History of Halloween
Photo caption: Halloween has been celebrated for centuries across the globe in many ways, from spectacular bonfires to dressing up in costumes, and from carving turnips to carving pumpkins. Photo courtesy of thespruce.com
While we know Halloween as the bane of dentists or a possible cash scheme produced by candy companies, its origins date back to the ancient Celts of Central Europe who thrived over 2,000 years ago. The festival first began as Samhain (Saw-wane), a celebration of costumes and bonfires lit to ward off evil spirits. The Celtic peoples celebrated Samhain to usher in the new year and to mark the end of the harvest season.
By using carved vegetables to ward off malicious tricksters and inviting benign spirits into their homes, the Celts believed they would be spared from a harsh and prolonged winter season. According to History.com, the Druids (Celtic priests) used Samhain as a time to honor the natural world and make predictions of the future, much like the oracles of Ancient Greece.
In 609 A.D., well after the Roman Empire had conquered Celtic territories, Pope Boniface IV declared the period from October 31st to November 2nd to be a sacred celebration of Christian saints. Parades, bonfires and grand drama productions were held in honor of the dead.
In early America, protestant beliefs made the celebration of Halloween extremely limited. Over time, Native American customs merged with European traditions and annual harvest festivals were celebrated throughout the colonies. In the late 1800s, Halloween became a communal holiday, meant for neighborly get-togethers and games for children.
As trick-or-treating became popular towards the turn of the century, leaders began to remove the grotesque or frightening customs exhibited in ancient traditions from the celebrations. Because of this, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the twentieth century, molding into the night of costumes, pranks and sugar-crashes we know and love today. Dentists may not be able to save everyone’s teeth, but the post-Halloween candy discount will save many wallets for sure.
