HALLOWEEN: HAPPY OR HAUNTED?
A brief history of the holiday

Staff Reports

Halloween is one of the oldest holidays still celebrated today. It ranks second only to Christmas in popularity. Many of us celebrate Halloween today, but do we know what it is all about?

Halloween dates back 2,000 years ago the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. This festival marked the end of summer and the harvest, and the beginning of a cold, dark winter.

Many European traditions believe that Halloween is a time when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent. The Celts believed that on the night of October 31, the ghosts of the dead returned to earth, roaming the streets and villages at night. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops,

They thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. The Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities., because to the Celtics, the bonfire represented the sun and was used to aid the Druid in his fight with dark powers. Also, gifts and treats were left out to pacify evil since not all spirits were considered friendly.

When Christianity spread to parts of Europe, instead of trying to abolish these pagan customs, people tried to introduce ideas, which reflected a more Christian world-view. Halloween has since become a confusing mixture of traditions and practices from pagan cultures and Christian tradition.

Halloween didn't become an American holiday until the immigration of the working classes from the British Isles in the late nineteenth century. The mischievous aspects of the holiday attracted many American young people, who borrowed or adapted many customs without reference to their pagan origins.

The commercialization of Halloween in the United States did not start until the 20th century, beginning perhaps with Halloween postcards. The first Halloween catalog was published in 1909, featuring commercially made Halloween decorations, particularly die-cut paper items. German manufacturers specialised in Halloween figurines that were exported to the United States in the period between the two world wars.
Mass-produced Halloween costumes did not appear in stores until the 1930s, and trick-or-treating did not become a fixture of the holiday until the 1950s. In the 1990s, many manufacturers began producing a larger variety of Halloween yard decorations.

Christian attitudes towards Halloween are quite diverse. The fact that All Saints Day and Halloween occur on two consecutive days has left some Christians uncertain of how they should treat this holiday. In the Anglican church, some dioceses have chosen to emphasize the Christian traditions of All Saints Day while some Protestants celebrate the holiday as Reformation Day, a day of remembrance and prayers for unity. Some Christian churches commonly offer a fall festival themed alternative to Halloween. Many Christians ascribe no negative significance to Halloween, treating it as a purely secular holiday devoted to celebrating “imaginary spooks” and handing out candy.

So, regardless of “if “ or “how” you choose to spend October 31st, enjoy your day and be safe.

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