No Virginia Halloween isn’t evil. Like Easter – yes Easter – the celebration of Halloween comes from ancient celebrations and traditions mixed together with religious tenets and beliefs.
“Halloween” is the abbreviated word for “All Hallows Even” also know as All Hallows Eve—the evening before All Hallows. “All Hallows” is All Saints day; November 1st, when all the saints were honored. The Church set aside this day to honor people who had blessed others and had lived exceptional lives and were considered saints by friends, family and the Church. “Halloween” was thought to be the most favorable time for divinations, for marriage, for health, for death, and for luck. All Saints Day is still practiced throughout the world with extravagant parades and celebrations.
In the west most are aware of, and many still celebrate Dia de los Muertos. Elaborate alters are made to honor family members who have passed away. Calaveras skulls are made to represent the deceased person and in some countries they create masks of the skulls and dress as the family member, or friend, they are honoring.
So where does the spooky and scary side come from? Among non-Christian Celtic people October 31 was the festival of Samhain. New Year’s Eve in Celtic and Anglo-Saxon England was celebrated at that time. The end of the old year and the beginning of the new was an occasion for fire festivals. Huge bonfires were set on top of hills to frighten off the evil spirits.
In Celtic religions, the dead were supposed to visit their homes on this night. In order to prevent unwelcome guests entering their homes at Samhain, the Celts created menacing faces out of turnips and left them on their doorsteps and people would dress up to ward off the ghosts.
There are other stories about a blacksmith named Jack who broke a deal he made with the devil. When he died he wasn’t allowed into heaven or hell and roamed the Irish hills with a gourd and a piece of burning coal inside. Hence the name Jack O’ Lantern. The practice of decorating jack o’ lanterns originated in Ireland, where they used large turnips, potatoes, or beets. Irish immigrants brought the tradition to America, home of the pumpkin, and it became an integral part of Halloween festivities.
As you celebrate Halloween, or Harvest Festival, or Dia de los Muertos this year take a little time to explain to the next generation where these traditions come from. Halloween is more than dressing up to extort candy from the neighbors and scare the Dicken’s out of folks. Traditions are important and so is their history.
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