Discover the secrets of the Celts


Halloween Came From Where?

1. HAPPY HALLOWEENHowever, the anarchy still remained
2. SUMMER'S ENDfrom the early Celtic days. Favorite
3. SPOOKYtricks of the time were knocking over
4. THE COLD SHOULDERouthouses, especially with someone
5. HALLOW'S EVEinside and unhinging fence gates,
6. BOBBING FOR APPLESfreeing farm animals and the like.8. OR
7. TRICKTREAT
8. OR TREATThe treat part of trick-or-treating
9. JACK O' LANTERNoriginated with a 9th century European
10.THE GREAT PUMPKINcustom called "souling". On "All Souls
Day", early Christians would walk
1. HAPPY HALLOWEENdoor-to-door begging for "soul cakes",
Of all the mainstay holidays thatlittle squares of bread made with
populate our year, Halloween is one ofcurrants (yummy). You see, at the time,
the oldest, dating back thousands ofit was believed that the souls of the
years. Thanksgiving, 4th of July, Easterdead remained in limbo on earth and that
and even Christmas are youngsters byprayers would speed the soul's passage
comparison.Follow me and I'll take youto heaven. The more soul cakes the
on a trail that follows it through thebeggars would get, the more prayers they
ages to the costume and candy nighttimewould promise to say on behalf of the
promenade we celebrate today.2. SUMMER'Sdead relatives of the givers.9. JACK O'
ENDLANTERN
Originally starting out as an ancientAn Irish folklore tells the tale of a
Celtic holiday, Druidic priests regardedlazy trickster named Jack. In his whole
the day as the end of the year and alife he never made a single enemy, nor a
celebration for the year's harvest.single friend, never did an honest day's
October 31 was the first day of awork or performed a single selfless act
three-day celebration called Samhain,for anyone. But despite his sloth and
meaning "the end of summer". It markedconstant state of inebriation, he was
the passage from the season of the sunable to foil the Devil's attempt at
to the season of darkness, but was alsotaking his soul.
a festival for honoring the dead. TheOne Halloween Jack's number was up and
Celts believed the laws of space andthe Devil arrived to do his deed. Jake
time were suspended on this night,was of course having a pint at the pub
allowing the spirit world to crossoverand asked the Devil for permission to
and intermingle with the living world.3.finish his ale. The Devil agreed and
SPOOKYJack struck up a conversation. He asked,
As the story goes, the disembodied"If you really have any power, you could
spirits of all those who had passed awaytransform yourself into anything, right?
throughout the preceding year would comeEven a shilling." The Devil took it as
back on that night in search of livingchallenge and transformed himself into a
bodies to possess for the coming year.silver coin. Jack snatched up the coin
Apparently, it was their only hope forand scratched a cross-shaped scar into
an afterlife. To protect themselves, thethe face. The power of the cross, being
Celtic priests developed spells, charmslike kryptonite to Superman, made the
and ritualistic burning sacrifices toDevil powerless and held him captive.
appease the wandering spirits thatJack bartered with Satan, he would free
roamed the night.4. THE COLD SHOULDERhim if he would grant Jack another year
Of course, being alive you certainlyof life so that he would have time to
didn't want to get possessed, so on therepent. Having little choice, the Devil
night of October 31st, people would putmade it so. A year passed, Jack being
out the fires in their fireplaces andJack, never got around to getting off
furnaces, to make their homes cold andhis bar stool to repent.
undesirable to the wandering spirits. ToAgain it was Halloween, but Satan was a
complete the ritual, they would thenno show. Suddenly Jack knew why,
dress in ghoulish costumes, paradingpresto-change-o, Jack was dead and
around the neighborhoods causing ruckusstanding at the pearly gates. He was
and destruction in order to scare offgetting to go to heaven. Ah, but before
the spirits looking for a warm body toadmittance he had to get the okay from
inhabit.5. HALLOW'S EVESt. Peter. Checking his records, St.
The word Halloween is a concoction.Peter gave Jack the thumbs down,
Samhain (pronounced sow-en, the sowboo-hoo, for Jack had never performed a
rhymes with cow, that "en" part issingle selfless act. Off to hell Jack
important to remember) was combined withwould go.
the November 1st Catholic holiday ofHowever, Satan wasn't having any of it
"All Hallows Eve", otherwise known aseither. He was still ticked for getting
"All Hallows Day "or "All Saints Day".tricked. Having nowhere else to go, the
The old English word "Hallow" meant toDevil gave Jack a single burning ember
sanctify. It was the day for honoringin a hollowed out turnip. With only this
the Catholic saints. By the 7th centurysimple lantern to light his path,
AD it was adapted as "All Soul's Day" torejected from heaven and hell, poor Jack
honor all the dead and not just thewas doomed to wander in the darkness
saints. Over time, these twoforever.
celebrations were combined into oneThe Irish originally used turnips as
mega-fest by the growing populations oftheir "Jack's lanterns". But in America,
Europe. And abracadabra, sow-en andpumpkins were far easier to come by than
Hallows Eve merged creating Halloween.turnips. Pumpkins also pulled a double
In Ireland it is sometimes referred toduty, symbolizing the giant full moon of
as Hallow E'en and others still spellharvest. So, the man-in-the-moon and
it, Hallowe'en, further emphasizing thetrickster Jack combined to form the
marriage of terms and holidays.6.carved face pumpkins of our Jack O'
BOBBING FOR APPLESLanterns.10. THE GREAT PUMPKIN
Eventually the traditional RomanThere you have it ghouls and goblins,
celebration on November 1st honoringthe who's and boos of why Halloween is
Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit andone of our favorite times of year! Jokes
trees, was absorbed into the Halloweenand candy to all ye this Hallow's Eve!
punch bowl. Bringing its own traits withAfter Halloween what is a vampire's
it, Pomona's symbol was an apple, whichfavorite holiday?
most likely inspired the party activityFangsgiving!
of bobbing for apples.7. TRICKTo read more articles by Chad, visit
Celebration of Halloween came tothe American Pop Culture Encyclopedia
America with early Irish and Scottishat: American Pop Culture Encyclopedia.
immigrants. The belief in spirit
possession had subsided compared to theIf you would like to read this article,
early days and the act of dressing asor others like it, on American Pop
ghouls, goblins, ghosts and witches wasCulture Encyclopedia, please visit:
more like today's ceremonious fun.Halloween Came From Where?



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