All Hallows’ Eve, or Halloween, is a widely honored celebration that falls on October 31. Even while it’s currently connected to candy, costumes, and eerie décor, its roots go back thousands of years.
Celtic customs and Samhain
Halloween, sometimes referred to as All Hallows’ Eve, is a widely observed event that falls on October 31. Its origins can be found in the Celtic celebration of Samhain, which was observed more than 2,000 years ago in what is now northern France, the UK, and Ireland. Samhain, when summer gave way to winter, was thought to be a period when the lines separating the living from the dead become blurry.
As the Celtic New Year, Samhain marked the end of summer and the harvest as well as the start of the gloomy, frigid winter, a time of year connected to death. The Celts celebrated Samhain on the night of October 31, believing that the ghosts of the dead had returned to Earth.
Indistinct Lines: The Living and the Dead
The Celts believed that this was the best time of year for their priests, the Druids, to foretell. These prophecies provided comfort throughout the hard winter months in a time when people relied much on nature. Druids constructed hallowed bonfires to honor Samhain, and people gathered around them to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to Celtic gods. In addition, the Celts dressed up—typically in animal hides and heads—and made fortune-telling predictions for one another.
Story Telling and Play Parties
It was European immigrants that brought this festival to the US. Originally, “play parties”—public gatherings honoring the harvest—were a component of the occasion. Neighbors gathered at these events to dance, tell fortunes, tell stories about the dead while dancing and singing
Irish Immigration’s Influence
There was an influx of new immigrants to the United States in the middle of the 19th century. Millions of Irish people who were escaping the Potato Famine were among them, and they contributed to Halloween’s widespread popularity. The American celebration of Halloween originated from their traditions and customs blending with those of other immigrant groups.
Contemporary Halloween Parties: Both costume parties and trick-or-treating
Halloween is observed with a variety of events these days. Both kids and adults dress up, visit the houses of their neighbors, and gather candy. A common way for people to celebrate is through costume parties, which let them show off their artistic side and get into the holiday spirit.
With ghouls, witches, vampires, and jack-o’-lanterns among its iconic symbols, Halloween has embraced the macabre. The celebration is made more thrilling and exciting by these symbols.
Altruistic Projects
Halloween has evolved into a philanthropic event in more recent years. UNICEF has attempted to incorporate fundraising for its initiatives into the Halloween celebration. Halloween is a joyful and enjoyable holiday that crosses the line between customs from the past and modern enjoyment thanks to this blending of traditions and activities. Halloween never fails to spark the imagination and unite people in a sense of fun and camaraderie, whether they are trick-or-treating or attending a costume party.
Article By Debanjana Talukdar
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