When the summer begins to disappear, and the leaves start to fall, a fresh excitement settles in. The time has come. Halloween is around the corner, the best part of the autumn, where people of all ages are surrounded by spooky decorations, pumpkin carving, chocolates, and the cheery sound of “trick or treat!” Where parents scramble to buy or make a costume, and children squeal with excitement at the thought of filling their mouths with candy. Why is it that we bob apples? Or depict our festivities with ghosts, witches, and black or orange colors? In this article, we will retrace our steps into the very origins of the spooky festivities, if you dare.
The very first traces of Halloween lie with the Celts, people that lived in Scotland or Ireland in 2000 BCE, who believed that on October 31st the boundary between living and dead was blurred. On November 1st, in contemporary calendars, the New Year began. They marked the difference between summer and harvest with a long, dark, and tedious winter associated with many’s misery and death. Therefore, the Celts used colors of black and orange, as darker tones symbolized death while the orange contrast referenced autumn. They named the festival “Samhain” (pronounced sow-in), where the ghosts of those who had died during the year returned to visit them, in which the Celts would create large bonfires, wear costumes to avoid being recognized by ghosts, and have druids (Celtic priests) predict their future.
During A.D. 43, the Roman Empire had conquered Celtic lands, and by then, their traditions regarding the autumn had aligned and been integrated with the Samhain festival. The first tradition, called “Feralia”, commemorated the passing of the dead, and the second festival honored the Roman goddess Pomona, who was in charge of fruit, trees, and harvest. As a result, according to History, historians speculate that the tradition of bobbing apples stems from Roman practices, specifically during these two holidays, during the fall.
It was not until Christianity overtook the Roman Empire, that A.D 609, Pope Boniface IV established All Saints Day in hopes of casting a Christian influence over the otherwise pagan holiday. The day of November 1st became dedicated to all of the saints and martyrs of the church. The evening before All Saints Day became known as Alholowmesse or All-Hallows Eve, then Hallowe’en, which has formed into what we now call Halloween over time.
Fast forward to the beginning of the 16th century, when a wave of Protestantism washed over Europe, and with it came The Reformation. The movement led to the end of the All Hallows Eve celebration in large parts of Europe, and it continued to persist in Britain. The celebration was forbidden amongst American colonists in the 18th century due to the strong protestant belief that dominated Europeans, though it never fully disappeared. With the mix of European and Native American cultures, a new version of Halloween emerged. To celebrate the fall, neighbors and communities would begin to share stories of the dead, dress up, predict fortunes, and dance, combining native and Celtic practices. Though recognized, the fall festivities were far from being celebrated everywhere in the country, or from the Halloween that we cherish today. It wasn’t until a huge swarm of Irish immigrants following the Potato Famine in the mid-19th century, that the holiday gained traction. Americans initially viewed Halloween as an oddity, but as Irish immigrants quickly integrated into the country, the holiday turned into something more mainstream. Furthermore, they brought many traditions with them, such as asking neighbors for money and pulling pranks, though their tricks quickly became rowdy, expensive, and vandalistic. Candy companies saw an opportunity, and marketed “trick or treat”, selling small individually wrapped candy which allowed communities to embrace a more tame version of the spooky festival. Thanks to the influences of various cultures, our unique holiday was created from many different periods, nuances, and beliefs, which makes it so special for fellow Halloween-ers today.
Have you ever wondered where the iconic features of Halloween stemmed from? Here are some of the most popular Halloween practices and their origins.
Carving Jack O’Lanterns:
If you have ever carved out a pumpkin before, then you might have wondered, why do we scoop, cut, and carve this odd fruit? Initially, the Irish would carve turnips to scare away evil spirits. The tradition is based on a myth, a tale, in which the old man Stingy Jack would repeatedly trap the devil with his contraption– a turnip. He would only release the devil with the promise of not going to hell, but when the old man died, heaven didn’t accept him either, and his ghost now wanders in between the two worlds, displaced.
Trick or Treat:
There is much uncertainty regarding Trick or Treating, though according to Britannica, historians have come up with three main theories. The first one speculates that the Celts would leave food on their porch for evil spirits, and over time, people began dressing up as them in exchange for the food. The second one hypothesizes that during the Middle Ages, beggars and children would go door to door asking for food in return for prayers and blessings. The final theory connects Trick or Treat to the American-German tradition belsnickiling, in which children would dress up and visit homes, and adults would have to figure out the hidden identity behind their masks. We will never know for sure if Trick or Treat has evolved from a combination of all three practices, or none at all.
Black Cats:
Black cats are not only an element of Halloween, but also a centuries-old symbol of evil. During the Middle Ages, a common superstition pronounced black cats to be a symbol of the devil. Centuries later, in the many witch trials that took place, women were often found with black cats, further fueling their stereotype until black cats became known for their dark significance.
Candy Apples:
Did you know that candied apples were found entirely by mistake? In 1908, the candymaker William W. Kolb in New Jersey was creating red cinnamon candy, when he dipped some apples into the syrup and put it on display in order to showcase his new candy. Much to his surprise, customers began asking for the candied apples, and by the end of the day, they were completely sold out!
Halloween has always been a special holiday, and by understanding its culturally rich history, we learn more about the traditions we love. From the ancient European Celts to the children in modern-day America, people from and of all ages have enjoyed celebrating the spooky fall with their loved ones. The culmination of the cultures, people, and beliefs that have participated in Halloween can be noticed in the occasional whiff of candy in the air, in the unique colors of the autumn, and in the smiles of little children.
Bibliography:
“Halloween.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 17 Oct. 2024, www.britannica.com/topic/Halloween.
“Halloween: Origins, Meaning & Traditions.” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
Thomas, Heather. “The Origins of Halloween Traditions: Headlines & Heroes.” The Library of Congress, 26 Oct. 2021, blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2021/10/the-origins-of-halloween-traditions/#:~:text=Yet%2C%20the%20Halloween%20holiday%20has,costumes%20to%20ward%20off%20ghosts.