What Is Halloween About?
By Kidd Coleman
Most people go through their entire life without asking themselves, "What is Halloween about?"
Sure, we all know it's an annual event held Oct. 31st. And, yes, there will be candy -- lots of it -- and costumes, parties, games and trick or treating.
But what is Halloween? What is Halloween about, really?
Halloween is big in the United States, but it is also celebrated in other areas of the world, including Canada, Ireland, France and the United Kingdom. Halloween dates back about 2,000 years when the Celts held sacred religious ceremonies on the eve of Oct. 31 to celebrate the approaching new year, which back then started Nov. 1. The celebration was called "Samhain," which means summer's end.
The Celts believed Oct. 31 was a special night where the spirits of the dead could come back to their earthy realm and do just about anything, which usually included causing trouble.
The Celts had priests known as Druids and believed they could communicate with the spirits and accurately predict the events of the upcoming year. Because this day indicated the end of summer, and the end of harvest, it also meant winter was approaching. And, winter often meant harsh times because the cold weather and lack of food usually resulted in death. This is why the Celts consulted with their priests for insight about the winter and new year ahead.
Halloween wasn't about candy and costumes and games back then; it was a life or death situation, and they wanted any help they could get.
The history of Halloween is a little different depending on where you live. But most agree that the Samhain celebration began when the Druids started a bonfire on the eve of Oct. 31 and the Celts burned animals and crops as a sacrifice in an attempt to appease their gods.
The Celts would wear lavish costumes, usually made of animal skins and heads. After a long celebration, the event would come to an end and the participants would take some of the coals of the fire and bring them home to relight their fireplaces. They believed this would help keep them safe and bring prosperity into their lives in the upcoming year.
The history of Halloween changed drastically around 43 A.D. when the Romans conquered the Celts and eventually combined the celebration of Samhain with two of their own. The first celebration, called Feralia, was a one-day event held near the end of October in memory of the dead. The second event was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and orchards.
A side note about Pomona is that her identifying symbol was the apple, and she was often linked with trees and fruit. This is why many believe our modern day Halloween is often celebrated with the game, bobbing for apples.
As Halloween evolved and combined the various traditions, it received a new name, "All Saint's Day." This new celebration was held Nov. 1 and all people were allowed to freely worship the god of their choice.
While All Saint's Day was a popular event, many people opted to keep with their former tradition and celebrate on Oct. 31 like their ancient ancestors did. This day was named "All Hallows Eve," or what we now commonly call Hallowe'en or Halloween.
Halloween history is very colorful. Some people love it and see it as nothing more than a day of candy, games and fun; while others avoid it as they see it as an evil ritual. Now that you know what Halloween is about, you can decide for yourself.
Kidd Coleman enjoys writing about holidays, fashion, art, movies and entertainment. To learn what Halloween is about, or for fun Halloween ideas including costumes, parties, games, crafts, music, movies and recipes, visit http://www.funhalloweenideas.info.
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