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Halloween History
Author: Mrs. Party... Gail Leino
Website:
Added: Sat, 27 Aug 2005 23:11:54 -0400
Category: Career
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Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain
(pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter. "Halloween," actually has its origins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of
All Hallows Eve. November 1, "All Hollows Day" (or "All Saints
Day"), is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. The holiday was called Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New ear.
Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.
Halloween is celebrated annually on October 31. Just think about a bunch of frightening fantasies and the scary stories featuring ghosts, witches, monsters, and all things that go bump in the night then your thinking about one of the finest holidays of the year.
The disembodied spirits of all those who had died throughout the preceding year would come back in search of living bodies to possess for the next year. It was believed to be their only hope for the afterlife.
The Celts believed all laws of space and time were suspended during this time, allowing the spirit world to intermingle with the living. "Trick or treat" is innocent fun to relish on the Halloween Day. It comes from the
catholic tradition of eating and giving soul cakes on Halloween. People would walk from village to village begging for "soul cakes," made out
of square pieces of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars would receive, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors. At the time, it was believed that the dead remained in limbo for a time after death, and that prayer, even by strangers, could expedite a soul's passage to heaven. The Jack-o-lantern custom comes from Irish folklore. Wearing costumes comes from the days when Celtic villagers would dress up in ghoulish costumes and noisily paraded around, being as destructive as possible in order to frighten away spirits looking for bodies to possess. Halloween party supplies like paper plates, napkins, and cups are a nice way to complete a Halloween Party Theme. Halloween
decorations like pumpkin piñatas
as a centerpiece, can also double as party prizes. Party favors like Halloween stickers or glow jewelry fit a Halloween Party Theme.
About the Author
Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on giving the best possible party, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts.
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