they celebrate Saint Martin's Day.
In my home, Halloween is like another borin' day...
Halloween means "All Hallow's eve", and refers to the night of October 31, the eve of the Feast of All Saints The celebration of Halloween began with the Celts, Druids lived among them, believed in the immortality of the soul, which they said was introduced into another individual to leave the body, but on October 31 he returned to his old home to seek food its inhabitants, who were obliged to make provision for it. The Celtic year concluded on this date that coincides with the fall meant the end of death or initiation of a new life. This teaching is spread through the years along with the worship of their god the "lord of death", or "Samagin" who on this day invoked to inquire about the future, health, prosperity, death, etc. . When the Celts were Christianized, not all resigned to the pagan customs. The chronological coincidence of the pagan celebration with the Christian feast of All Saints and All Souls, made it to mix. Some Irish immigrants introduced Halloween in the United States where he became part of popular folklore. Were added many pagan elements. From there, it has spread worldwide. On October 31 night, children dress up and go "with a candle inserted into a hollowed out pumpkin in which incisions are made to form a skull-from house to house. When you open the door shouting "trick or treat" to indicate a joke who do not give them a kind of gratuity or bonus in sweets or money. spread in the Mediterranean other customs related to 1 and 2 November. In many Spanish towns are still visiting the cemeteries, the graves are arranged with flowers, the family remembers dead and pray for them at home we talked about the family, all living and those who had gone to another life and special sweets were consumed, that last chance.
In my house, Halloween and Day of the Dead is celebrated Nov. 1 at night we dressed up and went to ask calaverita and at home all together tell stories of terror, we also offer a gift and my grandparents go to the cemetery with flowers and candles
Halloween (or Hallowe'en) is an annual holiday observed on October 31, primarily in Ireland, Scotland, Canada and the United States. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holiday All Saints' Day, but is today largely a secular celebration. Common Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, carving jack-o'-lanterns, ghost tours, bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, committing pranks, telling ghost stories or other frightening tales, and watching horror films.
History Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that while "some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, whose original spelling was Samuin (pronounced sow-an or sow-in)" The name is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end".A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons and is known as Calan Gaeaf (pronounced Kálan Gái av). The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes regarded as the "Celtic New Year". The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces. Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flame. Sometimes two bonfires would be built side-by-side, and people and their livestock would walk between them as a cleansing ritual. Another common practice was divination, which often involved the use of food and drink. The name 'Halloween' and many of its present-day traditions derive from the Old English era.
How day Halloween celebration? usually no celebration Halloween day I think the Mexican tradition must be rescued, ... although I admit, this year I went to a party. usually at my house put an offering for Day of the Dead, but only. LOPEZ TORRES MARIA ESTHER.
Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that while "some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, whose original spelling was Samuin (pronounced sow-an or sow-in)" The name is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end". A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons and is known as Calan Gaeaf (pronounced Kálan Gái av) Snap-Apple Night by Daniel Maclise showing a Halloween party in Blarney, Ireland, in 1832. The young children on the right bob for apples. A couple in the center play a variant, which involves retrieving an apple hanging from a string. The couples at left play divination games. The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes] regarded as the "Celtic New Year".] The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces. Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames. Sometimes two bonfires would be built side-by-side, and people and their livestock would walk between them as a cleansing ritual. Halloween costumes are traditionally modeled after supernatural figures such as monsters, ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils. Over time, the costume selection extended to include popular characters from fiction, celebrities, and generic archetypes such as ninjas and princesses. Another trend is for women (and in some cases, men) to wear sexy or revealing costumes. Dressing up in costumes and going "guising" was prevalent in Scotland and Ireland at Halloween by the 19th century. Costuming became popular for Halloween parties in the US in the early 20th century, as often for adults as for children. The first mass-produced Halloween costumes appeared in stores in the 1930s when trick-or-treating was becoming popular in the United States. Halloween costume parties generally fall on, or around, 31 October, often falling on the Friday or Saturday prior to Halloween An American Halloween practice is to decorate a house, yard, or garage and open it to other members of the public. For some, the decorations are something created specifically for trick-or-treating and are in place for one night only. For others, the decorations are done more in the tradition of Christmas decor and appear a month or so before the actual holiday.
I´m Paola Alvarez, I think halloween is just a comercial date, this date causes confusion between the celebration of the Mexican customs, the celebration is not originally from here as is well known, in Mexico celebrate "El día de muertos", but with the time this celebration was mixed with other traditions and now is this mixture is part of the culture of the mexicans. For the mexican is a pretext for have fun, any date of the year is god day for a party, it is funny go to the partys and dress up as any character,because for Mexicans is just an occasion to have fun without seeing the background of this celebration and its origins.
Halloween is the one of the oldest holidays still celebrated today. It's one of the most popular holidays, second only to Christmas. While millions of people celebrate Halloween without knowing its origins and myths, the history and facts of Halloween make the holiday more fascinating. Some people view Halloween as a time for fun, putting on costumes, trick-or-treating, and having theme parties. Others view it as a time of superstitions, ghosts, goblins and evil spirits that should be avoided at all costs. As the Christian debate goes on, celebrating Halloween is a preference that is not always viewed as participating in an evil holiday. Halloween is often celebrated with no reference to pagan rituals or the occult. Halloween History Halloween is on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday, honoring the dead. Halloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago. All Hallows Eve is the evening before All Saints Day, which was created by Christians to convert pagans, and is celebrated on November 1st. The Catholic church honored saints on this designated day. Origin of Halloween While there are many versions of the origins and old customs of Halloween, some remain consistent by all accounts. Different cultures view Halloween somewhat differently but traditional Halloween practices remain the same. Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lay in the feast of Samhain, which was annually on October 31st to honor the dead. Samhain signifies "summers end" or November. Samhain was a harvest festival with huge sacred bonfires, marking the end of the Celtic year and beginning of a new one. Many of the practices involved in this celebration were fed on superstition. The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating.
Trick or treat Where does the custom of “trick or treating” come from? Is it really ancient, a few centuries old, or relatively modern? Let’s look at the evidence: Kevin Danaher, in his remarkable book The Year in Ireland, has a long discussion of the traditional Irish celebrations of this festival. In one section on “Hallow-E’en Guisers,” he says: A familiar sight in Dublin city on and about October 31 is that of small groups of children, arrayed in grotesque garments and with faces masked or painted, accosting the passers-by or knocking on house doors with the request: “Help the Hallow E’en party! Any apples or nuts?” in the expectation of being given small presents; this, incidentally, is all the more remarkable as it is the only folk custom of the kind which has survived in the metropolis. A couple of generations ago, in parts of Dublin and in other areas of Ireland, the groups would have consisted of young men and grown boys, who often travelled considerable distances in their quest, with consequently greater reward. The proceeds were usually expended on a “Hallow E’en party,” with music, dancing, feasting and so on, at some chosen house, and not merely consumed on the spot as with the children nowadays… Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge, ii, 370, states that in parts of Count Waterford, Hallow E’en is called oidhche na h-aimléise, “The night of mischief or con.” It was a custom in the county — it survives still in places — for the “boys” to assemble in gangs, and, headed by a few horn-blowers who were always selected for their strength of lungs, to visit all the farmers’ houses in the district and levy a sort of blackmail, good humouredly asked for, and as cheerfully given. They afterward met at some rendezvous, and in merry revelry celebrated the festival of Samhain in their own way. When the distant winding of the horns was heard, the bean a’ tigh [woman of the house] prepared for their reception, and got ready the money or builín (white bread) to be handed to them through the half-opened door. Whoever heard the wild scurry of their rush through a farm-yard to the kitchen-door — there was always a race amongst them to get possession of the latch — will not question the propriety of the word aimiléis [mischief] applied to their proceedings
In my home the day of halloween , sits an offering to our loved ones who have died; but also all the family meets and organizes a feast of costumes, each puts a disguise differently, and the best costume is given a prize, also danced and sang, we eat all kinds of food and young children are given sweets. Everything is fun. Morales CalderÓn Ethiel Salvador
Halloween or Halloween is a holiday celebrated mainly in the U.S. on the night of October 31. It originated in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian feast of All Saints Day. In large part, is a secular celebration although some believe that has a religious background. Irish immigrants passed versions of the tradition to North America during the Great Irish Famine of 1840.
The word Halloween is a derivation of the phrase All Hallows' Eve (Hallowe'en). It was held in Anglo-Saxon countries, mainly in Canada, USA, Ireland and the UK. The expansive force of U.S. culture. UU. Halloween has been popular in other Western countries.
The day is often associated with orange and black colors and is strongly linked to symbols like the Jack-o'-lantern. Typical activities include the famous Halloween trick or treating and costume parties, in addition to the bonfires, visiting haunted houses, jokes, reading scary stories and viewing horror films.
In 1840 the festival comes to America, where it is deeply rooted. Irish immigrants passed versions of the tradition during the Great Irish Famine.
However, the party did not start mass held until 1921. That year was the first Halloween parade in Minnesota and then was followed by other states. The party took a progressive popularity in the coming decades.
The internationalization of Halloween came in the late 70's and early 80's thanks to movies and television series.
Today, children dress for the occasion and walk through the streets demanding candy door to door. After knocking on the door children uttered the phrase "trick or treat" "trick or sweet" or "naughty or sweet" (from the English trick or treat). If adults give them candy, money or any other type of reward, is interpreted to have accepted the deal. If instead they refuse, the boys spend a little joke, the most common throw eggs or shaving foam against the door.
Well, I see that there is much information of the Halloween, so I will write only a few points that I consider important : The Halloween celebrated each year on October 31. Is a mix of ancient Celtic practices, Catholic and Roman religious rituals and European folk traditions that blended together over time to create the holiday we know today. This day has long been thought of as a day when the dead can return to the earth, and ancient Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off these roaming ghosts. In the 19th century, Halloween began to lose its religious connotation, becoming a more secular community-based children's holiday. In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers, than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft. Halloween decorations typically feature imagery associated with supernatural beings such as witches, werewolves, vampires, and ghosts. Images thought to symbolize bad omens-such as black cats, bats, and spiders-are also commonly featured in Halloween decorations. Most Halloween festivities are based on folk beliefs concerning supernatural forces and spirits of the dead. The most celebrated Halloween decoration is the jack-o'-lantern, traditionally a hollowed-out pumpkin carved to resemble a grotesque face and illuminated by a candle placed inside. The jack-o'-lantern derives its name from a character in British folktales. According to these tales, the soul of a deceased person named Jack O'Lantern was barred from both heaven and hell and was condemned to wander the earth with his lantern. Dressing in costume is one of the most popular Halloween customs, especially among children. Traditional costumes usually represent witches, ghosts, and other supernatural beings. However, costumes inspired by contemporary popular culture, such as politicians or movie characters, have become increasingly common in recent years. Adults often favor costumes with satirical or humorous overtones.
Every kid (and kid at heart) looks forward to October, 31st each year. Little boys magically turn into vampires and little girls into fairies, bidding for the greatest haul of sugar laden sweets and candies. However, Halloween has a much deeper, and in some ways darker history, that has given birth to one of the most beloved holidays in the world.
Halloween, celebrated each year on October 31, is a mix of ancient Celtic practices, Catholic and Roman religious rituals and European folk traditions that blended together over time to create the holiday we know today. Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity and life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. Halloween has long been thought of as a day when the dead can return to the earth, and ancient Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off these roaming ghosts. The Celtic holiday of Samhain, the Catholic Hallowmas period of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day and the Roman festival of Feralia all influenced the modern holiday of Halloween. In the 19th century, Halloween began to lose its religious connotation, becoming a more secular community-based children's holiday. Although the superstitions and beliefs surrounding Halloween may have evolved over the years, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people can still look forward to parades, costumes and sweet treats to usher in the winter season.
Trick or Treating is also a tradition of Halloween with early starts. Trick or Treating came from All Soul´s Day parades in early England.
Another tradition of Halloween is dressing up in costumes. This is another tradition that started in early England where citizens, knowing that Hallows Eve was a time for the spirits of their ancestors to come back and taunt them, would dress up in masks and costumes to keep the spirits from recognizing them.
Halloween is a fun time of year for the entire family. Its incredibly rich with history and a tribute to the idea that cultures can intermingle and incorporate each other´s traditions to create a holiday that can be celebrated by all.
Today, for most people, Halloween is the time for masquerade parties, and having the kiddies dress up in halloween costumes and roam about the neighborhood for trick or treat getting all the tooth decaying sweeties they can stand; And for the older kids to run amok pulling, (hopefully), harmless pranks. It's the a time to celebrate the cycle of the seasons and to have good friends over for a feast and merry making.
My family don´t celebrate Halloween as it is an American tradition but for us the coelebration of dead´s day is going to see the costumes of children, eating pan de muerto and chocolate and see offerings.
Most holidays commemorate or celebrate something. But what about Halloween? What is Halloween actually a celebration of? And how did this peculiar custom originate? Is it, as some claim, a kind of demon worship? Or is it just a harmless vestige of some ancient pagan ritual where folks get together for parties, dress up in Halloween costumes and bob for apples?
The word itself, "Halloween," actually has its origins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve. November 1, "All Hollows Day" (or "All Saints Day"), is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. But, in the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31. The holiday was called Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New year.
One story says that, on that day, the disembodied spirits of all those who had died throughout the preceding year would come back in search of living bodies to possess for the next year. It was believed to be their only hope for the afterlife. The Celts believed all laws of space and time were suspended during this time, allowing the spirit world to intermingle with the living.
Naturally, the still-living did not want to be possessed. So on the night of October 31, villagers would extinguish the fires in their homes, to make them cold and undesirable. They would then dress up in all manner of ghoulish costumes and noisily parade around the neighborhood, being as destructive as possible in order to frighten away spirits looking for bodies to possess.
Probably a better explanation of why the Celts extinguished their fires was not to discourage spirit possession, but so that all the Celtic tribes could relight their fires from a common source, the Druidic fire that was kept burning in the Middle of Ireland, at Usinach.
Some accounts tell of how the Celts would burn someone at the stake who was thought to have already been possessed, as sort of a lesson to the spirits. Other accounts of Celtic history debunk these stories as myth.
The Romans adopted the Celtic practices as their own. But in the first century AD, Samhain was assimilated into celebrations of some of the other Roman traditions that took place in October, such as their day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple, which might explain the origin of our modern tradition of bobbing for apples on Halloween.
Hi, i'm Fernando Gálvez Mendoza and the information that i found is: istory of Halloween, like any other festival's history is inspired through traditions that have transpired through ages from one generation to another. We follow them mostly as did our dads and grandpas. And as this process goes on, much of their originality get distorted with newer additions and alterations.Behind the name... Halloween, or the Hallow E'en as they call it in Ireland , means All Hallows Eve, or the night before the 'All Hallows', also called 'All Hallowmas', or 'All Saints', or 'All Souls' Day, observed on November 1. In old English the word 'Hallow' meant 'sanctify'. Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherians used to observe All Hallows Day to honor all Saints in heaven, known or unknown. They used to consider it with all solemnity as one of the most significant observances of the Church year. And Catholics, all and sundry, was obliged to attend Mass. The Romans observed the holiday of Feralia, intended to give rest and peace to the departed. Participants made sacrifices in honor of the dead, offered up prayers for them, and made oblations to them. The festival was celebrated on February 21, the end of the Roman year. In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day to replace the pagan festival of the dead. It was observed on May 13. Later, Gregory III changed the date to November 1. The Greek Orthodox Church observes it on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Despite this connection with the Roman Church, the American version of Halloween Day celebration owes its origin to the ancient (pre-Christian) Druidic fire festival called "Samhain", celebrated by the Celts in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Samhain is pronounced "sow-in", with "sow" rhyming with cow. In Ireland the festival was known as Samhein, or La Samon, the Feast of the Sun. In Scotland, the celebration was known as Hallowe'en. In Welsh it's Nos Galen-gaeof (that is, the Night of the Winter Calends. According to the Irish English dictionary published by the Irish Texts Society: "Samhain, All Hallowtide, the feast of the dead in Pagan and Christian times, signalizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season, lasting till May, during which troops (esp. the Fiann) were quartered. Faeries were imagined as particularly active at this season. From it the half year is reckoned. also called Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess).(1) The Scottish Gaelis Dictionary defines it as "Hallowtide. The Feast of All Soula. Sam + Fuin = end of summer."(2) Contrary to the information published by many organizations, there is no archaeological or literary evidence to indicate that Samhain was a deity. The Celtic Gods of the dead were Gwynn ap Nudd for the British, and Arawn for the Welsh. The Irish did not have a "lord of death" as such. Thus most of the customs connected with the Day are remnants of the ancient religious beliefs and rituals, first of the Druids and then transcended amongst the Roman Christians who conquered them. Halloween history is one of religious traditions, sacrifices and folklore. While it seems strange to understand the motivation of these ancient actions, it is good to know the roots of our current practices of Halloween.
Halloween has its origins in a Celtic festival known as Samhain, which derives from Old Irish, meaning the end of summer. . The ancient Britons had a similar festival known as Calan Gaeaf. Samhain was celebrated at the end of the harvest season in the Celtic culture and was seen as the "Celtic New Year, which began with the dark season The ancient Celts believed the line that connects this world with the Underworld narrowed with the advent of Samhain, allowing spirits (both benevolent and malevolent) pass through. The family's ancestors were honored guests and while they were away evil spirits. It is believed that the use of costumes and masks because of the need to ward off evil spirits. Its purpose was to adopt the appearance of an evil spirit to avoid being damaged. In Scotland the spirits were replaced by young men wearing white face masks or painted black. Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and livestock to prepare for winter. The fires also played an important role in the festivities. All other fires were extinguished and in every home was lit a fire in the fireplace. The bones of slaughtered animals were thrown into the fire. Another common practice was to divination, which often involved the consumption of foods and beverages.
Halloween is a holiday celebrated mainly in the U.S. on the night of October 31. It originated in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian feast of All Saints Day. The day is often associated with orange and black colors and is strongly linked to symbols like the Jack-o'-lantern. Typical activities include the famous Halloween trick or treating and costume parties, in addition to the bonfires, visiting haunted houses, jokes, reading scary stories and viewing horror films. My family celebrates Halloween by bringing the smaller members of the family and went trick-day November 1 but we also celebrate Day of the Dead Mexican style we offering, visit the cemetery, among other things.
Halloween
ResponderEliminarAncient Origins of Halloween
Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).
The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago 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 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 and direction 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 A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred 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 is practiced today on Halloween.
By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.
Halloween Comes to America
ResponderEliminarAs European immigrants came to America, they brought their varied Halloween customs with them. Because of the rigid Protestant belief systems that characterized early New England, celebration of Halloween in colonial times was extremely limited there.
It was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies. As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups, as well as the American Indians, meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included "play parties," public events held to celebrate the harvest, where neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other's fortunes, dance, and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, America was flooded with new immigrants. These new immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing Ireland's potato famine of 1846, helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally. Taking from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today's "trick-or-treat" tradition. Young women believed that, on Halloween, they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings, or mirrors.
In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers, than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft.
At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season, and festive costumes. Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything "frightening" or "grotesque" out of Halloween celebrations. Because of their efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century.
By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular, but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague Halloween celebrations in many communities during this time. By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated. Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. In theory, families could also prevent tricks being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats. A new American tradition was born, and it has continued to grow. Today, Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country's second largest commercial holiday.
Today's Traditions
ResponderEliminarThe American Halloween tradition of "trick-or-treating" probably dates back to the early All Souls' Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray for the family's dead relatives.
The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as "going a-souling" was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food, and money.
The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits. On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter.
http://www.history.com/topics/halloween
ResponderEliminarI celebrate first and two of November
I travel to huajuapan de león Oaxaca,to visit the tombs of my grandparents paternal and the one an uncle.
And in the DF I visit the tomb of my maternal grandmother and the one an uncle.
In my house offering is put with food , candles, photos and perforated paper.
Meaning
ResponderEliminarHalloween means " All hallow's eve ", word that comes from the ancient Englishman, and that it means " eve of all the saints ", since it refers to the night of October 31, eve of the Holiday of All the Saints. The former Anglo-Saxon custom has stolen his strict religious sense from him to celebrate in his place the night of the terror, of the witches and the ghosts. Halloween marks a sad return to the former paganism, trend that has propagated also between the Hispanic peoples.
Origins
The celebration of the Halloween began with the Celtic, former settlers of Eastern Europe, Western and part of Asia Minor. Between them there were living the Druids, pagan adoring priests of the trees, specially of the oak. They believed in the immortality of the soul, which they were saying it was getting in another individual on having left the body; but on October 31 it was returning to his former home to ask for food his inhabitants, who were forced to do provision for her.
The Celtic year was concluding in this date that it coincides with the autumn, which principal characteristic is the fall of the leaves. For them it was meaning the end of the death or initiation of a new life. This education there propagated across the years unitedly with the adoration to his god the " master of the death ", or "Samagin", whom on the same day they were invoking to consult him on the future, health, prosperity, death, between others.
When the Celtic peoples were Christianized, not they all resigned the pagan customs. That is to say, the conversion was not complete. The chronological coincidence of the pagan holiday with the Christian holiday of All the Saints and that of the deceased, which is the following day, did that it was mixed. Instead of remembering the good examples of the saints and praying for the forbears, they were filling with fear before the former superstitions on the death and the deceased.
Some Irish immigrants introduced Halloween in the United States where it managed to be a part of the popular folklore. Him were added diverse pagan elements taken of the different groups of immigrants up to managing to include the belief in witches, ghosts, goblins, drácula and monsters of any species. From there, it has propagated all over the world.
On October 31 in the night, in the countries of Anglo-Saxon culture or of Celtic inheritance, there are celebrated on eve of the holiday of All the Saints, with the whole scenery that before he reminded to the dead men, then with the arrival of the Christianity to the souls of the Purgatory, and that now have turned into a mental salad into that beliefs are not absent in witches, ghosts and similar things.
On the countries of Mediterranean culture, the recollection of the deceased and the attention to the death it centres on November 2, the day following the celebration of the resurrection and the happiness of the paradise for that it waits for the Christian community, a family of "saints" like her San Paul was dealing.
Diverse traditions join, are mixed and are influenced mutually in this beginning of November in the cultures of the western countries. In Asia and Africa, the worship to the forbears and to the dead men has strong roots but it is not so tied to a concrete date as in our culture.
ResponderEliminarIn Hallowe'en (of All hallow's eve), literally on Eve of All the Saints, the Anglo-Saxon legend says that it is easy to see witches and ghosts. The children disguise themselves and go - with a candle got in a gourd emptied in that incisions are done to form a skull - of house in house. When the door is opened they shout: " trick or treat " to indicate that they will spend a joke to whom not they of a species of gratuity or bonus in delicacies or money.
A former Irish legend narrates that the illuminated gourd would be the face of such a Jack O'Lantern who, in the night of All the Saints, invited the devil to drink in his house, pretending to be a good Christian. Since he was a dissolute man, it finished in the hell.
With the arrival of the christianity, while in the Anglo-Saxon countries it was taking it forms the procession of the disguised children asking of door in door with the lantern in the shape of skull, in the Mediterranean ones other customs were spreading tied on November 1 and 2. In many Spanish peoples there exists a tradition of going of door in door touching, singing and asking for money for the " Souls of the purgatory ". Nowadays, though less that long ago, the cemeteries continue being visited, they fix the tombs up with flowers, the late relatives are remembered and one prays for them; in the houses one was speaking about the family, about all the alive ones and from that they had gone on to another life and there were consumed special sweets, which last for the occasion, since in Spain the buns of wind or the saint's bones.
Meanwhile, to another side of the ocean and to the south of The United States, the catholic tradition taken by Spanish and Portuguese it was dying of own color in every American country, mixed to the local rites precoloniales and to the local folklore
In Galicia two traditions join: the celta and the catholic one, for what there is this the region of Spain in which more it lasts the tradition of the recollection of the dead men, the souls of the Purgatory, very joined the local folklore, and the legends on appearances and ghosts.
In all the representations rites and recollections pervive an unconscious, and rather pagan desire, to exorcize the fear of the death, to avoid his distress. The ancient myth of the return of the dead men, has turned today into ghosts or dráculas with special effects into the trillers.
Disney Paris: from October 2 until November 1 Halloween is celebrated in Disney París by holidays between happy and terrifying. This month they are the most famous villains the protagonists of the amusement in the theme parks. A promise of pranks and adventures.
ResponderEliminarBut it is not necessary to go very far to enjoy a terrifying Halloween: Port Aventura, in Spain, transforms during these holidays. Zombies and vampires, strange monsters and all kinds of terrors will stalk the visitors during this October.
Halloween in the United Kingdom. The tradition of the night of Bruges in these countries is very strong and we can join it with visits to former castles and monasteries where, many people say, still there are spirits patrolling.
Festivity of all the Saints
The holiday of All the Late Public inspectors was instituted by San Odilón, Benedictine monk and fifth Abbot of Cluny in France on October 31 of the year 998. On there having be fulfilled the millenium of this festivity, the Pope Juan Paul II remembered that " San Odilón wanted to exhort his monks to pray in a special way for the deceased. From the Abbot of Cluny one began to extend the habit of interyielding solemnly for the deceased, and managed to turn what San Odilón was called the Holiday of the Dead men, practical still today in effect in the universal Church ".
" On having prayed for the dead men - says the Holy Father-, the Church contemplates especially the mystery of Christ's Resurrection that for his Cross obtains the salvation and the eternal life. The Church waits in the eternal salvation of all his children and of all the men ".
After the importance of the prayers for the deceased, the Pontiff affirms that the " prayers of intercession and of petition that the Church does not stop directing God have a great value. The Gentleman always shakes for the petitions of his children, because he is A God of alive. The Church believes that the souls of the purgatory " are helped by the intercession of the public inspectors, and especially, by the propiciatory sacrifice of the altar ", as well as " by the charity and other works of piety ".
www.aciprensa.com/.../halloween.htm -
wilstar.com/holidays/hallown.htm -
www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/history.htm -
www.halloween.com/history_halloween.php -
In my family the day of dead men we feast it of the following way:
ResponderEliminarWe place the offering that takes dead man's bread, flowers, watching, skulls of chocolate, sweet of gourd, sweet of yam, mandarins, glasses with water, atole, like, tamales, tequila, cigars, we adorn her with bad paper of diverse colors and put relatives' photos that have expired.
We go to the pantheon to adorn with flowers and watching the tombs of our dear beings.
Some occasions beside adorning the tombs we happen the night in the pantheon watching the tomb and waiting for our beings wanted to invite them of our food, this day the pantheon dresses of holiday and fills with colors.
Also in the night my cousins and I accompany my nephews who disguise themselves to ask calaverita; and in turn we give calaverita the children.
History of Halloween, like any other festival's history is inspired through traditions that have transpired through ages from one generation to another. We follow them mostly as did our dads and grandpas. And as this process goes on, much of their originality get distorted with newer additions and alterations. It happens so gradually, spanning over so many ages, that we hardly come to know about these distortions. At one point of time it leaves us puzzled, with its multicolored faces. Digging into its history helps sieve out the facts from the fantasies which caught us unaware. Yet, doubts still lurk deep in our soul, especially when the reality differs from what has taken a deep seated root into our beliefs. The history of Halloween Day, as called from the net, is being depicted here in this light. This is to help out those who are interested in washing off the superficial hues to reach the core and know things as they truly are. 'Trick or treat' may be an innocent fun to relish on the Halloween Day. But just think about a bunch of frightening fantasies and the scary stories featuring ghosts, witches, monsters, evils, elves and animal sacrifices associated with it.
ResponderEliminarBehind the name... Halloween, or the Hallow E'en as they call it in Ireland , means All Hallows Eve, or the night before the 'All Hallows', also called 'All Hallowmas', or 'All Saints', or 'All Souls' Day, observed on November 1. In old English the word 'Hallow' meant 'sanctify'. Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherians used to observe All Hallows Day to honor all Saints in heaven, known or unknown. They used to consider it with all solemnity as one of the most significant observances of the Church year. And Catholics, all and sundry, was obliged to attend Mass. The Romans observed the holiday of Feralia, intended to give rest and peace to the departed. Participants made sacrifices in honor of the dead, offered up prayers for them, and made oblations to them. The festival was celebrated on February 21, the end of the Roman year. In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day to replace the pagan festival of the dead. It was observed on May 13. Later, Gregory III changed the date to November 1, the American version of Halloween Day celebration owes its origin to the ancient (pre-Christian) Druidic fire festival called "Samhain", celebrated by the Celts in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. I think Halloween is and American tradition that mexicans adopted, neither I disguised myself as any character nor my cousins and my brothers do, because we all think that we have to respect mexican traditions like dead´s bread, tequila, atole, the marvelous offerings, etc. That´s why we make offerings to the people that have died. We agree only with mexican traditions, that have passed through generations since ancient times, not by american traditions that I think they don have nothing to do with our costumes, they are just one more bussiness medium.
THE HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN
ResponderEliminarOrigins
What we know today as Halloween or Halloween are celebrated more than 3000 years ago by the Celts, a warrior people who lived in areas of Ireland, England, Scotland and France. Precisely on 31 October, the Celts celebrated the end of the year with Samhain, a pagan holiday. European immigration to the United States, mainly of Irish Catholics in 1846, the tradition of Halloween came to America.
Who were the Celts?
They came originally from Asia to form the trunk, as a member of Indo-Germanic people, who settled in western Europe in the twentieth century BC and inhabited the central and northern Europe. For the year 1000 BCE spread throughout the British Isles, northern France, part of Switzerland and northern Italy. Invaded Spain in the ninth century BCE Their language was Indo-European, which is a few literary records.
For the fourth century BCE were displaced from central and northern Europe as a result of the arrival of other peoples, Germanic groups.
WHAT IS HALLOWEEN?
When Emperor Constantine decreed that the inhabitants of his empire to convert to Christianity, many pagan rituals were introduced. That was how the festival of Samhain infiltrated.
By the eighth century, the Christian Church became the 1st of November at the All Saints Day to honor all the saints who did not have a particular day of celebration. Over the years these festivals combined, and most called 'All Hallowmas "(the mass of all the saints, holy people) at All Saints' Day. The night before became known as "All Hallows Eve" (Eve of All Saints Day). Over time, his name became Halloween.
The custom of trick or treating from door to door (trick-or-treating) became popular around 1930. It is believed, does not go back to Celtic culture it derives from a practice that emerged in Europe during the ninth century souling call, a kind of service for the souls.
While many religious people think that this festival is done with the purpose to worship the devil or demons, the truth is that it has become a fun date for the child.
In general it is a tradition in the U.S. more important in that country
Finally the conclusion will be no one to take as an insult to Christianity and there will be others who see it as an opportunity to go trick-healthy with their kids and share with them.
THE HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN
ResponderEliminarOrigins
What we know today as Halloween or Halloween are celebrated more than 3000 years ago by the Celts, a warrior people who lived in areas of Ireland, England, Scotland and France. Precisely on 31 October, the Celts celebrated the end of the year with Samhain, a pagan holiday. European immigration to the United States, mainly of Irish Catholics in 1846, the tradition of Halloween came to America.
Who were the Celts?
They came originally from Asia to form the trunk, as a member of Indo-Germanic people, who settled in western Europe in the twentieth century BC and inhabited the central and northern Europe. For the year 1000 BCE spread throughout the British Isles, northern France, part of Switzerland and northern Italy. Invaded Spain in the ninth century BCE Their language was Indo-European, which is a few literary records.
For the fourth century BCE were displaced from central and northern Europe as a result of the arrival of other peoples, Germanic groups.
WHAT IS HALLOWEEN?
When Emperor Constantine decreed that the inhabitants of his empire to convert to Christianity, many pagan rituals were introduced. That was how the festival of Samhain infiltrated.
By the eighth century, the Christian Church became the 1st of November at the All Saints Day to honor all the saints who did not have a particular day of celebration. Over the years these festivals combined, and most called 'All Hallowmas "(the mass of all the saints, holy people) at All Saints' Day. The night before became known as "All Hallows Eve" (Eve of All Saints Day). Over time, his name became Halloween.
The custom of trick or treating from door to door (trick-or-treating) became popular around 1930. It is believed, does not go back to Celtic culture it derives from a practice that emerged in Europe during the ninth century souling call, a kind of service for the souls.
While many religious people think that this festival is done with the purpose to worship the devil or demons, the truth is that it has become a fun date for the child.
In general it is a tradition in the U.S. more important in that country
Finally the conclusion will be no one to take as an insult to Christianity and there will be others who see it as an opportunity to go trick-healthy with their kids and share with them.
think this is one of the most imporatnt traditions in the United States of America and currently is a great time to ask for candy and where children dress up some terrific characters, and that since she started this practice which initially was not thus, the pair some people Halloween is fun.
ResponderEliminarThe History Halloween
ResponderEliminarThe word itself, "Halloween," actually has its origins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve. November 1, "All Hollows Day" (or "All Saints Day"), is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. But, in the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31. The holiday was called Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New year.
In Greek mythology, goddesses of the underworld were often used to invoke the Samhain. Popular Greek Goddess costumes portray Hecate and Medusa. Hecate was the most favored goddess by Zeus, and wandered the emptiness between the worlds of life and death looking for souls of the dead. Both were considered serpent goddesses, and their ancient dark legends spawned myths such as vampires, who fed off the living using venom and snake-like fangs. Ritualistic dress includes snake adornments and three headed masks. Today, Hecate is often referred to as the goddess of witches.
The custom of Halloween was brought to America in the 1840's by Irish immigrants fleeing their country's potato famine. At that time, the favorite pranks in New England included tipping over outhouses and unhinging fence gates.
The Jack-o-lantern custom probably comes from Irish folklore. As the tale is told, a man named Jack, who was notorious as a drunkard and trickster, tricked Satan into climbing a tree. Jack then carved an image of a cross in the tree's trunk, trapping the devil up the tree. Jack made a deal with the devil that, if he would never tempt him again, he would promise to let him down the tree.
According to the folk tale, after Jack died, he was denied entrance to Heaven because of his evil ways, but he was also denied access to Hell because he had tricked the devil. Instead, the devil gave him a single ember to light his way through the frigid darkness. The ember was placed inside a hollowed-out turnip to keep it glowing longer.
The Irish used turnips as their "Jack's lanterns" originally. But when the immigrants came to America, they found that pumpkins were far more plentiful than turnips. So the Jack-O-Lantern in America was a hollowed-out pumpkin, lit with an ember.
So, although some cults may have adopted Halloween as their favorite "holiday," the day itself did not grow out of evil practices. It grew out of the rituals of Celts celebrating a new year, and out of Medieval prayer rituals of Europeans. And today, even many churches have Halloween parties or pumpkin carving events for the kids. After all, the day itself is only as evil as one cares to make it.
I think the story is interesting Halloween, I confess that I knew absolutely nothing about it, although I think that Mexico copied this tradition to America, although the tradition of Day of the Dead that exists here in Mexico, also has its history, in my opinion more reasoned than Halloween. I think that we don't need to copy anything, since we count very beautiful traditions, otherwise they would go missing traditions over time.
Halloween is the one of the oldest holidays still celebrated today. It's one of the most popular holidays, second only to Christmas.
ResponderEliminarSome people view Halloween as a time for fun, putting on costumes, trick-or-treating, and having theme parties. Others view it as a time of superstitions, ghosts, goblins and evil spirits that should be avoided at all costs.
As the Christian debate goes on, celebrating Halloween is a preference that is not always viewed as participating in an evil holiday. Halloween is often celebrated with no reference to pagan rituals or the occult.
Halloween in USA.Many children dress up in fancy costumes and visit other homes in the neighborhood. At each house, they demand sweets, snacks or a small gift. If they do not get this, they threaten to do some harm to the inhabitants of the house. This is known as playing 'trick-or-treat' and is supposed to happen in a friendly spirit, with no nasty or mean tricks being carried out. However, if your children take part, it is important to accompany them and to check their 'treats' to make sure they are safe to eat or play with. Some families carve lanterns with 'scary' faces out of pumpkins or other vegetables or decorate their homes and gardens in Halloween style. These were traditionally intended to ward off evil spirits.
Halloween History .Halloween is on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday, honoring the dead. Halloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago.
All Hallows Eve is the evening before All Saints Day, which was created by Christians to convert pagans, and is celebrated on November 1st. The Catholic church honored saints on this designated day.
Origin of Halloween. While there are many versions of the origins and old customs of Halloween, some remain consistent by all accounts. Different cultures view Halloween somewhat differently but traditional Halloween practices remain the same.
Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lay in the feast of Samhain, which was annually on October 31st to honor the dead.Samhain signifies "summers end" or November. Samhain was a harvest festival with huge sacred bonfires, marking the end of the Celtic year and beginning of a new one. Many of the practices involved in this celebration were fed on superstition.
The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating.
Halloween is on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday, honoring the dead. Halloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago.
ResponderEliminarThe Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating.
All Hallows Eve is the evening before All Saints Day, which was created by Christians to convert pagans, and is celebrated on November 1st. All Hallows Eve es la víspera de Todos los Santos, que fue creado por los cristianos a convertir a los paganos, y se celebra el 1 de noviembre. The Catholic church honored saints on this designated day. La iglesia católica los santos honrados en este día designado.
origen de halloween.
Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lay in the feast of Samhain, which was annually on October 31st to honor the dead and came to America by immigrants who came so popularized in this country and change a little tradition.
Halloween and the Day of the Dead is not so different, because the 2 a day to celebrate the dead.
http://www.halloween-website.com/history.htm
Hi!!
ResponderEliminarThis is the information that I found on halloween:
Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. Traditional activities include trick-or-treating, bonfires, costume parties, visiting "haunted houses" and carving jack-o-lanterns. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late twentieth century including Ireland, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom as well as of Australia and New Zealand.
Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain.
The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture. Samhain was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and prepare for winter. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped and the deceased would come back to life and cause havoc such as sickness or damaged crops.
The festival would frequently involve bonfires. It is believed that the fires attracted insects to the area which attracted bats to the area. These are additional attributes of the history of Halloween.
Masks and consumes were worn in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or appease them.
Trick-or-treating, is an activity for children on or around Halloween in which they proceed from house to house in costumes,the "trick" part of "trick or treat" is a threat to play a trick on the homeowner or his property if no treat is given. Trick-or-treating is one of the main traditions of Halloween. It has become socially expected that if one lives in a neighborhood with children one should purchase treats in preparation for trick-or-treaters.
Part of the history of Halloween is Halloween costumes. The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays goes back to the Middle Ages, and includes Christmas wassailing. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of "souling," when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. Shakespeare mentions the practice in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1593), when Speed accuses his master of "puling [whimpering, whining], like a beggar at Hallowmas."
http://www.halloweenhistory.org/
ResponderEliminarAt my house on Halloween is not celebrated, if not the Day of the Dead, but I like going to see the children dressed trick or treating.
HEY WHATS UP?
ResponderEliminarI didnt want to investigate about Halloween generally, there´s now alot of information here in the blog, so i invetigate about Halloween in my favorite contry, Holland, here is it...
It surprised me a lot when i looked Holland has Halloween, is a strange country so i didt´n thought that, but it is in another day, called Saint Martin's Day, November 11th, is a celebration in Holland very much like "trick-or-treat". People in Holland go around getting treats by ringing on some doorbells, singing songs for which they are given sweets or tangerines. They go around with lanterns and here is one the songs they sing:
Elf November is de dag,
Dat mijn lichtje,
Dat mijn lichtje.
Elf November is de dag,
Dat mijn lichtje branden mag.
Words to Sint Maarten Song.
This is the story of why the Dutch celebrate Saint Martin. It was a dark and stormy night. Martin was quite alone on that dark stormy night. He only had a cloak and a singular piece of bread. He was returning home when suddenly a poor and homeless man appeared in the darkness. Martin felt pity for the man and gave him half his piece of bread, and half his cloak and offered him hospitality in his home. Now he is called St Martin and is known for his kindness to the stranger. That is why they celebrate Saint Martin's Day.
In my home, Halloween is like another borin' day...
Halloween means "All Hallow's eve", and refers to the night of October 31, the eve of the Feast of All Saints
ResponderEliminarThe celebration of Halloween began with the Celts, Druids lived among them, believed in the immortality of the soul, which they said was introduced into another individual to leave the body, but on October 31 he returned to his old home to seek food its inhabitants, who were obliged to make provision for it.
The Celtic year concluded on this date that coincides with the fall meant the end of death or initiation of a new life. This teaching is spread through the years along with the worship of their god the "lord of death", or "Samagin" who on this day invoked to inquire about the future, health, prosperity, death, etc. .
When the Celts were Christianized, not all resigned to the pagan customs. The chronological coincidence of the pagan celebration with the Christian feast of All Saints and All Souls, made it to mix.
Some Irish immigrants introduced Halloween in the United States where he became part of popular folklore. Were added many pagan elements. From there, it has spread worldwide.
On October 31 night, children dress up and go "with a candle inserted into a hollowed out pumpkin in which incisions are made to form a skull-from house to house. When you open the door shouting "trick or treat" to indicate a joke who do not give them a kind of gratuity or bonus in sweets or money.
spread in the Mediterranean other customs related to 1 and 2 November. In many Spanish towns are still visiting the cemeteries, the graves are arranged with flowers, the family remembers dead and pray for them at home we talked about the family, all living and those who had gone to another life and special sweets were consumed, that last chance.
In my house, Halloween and Day of the Dead is celebrated Nov. 1 at night we dressed up and went to ask calaverita and at home all together tell stories of terror, we also offer a gift and my grandparents go to the cemetery with flowers and candles
http://www.aciprensa.com/controversias/halloween.htm
Halloween (or Hallowe'en) is an annual holiday observed on October 31, primarily in Ireland, Scotland, Canada and the United States. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holiday All Saints' Day, but is today largely a secular celebration.
ResponderEliminarCommon Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, carving jack-o'-lanterns, ghost tours, bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, committing pranks, telling ghost stories or other frightening tales, and watching horror films.
History
Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that while "some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, whose original spelling was Samuin (pronounced sow-an or sow-in)" The name is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end".A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons and is known as Calan Gaeaf (pronounced Kálan Gái av).
The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes regarded as the "Celtic New Year".
The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces. Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flame. Sometimes two bonfires would be built side-by-side, and people and their livestock would walk between them as a cleansing ritual.
Another common practice was divination, which often involved the use of food and drink.
The name 'Halloween' and many of its present-day traditions derive from the Old English era.
How day Halloween celebration? usually no celebration
Halloween day I think the Mexican tradition must be rescued, ... although I admit, this year I went to a party. usually at my house put an offering for Day of the Dead, but only.
LOPEZ TORRES MARIA ESTHER.
Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that while "some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, whose original spelling was Samuin (pronounced sow-an or sow-in)" The name is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end". A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons and is known as Calan Gaeaf (pronounced Kálan Gái av)
ResponderEliminarSnap-Apple Night by Daniel Maclise showing a Halloween party in Blarney, Ireland, in 1832. The young children on the right bob for apples. A couple in the center play a variant, which involves retrieving an apple hanging from a string. The couples at left play divination games.
The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes] regarded as the "Celtic New Year".]
The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces. Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames. Sometimes two bonfires would be built side-by-side, and people and their livestock would walk between them as a cleansing ritual.
Halloween costumes are traditionally modeled after supernatural figures such as monsters, ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils. Over time, the costume selection extended to include popular characters from fiction, celebrities, and generic archetypes such as ninjas and princesses. Another trend is for women (and in some cases, men) to wear sexy or revealing costumes.
Dressing up in costumes and going "guising" was prevalent in Scotland and Ireland at Halloween by the 19th century. Costuming became popular for Halloween parties in the US in the early 20th century, as often for adults as for children. The first mass-produced Halloween costumes appeared in stores in the 1930s when trick-or-treating was becoming popular in the United States.
Halloween costume parties generally fall on, or around, 31 October, often falling on the Friday or Saturday prior to Halloween
An American Halloween practice is to decorate a house, yard, or garage and open it to other members of the public. For some, the decorations are something created specifically for trick-or-treating and are in place for one night only. For others, the decorations are done more in the tradition of Christmas decor and appear a month or so before the actual holiday.
I´m Paola Alvarez, I think halloween is just a comercial date, this date causes confusion between the celebration of the Mexican customs, the celebration is not originally from here as is well known, in Mexico celebrate "El día de muertos", but with the time this celebration was mixed with other traditions and now is this mixture is part of the culture of the mexicans. For the mexican is a pretext for have fun, any date of the year is god day for a party, it is funny go to the partys and dress up as any character,because for Mexicans is just an occasion to have fun without seeing the background of this celebration and its origins.
Halloween is the one of the oldest holidays still celebrated today. It's one of the most popular holidays, second only to Christmas. While millions of people celebrate Halloween without knowing its origins and myths, the history and facts of Halloween make the holiday more fascinating.
ResponderEliminarSome people view Halloween as a time for fun, putting on costumes, trick-or-treating, and having theme parties. Others view it as a time of superstitions, ghosts, goblins and evil spirits that should be avoided at all costs.
As the Christian debate goes on, celebrating Halloween is a preference that is not always viewed as participating in an evil holiday. Halloween is often celebrated with no reference to pagan rituals or the occult.
Halloween History
Halloween is on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday, honoring the dead. Halloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago.
All Hallows Eve is the evening before All Saints Day, which was created by Christians to convert pagans, and is celebrated on November 1st. The Catholic church honored saints on this designated day.
Origin of Halloween
While there are many versions of the origins and old customs of Halloween, some remain consistent by all accounts. Different cultures view Halloween somewhat differently but traditional Halloween practices remain the same.
Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lay in the feast of Samhain, which was annually on October 31st to honor the dead.
Samhain signifies "summers end" or November. Samhain was a harvest festival with huge sacred bonfires, marking the end of the Celtic year and beginning of a new one. Many of the practices involved in this celebration were fed on superstition.
The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating.
Trick or treat
ResponderEliminarWhere does the custom of “trick or treating” come from? Is it really ancient, a few centuries old, or relatively modern? Let’s look at the evidence:
Kevin Danaher, in his remarkable book The Year in Ireland, has a long discussion of the traditional Irish celebrations of this festival. In one section on “Hallow-E’en Guisers,” he says:
A familiar sight in Dublin city on and about October 31 is that of small groups of children, arrayed in grotesque garments and with faces masked or painted, accosting the passers-by or knocking on house doors with the request: “Help the Hallow E’en party! Any apples or nuts?” in the expectation of being given small presents; this, incidentally, is all the more remarkable as it is the only folk custom of the kind which has survived in the metropolis.
A couple of generations ago, in parts of Dublin and in other areas of Ireland, the groups would have consisted of young men and grown boys, who often travelled considerable distances in their quest, with consequently greater reward. The proceeds were usually expended on a “Hallow E’en party,” with music, dancing, feasting and so on, at some chosen house, and not merely consumed on the spot as with the children nowadays…
Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge, ii, 370, states that in parts of Count Waterford, Hallow E’en is called oidhche na h-aimléise, “The night of mischief or con.” It was a custom in the county — it survives still in places — for the “boys” to assemble in gangs, and, headed by a few horn-blowers who were always selected for their strength of lungs, to visit all the farmers’ houses in the district and levy a sort of blackmail, good humouredly asked for, and as cheerfully given. They afterward met at some rendezvous, and in merry revelry celebrated the festival of Samhain in their own way. When the distant winding of the horns was heard, the bean a’ tigh [woman of the house] prepared for their reception, and got ready the money or builín (white bread) to be handed to them through the half-opened door. Whoever heard the wild scurry of their rush through a farm-yard to the kitchen-door — there was always a race amongst them to get possession of the latch — will not question the propriety of the word aimiléis [mischief] applied to their proceedings
In my home the day of halloween , sits an offering to our loved ones who have died; but also all the family meets and organizes a feast of costumes, each puts a disguise differently, and the best costume is given a prize, also danced and sang, we eat all kinds of food and young children are given sweets. Everything is fun.
Morales CalderÓn Ethiel Salvador
juan carlos licona say:
ResponderEliminarHalloween or Halloween is a holiday celebrated mainly in the U.S. on the night of October 31. It originated in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian feast of All Saints Day. In large part, is a secular celebration although some believe that has a religious background. Irish immigrants passed versions of the tradition to North America during the Great Irish Famine of 1840.
The word Halloween is a derivation of the phrase All Hallows' Eve (Hallowe'en). It was held in Anglo-Saxon countries, mainly in Canada, USA, Ireland and the UK. The expansive force of U.S. culture. UU. Halloween has been popular in other Western countries.
The day is often associated with orange and black colors and is strongly linked to symbols like the Jack-o'-lantern. Typical activities include the famous Halloween trick or treating and costume parties, in addition to the bonfires, visiting haunted houses, jokes, reading scary stories and viewing horror films.
carlos licona say:
ResponderEliminarIn 1840 the festival comes to America, where it is deeply rooted. Irish immigrants passed versions of the tradition during the Great Irish Famine.
However, the party did not start mass held until 1921. That year was the first Halloween parade in Minnesota and then was followed by other states. The party took a progressive popularity in the coming decades.
The internationalization of Halloween came in the late 70's and early 80's thanks to movies and television series.
Today, children dress for the occasion and walk through the streets demanding candy door to door. After knocking on the door children uttered the phrase "trick or treat" "trick or sweet" or "naughty or sweet" (from the English trick or treat). If adults give them candy, money or any other type of reward, is interpreted to have accepted the deal. If instead they refuse, the boys spend a little joke, the most common throw eggs or shaving foam against the door.
Well, I see that there is much information of the Halloween, so I will write only a few points that I consider important :
ResponderEliminarThe Halloween celebrated each year on October 31.
Is a mix of ancient Celtic practices, Catholic and Roman religious rituals and European folk traditions that blended together over time to create the holiday we know today.
This day has long been thought of as a day when the dead can return to the earth, and ancient Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off these roaming ghosts.
In the 19th century, Halloween began to lose its religious connotation, becoming a more secular community-based children's holiday.
In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers, than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft.
Halloween decorations typically feature imagery associated with supernatural beings such as witches, werewolves, vampires, and ghosts. Images thought to symbolize bad omens-such as black cats, bats, and spiders-are also commonly featured in Halloween decorations.
Most Halloween festivities are based on folk beliefs concerning supernatural forces and spirits of the dead.
The most celebrated Halloween decoration is the jack-o'-lantern, traditionally a hollowed-out pumpkin carved to resemble a grotesque face and illuminated by a candle placed inside.
The jack-o'-lantern derives its name from a character in British folktales. According to these tales, the soul of a deceased person named Jack O'Lantern was barred from both heaven and hell and was condemned to wander the earth
with his lantern.
Dressing in costume is one of the most popular Halloween customs, especially among children. Traditional costumes usually represent witches, ghosts, and other supernatural beings. However, costumes inspired by contemporary popular culture, such as politicians or movie characters, have become increasingly common in recent years. Adults often favor costumes with satirical or humorous overtones.
Every kid (and kid at heart) looks forward to October, 31st each year. Little boys magically turn into vampires and little girls into fairies, bidding for the greatest haul of sugar laden sweets and candies. However, Halloween has a much deeper, and in some ways darker history, that has given birth to one of the most beloved holidays in the world.
ResponderEliminarHalloween, celebrated each year on October 31, is a mix of ancient Celtic practices, Catholic and Roman religious rituals and European folk traditions that blended together over time to create the holiday we know today. Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity and life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. Halloween has long been thought of as a day when the dead can return to the earth, and ancient Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off these roaming ghosts. The Celtic holiday of Samhain, the Catholic Hallowmas period of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day and the Roman festival of Feralia all influenced the modern holiday of Halloween. In the 19th century, Halloween began to lose its religious connotation, becoming a more secular community-based children's holiday. Although the superstitions and beliefs surrounding Halloween may have evolved over the years, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people can still look forward to parades, costumes and sweet treats to usher in the winter season.
Trick or Treating is also a tradition of Halloween with early starts. Trick or Treating came from All Soul´s Day parades in early England.
Another tradition of Halloween is dressing up in costumes. This is another tradition that started in early England where citizens, knowing that Hallows Eve was a time for the spirits of their ancestors to come back and taunt them, would dress up in masks and costumes to keep the spirits from recognizing them.
Halloween is a fun time of year for the entire family. Its incredibly rich with history and a tribute to the idea that cultures can intermingle and incorporate each other´s traditions to create a holiday that can be celebrated by all.
Today, for most people, Halloween is the time for masquerade parties, and having the kiddies dress up in halloween costumes and roam about the neighborhood for trick or treat getting all the tooth decaying sweeties they can stand; And for the older kids to run amok pulling, (hopefully), harmless pranks. It's the a time to celebrate the cycle of the seasons and to have good friends over for a feast and merry making.
My family don´t celebrate Halloween as it is an American tradition but for us the coelebration of dead´s day is going to see the costumes of children, eating pan de muerto and chocolate and see offerings.
www.trueghosttales.com/history-halloween.php
www.history.com/topics/halloween
Most holidays commemorate or celebrate something. But what about Halloween? What is Halloween actually a celebration of? And how did this peculiar custom originate? Is it, as some claim, a kind of demon worship? Or is it just a harmless vestige of some ancient pagan ritual where folks get together for parties, dress up in Halloween costumes and bob for apples?
ResponderEliminarThe word itself, "Halloween," actually has its origins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve. November 1, "All Hollows Day" (or "All Saints Day"), is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. But, in the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31. The holiday was called Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New year.
One story says that, on that day, the disembodied spirits of all those who had died throughout the preceding year would come back in search of living bodies to possess for the next year. It was believed to be their only hope for the afterlife. The Celts believed all laws of space and time were suspended during this time, allowing the spirit world to intermingle with the living.
Naturally, the still-living did not want to be possessed. So on the night of October 31, villagers would extinguish the fires in their homes, to make them cold and undesirable. They would then dress up in all manner of ghoulish costumes and noisily parade around the neighborhood, being as destructive as possible in order to frighten away spirits looking for bodies to possess.
Probably a better explanation of why the Celts extinguished their fires was not to discourage spirit possession, but so that all the Celtic tribes could relight their fires from a common source, the Druidic fire that was kept burning in the Middle of Ireland, at Usinach.
Some accounts tell of how the Celts would burn someone at the stake who was thought to have already been possessed, as sort of a lesson to the spirits. Other accounts of Celtic history debunk these stories as myth.
The Romans adopted the Celtic practices as their own. But in the first century AD, Samhain was assimilated into celebrations of some of the other Roman traditions that took place in October, such as their day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple, which might explain the origin of our modern tradition of bobbing for apples on Halloween.
Rosas meneses mario david
Hi, i'm Fernando Gálvez Mendoza and the information that i found is:
ResponderEliminaristory of Halloween, like any other festival's history is inspired through traditions that have transpired through ages from one generation to another. We follow them mostly as did our dads and grandpas. And as this process goes on, much of their originality get distorted with newer additions and alterations.Behind the name... Halloween, or the Hallow E'en as they call it in Ireland , means All Hallows Eve, or the night before the 'All Hallows', also called 'All Hallowmas', or 'All Saints', or 'All Souls' Day, observed on November 1. In old English the word 'Hallow' meant 'sanctify'. Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherians used to observe All Hallows Day to honor all Saints in heaven, known or unknown. They used to consider it with all solemnity as one of the most significant observances of the Church year. And Catholics, all and sundry, was obliged to attend Mass. The Romans observed the holiday of Feralia, intended to give rest and peace to the departed. Participants made sacrifices in honor of the dead, offered up prayers for them, and made oblations to them. The festival was celebrated on February 21, the end of the Roman year. In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day to replace the pagan festival of the dead. It was observed on May 13. Later, Gregory III changed the date to November 1. The Greek Orthodox Church observes it on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Despite this connection with the Roman Church, the American version of Halloween Day celebration owes its origin to the ancient (pre-Christian) Druidic fire festival called "Samhain", celebrated by the Celts in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Samhain is pronounced "sow-in", with "sow" rhyming with cow. In Ireland the festival was known as Samhein, or La Samon, the Feast of the Sun. In Scotland, the celebration was known as Hallowe'en. In Welsh it's Nos Galen-gaeof (that is, the Night of the Winter Calends. According to the Irish English dictionary published by the Irish Texts Society: "Samhain, All Hallowtide, the feast of the dead in Pagan and Christian times, signalizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season, lasting till May, during which troops (esp. the Fiann) were quartered. Faeries were imagined as particularly active at this season. From it the half year is reckoned. also called Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess).(1) The Scottish Gaelis Dictionary defines it as "Hallowtide. The Feast of All Soula. Sam + Fuin = end of summer."(2) Contrary to the information published by many organizations, there is no archaeological or literary evidence to indicate that Samhain was a deity. The Celtic Gods of the dead were Gwynn ap Nudd for the British, and Arawn for the Welsh. The Irish did not have a "lord of death" as such. Thus most of the customs connected with the Day are remnants of the ancient religious beliefs and rituals, first of the Druids and then transcended amongst the Roman Christians who conquered them. Halloween history is one of religious traditions, sacrifices and folklore. While it seems strange to understand the motivation of these ancient actions, it is good to know the roots of our current practices of Halloween.
Halloween has its origins in a Celtic festival known as Samhain, which derives from Old Irish, meaning the end of summer. . The ancient Britons had a similar festival known as Calan Gaeaf. Samhain was celebrated at the end of the harvest season in the Celtic culture and was seen as the "Celtic New Year, which began with the dark season
ResponderEliminarThe ancient Celts believed the line that connects this world with the Underworld narrowed with the advent of Samhain, allowing spirits (both benevolent and malevolent) pass through. The family's ancestors were honored guests and while they were away evil spirits. It is believed that the use of costumes and masks because of the need to ward off evil spirits. Its purpose was to adopt the appearance of an evil spirit to avoid being damaged. In Scotland the spirits were replaced by young men wearing white face masks or painted black.
Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and livestock to prepare for winter. The fires also played an important role in the festivities. All other fires were extinguished and in every home was lit a fire in the fireplace. The bones of slaughtered animals were thrown into the fire.
Another common practice was to divination, which often involved the consumption of foods and beverages.
Halloween is a holiday celebrated mainly in the U.S. on the night of October 31. It originated in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian feast of All Saints Day.
The day is often associated with orange and black colors and is strongly linked to symbols like the Jack-o'-lantern. Typical activities include the famous Halloween trick or treating and costume parties, in addition to the bonfires, visiting haunted houses, jokes, reading scary stories and viewing horror films.
My family celebrates Halloween by bringing the smaller members of the family and went trick-day November 1 but we also celebrate Day of the Dead Mexican style we offering, visit the cemetery, among other things.