| Halloween is full of costumes and candy, | | | | people leaving bowls of food in front of |
| trick-or-treating and terrifying haunted | | | | their homes. They did this to keep the ghosts |
| houses, pumpkins and black cats. But just | | | | that were wandering the earth from entering. |
| where did Halloween come from? Why are we | | | | |
| celebrating? | | | | Dressing in costumes has a couple possible |
| | | | origins. European and Celtic people both felt |
| The history of Halloween goes back 2000 | | | | winter was a frightening time. It was cold, |
| years. Many believe that Halloween's origins | | | | it was darker, and the possibility of running |
| are found in the Celtic festival of Samhain. | | | | out of food was great. When they reached the |
| The Celts, who were located in Ireland, the | | | | time when they thought the dead returned, |
| UK and the northern parts of France, | | | | they thought they might encounter these |
| celebrated their New Year on the first of | | | | ghosts whenever they left their houses. The |
| November. Samhain was celebrated the night | | | | wearing of masks and costumes grew from these |
| before the New Year. | | | | people donning masks so the ghosts would not |
| | | | recognize them! |
| The New Year, Celts believed, marked summer's | | | | |
| end, harvest time, and the start of dark, | | | | This holiday was brought to the US by Scotch |
| cold winter months. Those winter months were | | | | and Irish immigrants in the 1800s. At that |
| associated with death by these people. On | | | | time, much of the "spookiness" of the holiday |
| October 31, the night before the New Year, | | | | was removed and a sense of community and fun |
| the Celts celebrated Samhain. This day, they | | | | were added. Although scary themes are still |
| believed, was when the ghosts of the deceased | | | | the focus of many Halloween celebrations, |
| returned to earth because the boundaries | | | | that scariness is done for fun, not because |
| between the living world and the dead world | | | | of actual fear. |
| blurred. | | | | |
| | | | Halloween is currently the 2nd largest |
| When we think of "Trick-Or-Treating", the | | | | commercial holiday! |
| origins can probably be found in the English | | | | |
| All Souls' Day parades. During these | | | | Nicola always enjoys celebrating Halloween |
| celebrations, the poor would come out and beg | | | | with her family. Visit her Halloween site for |
| for food from the more wealthy families. When | | | | tips and information about Homemade Halloween |
| the families gave them pastries called "soul | | | | Costumes at |
| cakes", they asked for the poor to pray for | | | | |
| their relatives that had passed away. | | | | This article may be reprinted in full so long |
| | | | as the resource box and the live links are |
| Another possibility that may have grown into | | | | included intact. All rights reserved. |
| "Trick-Or-Treating" is the tradition of | | | | |