All throughout the house, nothing is stirring not even a…what was that?
Was it a ghost or a bat?
Every October 31st we celebrate All Hallow’s Eve, aka Halloween. The Spainsh call it El Dia de los Muertos.
Some believe this holiday is the work of the devil, but it’s roots are in reality are settled in celebration and tradition of the dead and the past.
This festive holiday got it’s start in the 16th century when the Scottish called it All Hallow’s Eve meaning the night before All Hallow’s Day (November 1st). It wasn’t “officially” seen until 1556.
The term, Halloween, came from Celtic influences from 2,00 years ago through their pagan traditions in part called “The Festival of the Dead”, called “Samhain” which is Old Irish for “summers end”.
During Samhain (pronounced Sow-In), it is believed in Celtic tradition that departed souls return to their homes to visit family because the gate of the Otherworld has been open. This occurs during the end of the harvest season and before the start of the winter season.
By 43 A.D., with the influence of Roman traditions that created a two-day event. Day one was Feralia, a day that in late October when the Romans typically celebrated the passing of the dead. Day two, was to celebrate the passing of Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. Hince the end of the harvest season typically.
The symbol of Pomona is apples with the Celtic tradition of “bobbing” of apples. This is how we got our current tradition of it today.
On May 13th, 609 A.D Pop Boniface IV liked this idea of celebrating the dead that he established All Martyrs Day. This was expanded to Saints and eventually changed to All Saints Day that strecth from May 13 through November 1st.
When Halloween came to America during colonial times, this is when it slowly became what we know it as today; as people in Maryland around this time would have get-together’s and have “play parties” that featured ghost stories, tell each other’s fortunes, dance and sing.
In 1846, with the Irish migrating over due to the potato famine that was plaguing the country at the time; they integrated their traditions with the American tradition.
With the influences from the Irish, and British, the idea of dressing up and “trick and treating” began. At first, it was going around asking for food and money before it migrated to candy and pranks.
In the 19th-century Halloween wasn’t as nationally known but by the later part of the century and into the 20th century, the tradition became more localized.
This localized feature made it more children-friendly and more community-based than about witchcraft and ghost stories with parties that focused on games, foods of the season and festive costumes.
Thanks to the community-based influences Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones at the start of the twentieth century.
The idea of Trick-or-treating can be dated back to the celebration days back in England as part of the early day’s of the All Saints Day holiday.
It was started as poor citizens would go out and beg for food in return to pray for the particular family’s dead relatives in a form called “Soul Cakes”. The church wanted to replace ancient Celtic practice of leaving food and wine for the roaming spirits.
The idea of dressing up can be dated back centuries ago by way of Celtic and English influences Both cultures were uncertain and afraid of the winter time that they only went out when they need to during the day and night.
During Halloween, the people were afraid of these earthly ghost that every time that they went outside at night; they put on mask to avoid being recognized by the ghost who might recognized them as a fellow spirit.
Superstitions of the holiday are just as interesting as the story behind it.
The superstition of the black cats bring one bad luck started back in the Middle Ages because it’s believed that witches avoided detection by turning themselves into cats.
People don’t walk under ladders can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians who believed that triangles are unsafe.
A weird one that’s gone on the way side was many superstitions had to do with helping young women identify their future husbands and reassuring them that they would someday with luck, by the next Halloween be married. For example, in 18th-century Ireland, a matchmaking cook might try to bury a ring in her mashed potatoes on Halloween night, hoping to bring true love to the diner who found it.
Halloween has evolved throughout the years. With it’s roots in celebrations in the dead and with the past, we have build a holiday in which we can do so and have fun at the same time.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parentalia
JMcDonaldMedia 
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