Trick or treating evolved from a ritual where people dressed in spooky costumes, performed dances and received treats to appease the evil spirits. By the time Christianity had spread into Britain, a new practice had developed. Pumpkins are arguably the most iconic symbol of Halloween, but why did we start carving them? It originates from an Irish myth about a man named Stingy Jack, who tricked the Devil for his own monetary gain. When Irish immigrants moved to the US, they started to use pumpkins instead as they grow naturally there.
Fun facts for kids Non-chocolate advent calendars Royal news. Home Family Family news. Halloween ideas. Halloween falls on October 31 because the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain , considered the earliest known root of Halloween, occurred on this day. It marked a pivotal time of year when seasons changed, but more importantly, observers also believed the boundary between this world and the next became especially thin at this time, enabling them to connect with the dead.
This belief is shared by some other cultures; a similar idea is mentioned around the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which also typically occurs in October and involves saying prayers for the dead. This is also where Halloween gains its "haunted" connotations. The early pagan holiday of Samhain involved a lot of ritualistic ceremonies to connect to spirits, as the Celts were polytheistic.
While there isn't a lot of detail known about these celebrations, many believe the Celts celebrated in costume granted, they were likely as simple as animal hides as a disguise against ghosts, enjoyed special feasts, and made lanterns by hollowing out gourds hence, the history of jack-o'-lanterns.
Over time, as Christianity took over and the pagan undertones of the holiday were lessened, the basic traditions of the holiday remained a part of pop culture every year; they simply evolved and modernized. The mystical rituals of earlier times evolved into more lighthearted fun and games. For example, the somewhat heavy concept of connecting to the dead was replaced with the more lighthearted idea of telling the future.
Bobbing for apples, for example, became popular as a fortune-telling game on All Hallows' Eve: Apples would be selected to represent all of a woman's suitors, and the guy—er, apple—she ended up biting into would supposedly represent her future husband. In fact, Halloween previously posed a huge albeit rather superstitious matchmaking opportunity for young women in the 19th century.
Another popular All Hallows' Eve ritual was mirror-gazing, as people hoped to catch a vision of their future by looking into the mirror. There are also reports of fortune-cookie-like favors being given out during earlier times. People wrote messages on pieces of paper in milk, and the notes were then folded and placed into walnut shells.
The shells would be heated over a fire, causing the milk to brown just enough for the message to mystically appear on the paper for the recipient. Many people were said to dress up as saints and recite songs or verses door to door. They also competitively bobbed for apples at parties, believing the winner would marry first. And in a ritual that just sounds downright creepy, some thought standing in a dark room with a candle in front of a mirror would make their future husband's face appear in the glass.
The holiday we celebrate today really started taking off in the middle of the 19th century, when a wave of Irish immigrants left their country during the potato famine. The newcomers brought their own superstitions and customs, like the jack-o'-lantern. Did you know that jack-o'-lanterns used to be carved out of turnips, potatoes and beets?
While kids didn't trick-or-treat at that time, they did play plenty of pranks. By the end of the s, more communities ushered in a more secular and safer set of rituals.
People started holding Halloween parties that featured more games, fall seasonal treats and fun costumes over witchcraft and mischievous troublemaking. Trick-or-treating skyrocketed in popularity by the s, when Halloween became a true national event. That's a lot of miniature candy bars! Many Americans love Halloween wholeheartedly, but the day isn't an official holiday. Despite all of the festivities that happen in the evening, Halloween is still a working day and most businesses and banks follow their regular hours.
So if you're rushing home to answer your doorbell on the day, you're certainly not the only one. Product Reviews. Home Ideas. United States. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. This comes from the fact November 1 is All Saints' Day, a Christian feast dedicated to celebrating the faithful departed, including all the saints.
In Christian tradition, people start celebrating major feasts the night before they take place — take Christmas Eve, for instance. Historians have linked Halloween to Samhain, the Celtic festival of the summer's end celebrated in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. According to Celtic mythology, the veil between the Otherworld and our world thins during Samhain, making it easier for spirits and the souls of the dead to return.
People would make offerings of food in order to get on the good side of these spirits and departed ancestors, according to the Mirror. Pope Gregory IV switched it to the current date in , according to Britannica. His reasons were unclear, although influence from Celtic factions of the church and the fact that it makes sense to commemorate death during the fall are possibilities.
Halloween has come to be most closely associated with the pumpkin, but apples have played an important role in its history. After all, apples make numerous appearances in Celtic mythology and are often connected to the Otherworld. The reason? Well, the practice used to be considered a form of divination performed around Halloween, according to NPR. That's right — people would dunk their heads in a vat of water and try to bite into floating fruit in a quest to figure out their future spouse.
Ladies would mark an apple and toss it into the tub. The thinking was they'd be destined to whoever pulled it out of the water. Modern day, intricately designed pumpkin creations certainly make for impressive decorations. But back in the day, folks in Ireland dubbed their carved, fiery turnips "jack-o'-lanterns" thanks in part to an ominous legend.
One night, a conniving local drunkard named Jack trapped the Prince of Darkness in a tree by hacking a sign of the cross into the bark. In exchange for letting Satan climb down, Jack had him vow to never claim his soul.
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