Halloween always brings a fun time every year on the 31st of October. Also known as All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve, there are many activities to participate in including pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating, dressing up in costumes, and meeting friends and family. But have you ever wondered about the history of this widely celebrated holiday?
Surprisingly, some Halloween traditions date back to the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain. The festival originated from ancient Celtic spiritual traditions, also celebrated as a pagan religious festival. Samhain was held on the first of November and plays a significant role in the history of Halloween.
Trick-or-Treating and dressing up in costumes came from traditions too. On all saints day, many people dressed up as saints and recited poems or songs to neighbors or houses in their communities. Trick-or-treating evolved from asking for soul cakes (similar to biscuits), which was a part of the All Souls' Day holiday on November 2nd.
Costumes were most likely to have been worn to honor saints, but gradually this tradition stopped until young Scottish and Irish pranksters got the idea to wear costumes to scare their neighbours.
I, personally, really enjoy Halloween. Though I have not gone trick-or-treating for a long time, the excitement whilst walking around with friends and family when everyone has a costume on, hoping the house we’re about to knock on opens their door, is a feeling I’ll always miss. This year, my sister participated in pumpkin carving, which she was very excited to show off, reminding me of how fun Halloween truly is.
