Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween! You have probably heard this phrase a lot today, but the actual “holiday” we celebrate as Halloween, originated as All Hallows’ Evening (better known as All Hallows’ Eve).

 

All Hallows’ Eve is thought to have pagan roots, linked to the Celtic festival Samhain, which comes from the Old Irish for “summer’s end”. Samhain was the first (and most important) of the four quarter days in the Gaelic calendar and was held on October 31^st or November 1^st. Samhain was thought to be the time when a door was opened to our world that allowed souls of the dead and other beings (fairies) to enter. In parts of Ireland and Scottish Highlands, turnip lanterns, sometimes with carved faces, were made on Samhain in the 19^th century. These were used to light the way while outside on a dark Samhain night but also have been used to represent the spirits and fairies and/or protect a person from them.

 Halloween is thought to be influenced by Christians who celebrate holy days,  All Saints’ Day on November 1^st and All Souls’ Day on November 2^nd. These days are celebrated in honoring the saints and praying for the recently deceased/departed who had not yet reached Heaven. Groups of people, mostly children, would go door to door collecting soul cakes as a means of praying for souls in purgatory. This tradition was called “souling” and has been suggested as the origin of trick-or-treating.

 Many of the Puritans of the New England area were strongly opposed to Halloween and it wasn’t until the immigration of Irish and Scottish in the mid to late 19^th century that Halloween was brought (fully) to North America. As it was kept confined to the immigrant communities until the 20^th century, Halloween was gradually embraced by mainstream society and was celebrated coast to coast by people of all social, racial and religious backgrounds.

From costumes and trick-or-treating to carving jack-o-lanterns and decorating, everybody has a favorite Halloween tradition. Halloween can be a fun evening with family and friends, and no matter how you celebrate, have fun watch out for goblins!

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween Fun Facts

 - Black & Orange are Halloween’s signature colors. Orange/Fall Harvest and Black/death

 - Halloween ranks as the 2^nd (to Christmas) most commercially successful holiday

 - Halloween candy sales average about $2 billion in the US each year

-  10% of pet owners dress their pet in Halloween costume

-  National Candy Corn Day is on October 30^th