The Origins of Halloween

Headless horsemen, witches and ghosts, tricks and treats...just about everyone's familiar with the tradition known as Halloween. But how did an ancient pagan ritual grow into one of the most popular holidays of the year?  Read on to learn more about October 31 and the night known as Halloween.

It is believed that the druids were the first to observe Halloween; as far back as 700 B.C., they celebrated the festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in) on November 1, signifying the end of the harvest and the time to honor those who had passed away. When the Christians set about to convert the pagans, some adaptation of the pagan rituals had to be made to keep the druids from leaving the church. In order to do this, November 1st became known as 'All Saints Day,' honoring those in heaven, while  October 31st would be added as 'All Hallows Eve,' or Halloween, the night when all the dead were to be remembered.

Today, this ritual for the dead is still remembered and observed in many cultures.  For some, this means leaving food out for the dead, or cooking some special meal that the departed favored.  For others, it is simply an opportunity to go see the latest horror flicks, to engage in fortune telling and seances or, more popular, to attend Halloween parties and have fun going door to door to 'Trick or Treat.'

While the exact origins of Trick or Treat are unknown, it is believed to be tied into an ancient custom where people left food on their doorstep, in order to prevent hungry spirits from entering their home.  People attending parties and festivals would dress in frightening costumes, such as ghosts, goblins and witches, because it was believed that in doing so, the wandering spirits of the dead were sure to leave one alone.  Jack-o'-Lanterns were rumored to have a simliar purpose, keeping evil powers at bay.