Let’s explore the origins and meaning behind Halloween, when it is celebrated, and the countries that join in the festivities.
Halloween has a long history that dates back over 2,000 years. It originally began with the ancient Celtic festival called Samhain (pronounced “sown”). The Celts lived in what is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France. They celebrated Samhain to mark the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter.
They believed that on the night of October 31st, the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred. Spirits could return to Earth, and people lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off these spirits.
When the Romans conquered Celtic territories, two Roman festivals were combined with Samhain: Feralia, a day to honour the dead, and Pomona, the goddess of fruit and trees. This blending of traditions helped shape what we now know as Halloween.
In the 8th century, the Christian church established All Hallows’ Eve on October 31st, the night before All Saints’ Day on November 1st. Over time, Halloween evolved into a more community-centred holiday with activities like trick-or-treating, parties, and games.
Today, Halloween is a time to celebrate the spooky and the supernatural. People enjoy dressing up in costumes, decorating their homes with pumpkins and ghosts, and enjoying festive treats.
While some still honour the traditions of the past, many see Halloween as a fun time for creativity and community.
Halloween is celebrated every year on October 31st. The date is fixed, so the holiday falls on the same day each year. This means that Halloween can sometimes fall on different days of the week, but it always remains on October 31st. The celebration often begins in the evening and continues into the night, with activities like trick-or-treating starting around sunset.
In some places, Halloween festivities begin earlier in the month of October, with events like haunted houses, pumpkin patches, and costume parties. The month-long celebration builds excitement and allows people to participate in various Halloween activities leading up to the main day on October 31st.
While Halloween is most popular in the United States, it is celebrated in many other countries around the world like Canada, Ireland, Scotland, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan and Germany.
This tradition has continued to grow, especially among younger generations.
