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Halloween is an annual day celebrated on October 31 remembering the dead. People dress in their scariest costumes on this day which is believed to be inspired by folk customs and beliefs. Halloween or Hallowe’en is also known as Allhalloween which means All Hallow’s Eve. The day is also known as All Saints’ Eve in some countries. Halloween is mostly celebrated by Western Christians and non-Christians where saints, martrys, and faithful departed believers are remembered. They honor saints and pray for souls who have not yet reached heaven yet. The word ‘Halloween’ means ‘hallowed evening’ or ‘holy evening’ and is also referred to as ‘All Saints Day’.
The word Halloween or Hallowe’en dates to about 1745 and is said to have Christian origins. Halloween activities on this day include trick-or-treating, attending Halloween costume parties, carving pumpkins, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories and watching horror films.
In some countries, people attend church and light candles on the graves of the dead. Some Christians also refrain from having non-vegetarian food on this day. There are many theories to how Halloween evolved and its origin. While many scholars believe it has Christian roots, its relation to pagan harvest festival known as Samhain is also widely believed. Samhain meaning ‘Summer’s End’ celebrates the end of harvest season. Gals believed that during this time the wall between the living and the dead becomes small and they come back to life. In fear of the dead who would damage crops, the ancient Gals would stock their supplies preparing for winter. And to please the unholy spirits, people lit bonfires and wore masks.
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It is believed that pumpkin carving on Halloween came into being as immigrants to North America started to use pumpkin than the traditional turnip as it was softer and larger. Carving of pumpkin during Halloween came into practice as both harvest and the day fell during the same time in the year. Over the years, people started lighting pumpkins thus becoming an essential on Halloween. People also decorate their houses with scarecrows and corn husks.
The practice of trick or treating and dressing began in the 16th century in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales where people went door-to-door asking for food in exchange for a poem or song dressed in various costumes. People who dressed up as souls of the dead were believed to be protecting themselves from the spirits by impersonating them. The celebrations took a different turn with poor children would go around praying for the dead in exchange collecting soul cakes. Over the years, children would go around in the neighborhood and ask for candies. Soul cakes which have a cross on the top and when eaten they represented a soul being freed from purgatory.
Nowadays, Halloween is celebrated across countries irrespective of regions or religion. Halloween parties are quite popular in the West where people dress in scary looking costumes. Halloween costumes in the past were influenced by gothic themes in literature. People then dressed as bats, ghosts, Egyptian pharaoh or something exotic. With the advent of pop culture in the 1970s, costumes became more sexualized.
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