| There are many fun and interesting facts about | | | | Day. That made October 31st All Allows Eve. |
| Halloween that few people are aware of. The | | | | That is how Halloween got it's name. The people |
| history of Halloween began in ancient times with | | | | of Ireland and Scotland continued pagan practices |
| the Celts living on the British Isles. The Pagan | | | | for a long time after the introduction of |
| calendar had October 31st as the last day of the | | | | Christianity helping to continue the traditions of |
| year called Samhain. Celtic priests called Druids | | | | Halloween. When Irish immigrants came to the |
| honored their god of death, known as Samhain, | | | | United States they brought their Halloween |
| on the night of the 31st. The Celtic people | | | | traditions and costumes with them, helping to |
| believed that the spirits of the dead would rise on | | | | spread the holiday as we now know it. |
| this night and wore costumes to scare them | | | | These days around eighty-six percent of |
| away, meanwhile the Druid priests would burn | | | | Americans decorate for Halloween, and ninety-nine |
| large fires. After the Roman empire gained control | | | | percent of America's pumpkins are used for |
| of the region Samhain also became a harvest | | | | Jack-o-lanterns. Trick-or-treating is also credited to |
| festival honoring the goddess Pomona, the | | | | the Irish people, they would go door to door |
| goddess of fruits and gardens. Apples were | | | | gathering food contributions for the Halloween |
| considered sacred at this time, and this was | | | | feast that was held in the towns. Jack-o-lanterns |
| eventually where the tradition of bobbing for | | | | began as a method to keep away ghosts. Many |
| apples came from. The colors associated with | | | | people believed that light would frighten away |
| Halloween came from this festival with orange | | | | spirits and this began the well known tradition. The |
| representing the harvest and black representing | | | | first official city wide Halloween observance was in |
| death. | | | | Anoka, Minnesota in 1921. This tradition spread |
| With the rise of Christianity the celebration | | | | quickly across the United States. Halloween is |
| under-went more changes. The first day of | | | | second only to Christmas as the most |
| November for the Christians was known as All | | | | commercially popular holiday. |
| Saints Day. This was originally called All Allows | | | | |