Exploring the Origins of Halloween
By Georgia Kirshenbaum
It has taken over 2,000 years for Halloween to become the holiday we all know and love. But where did it all begin? The origins of Halloween date back to 2,000 years ago, when the Celts celebrated the end of the harvest and the beginning of the winter season. The Celts believed that on this night, ghosts would enter the human world and terrorize the living. Over the years, Halloween has taken on a variety of forms. In 1000 AD, Halloween, known to the Catholic church as “Hallowmas,” was a celebration of three events, including the Eve of All Saints, All Saints, and All Souls. 300 years later, Halloween had transformed into being a holiday celebrated throughout Europe. Specifically, in France and Switzerland, Halloween was known as the one night a year people would go witch-hunting.
As it continued to change throughout the years, many recognizable traits of Halloween began to appear. For example, trick or treating began during the Middle Ages as a custom called “souling,” which was when people would go to the houses of wealthy families and ask for food and drinks on Halloween night and in 1866, the Jack-O-Lantern was first associated with Halloween. To this day, some people celebrate old traditions, such as leaving food on the dinner table for spirits or even lighting candles on the side of the road to honor deceased loved ones. Some even believed that witches were known to disguise themselves as black cats.
Watch out! The next time you come across a black cat—you might just be doomed.
Works Cited:
History.com Editors. “Halloween 2019.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 18 Nov. 2009.