History of Halloween
Halloween is becoming the most
popular holiday it takes place on October 31 or All Hallows' Eve. Over time
All Hallows' Eve became shortened to Halloween. This holiday may have
developed from an ancient pagan festival that was celebrated by Celtic people
over 2000 years ago. The Celtic people celebrated this to mark the end of
summer and the beginning of the dark winter season. It was believed that the
Celtic people had celebrated their feast day around November 1.
The Celts called October 31st
Samhain which in Gaelic means 'summer end'. This was a Celtic only holiday and
the festivities began at sundown on the eve. More importantly Samhain is the
end of the old year and a beginning of a New Year for the Celts.
The Celtic New Years festival
began with the representation of Celtic gods with two faces. These gods would
stand at the portal and one face would be facing towards the past year
remembering all that passed and the other face facing toward the future trying
to foretell what the New Year had in store. An important part of the
festival is the celebration of the dead and the prophecy of the future.
Many Celts believed that on All
Hallows eve that the dead could return to walk among the living on this one
night. Many families set out extra food and lit torches to show the dead their
way. But by daybreak the dead must return to their final resting-place once
again.
The Celts also believed that All
Hallows eve was the best time for predicting the future, so they believed that
only on this holiday would their rituals of divination succeed.
In the 800s the church began a
new holy day on November 1, that of, All saint's day during this time it was
called All Hallows' so that the evening before was called All Hallows' eve.
There were many different beliefs
associated with foretelling during Oct. 31st, most had to do with young women
seeking future spouses. One had to do with young women placing hazelnuts in
front of the fire. Each hazelnut represented a desired spouse. The girl would
then chant a rhyme similar to he loves me he loves me not. Sometimes a
prospected beau could be foretold by the use of an apple; here a young girl
would slice an apple open to reveal the star in the center. She would then eat
it before a mirror by candlelight, supposedly her future suitor would appear
over her shoulder in a mirror.
Even small snails would be used
on this night to spell out the name of the future intended in the ashes of the
fire.
There are many customs and
symbols for Halloween. The custom of hollowing out pumpkins to be made into
jack-o-lanterns comes from the people of Scotland and Ireland who carved out
large beets or turnips to be used for their lanterns. Soon with the
immigration of people from Scotland and Ireland this custom made it to America
where pumpkins were used. At first the pumpkins were used as a symbol of the
spirits that were in the dark, or in the souls released from purgatory.
The name Jack-o-Lantern might
have come from an Irish character named Jack. He could not enter heaven
because of the bad way he treated people and for keeping all his money. But
because he had tricked the devil many times the devil did not want him in hell
either. As his punishment Jack was destined to walk the earth forever and only
had a small peace of coal that Satan gave him to light his lantern.
Bobbing for apples might well
come from a rite of Pagan baptism. The novice that is being baptized is
immersed headfirst in a cauldron of regeneration similar to Christian
baptismal fonts.
The origin of costume wearing on Halloween is thought to have begun in
Ireland. There in County Cork the adults would dress up in costumes as they
begged from house to house. A man dressed in a white robe and holding a wooden
horse's head usually led the group.
In Scotland these costumed people would be known as skelets as they begged on
Halloween. And in Whales the boys would dress as girls and the girls as boys
as they progressed from house to house singing rhymes.
In Ancient times adults would dress up in costumes
begging for a treat which was often one of spirits, liquid not supernatural.
Also during this time adults would gather in groups and sing songs as they
wandered from house to house. This is similar to the caroling that is done at
Christmas, but in ancient times caroling was done on all holidays.
Halloween costume began to become popular in the late
1800s in the United States. But a few years later in the 1900s children mainly
wore the costumes. Some of the first costumes to be made for children were of
fairies, gypsies and burglars. After the television became a household world
factory made costumes became popular in the 1950s. Many of the costume made
were from movies and television stars and characters.
Trick or treating may have begun with the leaving out of
food for a treat for spirits that the people thought roamed around on
Halloween night.
Many different customs of this appeared all over the world, in England, people
went door to door asking for small breads in exchange for their prayers. In
England and Ireland people would parade on many holidays in masks and groups
of these people would go door to door asking for food in return for a song or
a small performance.
Today trick or treating is the main activity for
children in North America. On Halloween night young children dress in costumes
that are either homemade or store bought and they go from house to house in
their neighborhood yelling trick or treat.
The custom of Mischief night is also know as the devil's
night and it is when young people play tricks on their neighbors. They may
decorate a tree with toilet paper or soap windows. Lately Mischief night has
evolved from a night of harmless fun into a night of destruction and rowdy
behavior.
To the Wiccan religion, Halloween is one of their four
high holidays. Because of the great importance that witches put on this
holiday it is referred to as the great sabbats. Many new covens today have
reverted back to calling Halloween by the older name of Samhain. The older
traditional covens still call it Halloween.
Because of the importance of the holiday witches hold
two celebrations on this night. The first is a large Halloween party that
includes their Christian and non-Wiccan friends. This celebration is usually
done before the actual holiday of October 31st.
Next the coven holds a ritual on Halloween where they
will do their rituals and rites. Many celebrants feel that the dead join in
during this ritual as well.
Many of Halloween's traditions are still firmly rooted
in Paganism.
|
