Halloween Traditions and History

Although countries around the world celebrate Halloween in its traditional form or on another similar date, the secular side of the holiday remains much more attractive and popular. Many people have no idea how and why this day is celebrated, but they are actively and willingly involved in the decoration and celebrations. But where does the holiday come from?

Halloween comes from pagan traditions, which were then adopted and merged with religion. According to the most commonly used explanation, the basis is the Celtic festival Samhain. It is dedicated to celebrating the end of summer and harvesting. According to Celtic beliefs, on this day the doors of the underworld open and the spirits come out. It was believed that on this day a place should be left for the deceased, because that is when he/she will return home.

There is no person who does not associate Halloween with a pumpkin lantern. The image has become so popular that it is analogous to the day on which the souls of the dead are celebrated. The history of the pumpkin lantern is extremely interesting and is based on Irish myth. A man named Jack deceived the Devil twice. When he died, God refused to accept him. And because of his tricks, the Devil didn't want him either. Before letting his spirit wander in the night, the Devil gave him only a few coals to shine. Jack dropped the coal into a carved pumpkin and has been roaming the Earth ever since.

In the beginning, various fruits and vegetables were used, on which people painted scary faces and placed them at the front door to scare Jack and other similar wandering evil souls. After settling in America, immigrants from Ireland and Scotland carried the story with them. There they found a very suitable material for making a lantern, similar to that of Jack - the pumpkin.

The name of the holiday Halloween comes from the Christian holiday All Hallows Eve, during which the souls of the dead are honored. However, when many people from Ireland and Scotland left for the United States in the 19th century, they took their traditions, and a mixture of transferred, local, and religious beliefs and customs emerged locally. Many of the symbols of the holiday such as ghosts, witches, vampires and other creatures are based on Gothic stories.

In countries where Halloween is celebrated, children usually dress up in scary costumes, wear masks and ring the doorbell asking if they should do mischief or give them treats. On this day, kids usually tell scary stories about ghosts and apparitions. Nowadays, many people prepare for the holiday by decorating their houses and preparing themed cakes such as various sweet spirits, cream and chocolate surprises, cookies with themed decorations and much more. Often the traditional preparation for the holiday includes making pumpkin, halloween flower decorations, plastic skeletons and other decorations. In many places various fairs, carnivals, etc. are organized. American Irish can eat a special fruit cake with hidden coins. It is believed that whoever collects more coins will have good luck for the rest of the year.

If years ago the preparation of the costume took months, now it is extremely easy to do so. Before the holiday, all the shops are full of themed items, so you can disguise yourself in whatever you want with just a little tour of the shops and the idea of ​​creativity. You can be whatever you want - from princes and princesses to vampires - a matter of choice. There is no precise and clear definition of where the idea of ​​wearing costumes during the holiday comes from, but as early as the 1930s, dressing up as characters from movies and literature became a tradition. Although until recently wearing Halloween costumes was considered a childhood or youth tradition, in recent years more and more adults have also decided to dress up.