| Halloween has been celebrated in one form or another | | | | occupied the Celtic lands, and over the next 400 years |
| for over 2000 years, but how has it evolved over time | | | | of their rule the Roman festivals of Feralia, when |
| to become the holiday we know today. What are the | | | | Romans celebrated the passing of the dead, and |
| Origins Of Modern Halloween? It is certainly true that | | | | Pomona a celebration for the goddess of the same |
| the festival of 2000 years ago bears little resemblance | | | | name, grew to replace Samhain. The goddess |
| to the one we know today, but even in it's oldest form | | | | Pomona is the roman goddess of fruit and trees often |
| it still contains elements we will recognize. | | | | associated with apples, the incorporation of this into |
| Ancient Times | | | | Samhain is thought to be why the tradition of bobbing |
| The original source of what has evolved into our | | | | for apples has become associated with the Halloween |
| modern Halloween holiday can be traced back over | | | | celebration. |
| 2000 years to the Celts that lived in and around Ireland | | | | Christian Influences |
| and England. They celebrated their new year on | | | | By the 7th century Christianity had spread to the Celtic |
| November 1st as they regarded this to be the end of | | | | lands and it was during this time that Pope Boniface IV |
| summer and the beginning of the cold dark winter | | | | founded all saints day, to be held on the 1st day of |
| period, a time that to the Celtic people was strongly | | | | November. It was a day that celebrated all the saints |
| associated with death. | | | | that didn't already have a day associated with them. |
| They believed that the night before the new year the | | | | The choice of day was no accident and is widely |
| boundaries between the living and the dead realm was | | | | believed to be an attempt by the church to replace the |
| at its weakest, and the spirits of the dead could roam | | | | pagan holiday with a christian one, much as they did |
| the land of the living. On this night they held the pagan | | | | with Easter (pagan festival of Ostara/Eostre), and |
| celebration Samhain pronounced sow-in, it literally | | | | Christmas (pagan festival of Yule). In the language of |
| means summers end. | | | | the time all saints day was called Alholowmesse, this |
| During this celebration they would gather together in | | | | evolved over time into all - hallowmas and then finally |
| fields and build large fires called bon fires that were | | | | all hallows. The evening before this celebration was |
| supposed to ward away the spirits of the dead. They | | | | called all hallows eve which became Halloween. |
| would also dress up in animal skins and wear animal | | | | Conclusion |
| masks and tell each others fortunes. At the end of the | | | | Each period in history has added their own contribution |
| night each would take embers from the fire to light | | | | to the evolution of our modern celebration, all leading to |
| their homes fire grate, they believed that a fire lit from | | | | the fun lighthearted day that we enjoy today. I hope |
| the Samhain bon fire would keep them safe from | | | | this short history of the Evolution of our Halloween |
| death throughout the winter period. | | | | holiday will help you to understand the traditions and |
| Roman Occupation | | | | Origins Of Modern Halloween, and will add to your |
| When the Romans came to Britain in 40AD they | | | | enjoyment of this unique celebration. |