The Origins Of The Modern Halloween Holiday

Halloween was not always a secular holiday focused on children, candy, trick-or-treating, etc. The modern Halloween holiday probably dates back to an early Celtic festival known as Samhain, which celebrates the successful conclusion of the fall harvest season in Gaelic culture, and is sometimes wrongly called the “Celtic New Year”.

The Gaels believed that the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead somehow overlapped exactly on October 31st, and that the dead would rise from the grave and wreak havoc with plagues such as ruined crops or widespread sickness. These early Halloween festivals would often feature huge bonfires, with the bones of livestock thrown into the fire as a sacrificial offering. Masks and costumes were also worn at this festival to emulate the evil spirits or keep them at bay. When the Romans invaded Celtic territory, several Roman traditions were also brought into these early Halloween celebrations. Feralia was a day celebrated in late October by the Romans for the passing of the dead.

The term “Halloween” is reportedly shortened from the words “All”, “hallow”, and “even”. It was originally a day of religious festivals representing various European Pagan traditions. Just like other religious vigils celebrated during the period, Halloween was celebrated on the previous day if it happened to fall on a Sunday, although the secular celebrations of Halloween were always on October 31st.

In America, Halloween was not always celebrated. Halloween did not become a holiday in America until the 1800’s, due to the lingering Puritan tradition that did not allow for the observance of many holidays. The transatlantic diaspora of nearly 2,000,000 Irish immigrants following the great Potato Famine that happened between 1845 and 1849 finally brought the Halloween celebration to American shores.

The modern Halloween tradition is followed in most towns and cities: trick-or-treaters, mostly children, are welcomed by lit porch lights with jack-o-lanterns, carved pumpkins with candles in them, on the porches. Older kids may celebrate Halloween with a “mischief night” where they throw eggs, have shaving cream fights, and other acts of mischief. Those living in rural areas may hold rollicking Halloween parties, often with huge bonfires, with the kids passing between them (though there are no bones thrown in the fire like olden times). These huge parties typically involve traditional party games like bobbing for apples, searching for candy (akin to Easter egg hunting), spooky hayrides (often accompanied by haunted ghost stories), and of course, treats! Scary movies may also be featured at local movie theaters.

Trick-or-treating for kids may be over by the early evening, but the Halloween nightlife goes on in many cities. Bars and restaurants are crowded with people wearing Halloween masks and sexy costumes. Many bars and restaurants even hold large costume contests to make Halloween a little more fun for the adults. Adult-themed Haunted houses are also popular in some areas. People are increasingly celebrating Halloween at work, with nurses wearing Halloween scrubs in hospitals and doctor’s offices around the country.

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